My Home Library

Approximately 1.4 million children in Houston and across the Texas Gulf Coast were affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Books can help children and families cope with the psychological trauma caused by a natural disaster.

80% of Houston Children

are economically disadvantaged. Books are a luxury their families cannot afford.

1 out of 4 Third Graders

in Houston do not meet reading standards. They are 4 times more likely to drop out.

1 Book per 300 Households

is available in low income families. The book gap contributes to the achievement gap.

It Starts at Home

Time with books at home is extremely important to child literacy, yet the average number library in homes below the poverty line is less than one book. My Home Library is working with donors and literacy groups to give children the books they need to develop reading skills that will create a pathway to success in life.

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Bridging the Gap

Through My Home Library, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation is able to negotiate best-in-class pricing with book publishers, including Arté Publico, Bright Sky Press, Longtale Publishing, Penguin Random House, and Scholastic, to help make sponsoring a child’s home library affordable. Donors may sponsor a home library for an individual child, sponsor home libraries for a classroom, a grade level, or a school, or make a general donation in support of the My Home Library initiative.

When children have access to books in their home, and have choice in selecting books, research clearly shows a higher probability that they will read more frequently and achieve at higher levels academically. Unfortunately, books are a luxury that many families cannot afford, yet they are essential to a child's development. To help children in need gain access to books in their home, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation will host the My Home Library program at schools and licensed childcare centers across the greater Houston area.