Brooklyn Book Bodega increases the number of 100+ book homes in NYC. Despite the resources and wealth in New York City—parts of our own community are classified as book deserts, areas with very few books available for sale or lending.
Book deserts disproportionately impact communities of color, deepening historic inequities. These barriers are substantial, including higher mortality rates and health disparities among Black and Latino residents, a racial wealth gap between residents of color and their white peers, and a persistent educational opportunity gap. For communities already impacted by institutional and systemic racism, limited access to books adds yet another layer of challenge.
Brooklyn Book Bodega views book access as a public health issue. We recognize that reading is a gateway to information and that when kids cannot access information, there is a ripple effect on many other aspects of their lives. Poor reading skills in elementary school are associated with feelings of depression and anger.1 A child who cannot read well is less likely to graduate high school and have career success. Literacy is tied directly to life outcomes – mental and physical health, education, and financial attainment.
Often, for children experiencing poverty, the only place where they have access to high-interest and knowledge-building books is at school or at the library. In 2023, new hardcover books for kids and teens averaged $21.85. For many New Yorkers, a new book is an unaffordable luxury. We level the playing field so that all children can be book owners regardless of their families' economic circumstances.
Brooklyn Book Bodega hosts book parties and programming bringing communities together to foster a love of reading, intentional book culture, and book ownership with a focus on book deserts. Visitors and volunteers come from diverse socio-economic, racial, and cultural backgrounds. Brooklyn Book Bodega reinforces and strengthens the work of traditional literacy advocates (e.g. educators and librarians) while also partnering with non-traditional literacy advocates (e.g. sports teams and hospitals) to encourage literacy and life-long reading habits wherever children and families spend their time.
Our Core Values
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Purposeful interactions build community engagement.
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Children should be able to choose what they want to read and have plenty of options.
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There should be zero barriers to book access. We give books away so cost no longer acts as an obstacle to ownership.
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Books are meant to be read multiple times and old books can have new lives. Passing along books no longer in use allows others to enjoy them.
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Books act as windows and mirrors. Kids should see themselves reflected in the characters they encounter, discover unknown worlds, and find new ideas in the books they read.
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Children should have lots of books in their homes: books they want to read now and books to savor for later. Everyone deserves to own books that they want to read.
The Importance of a Home Library
Reading is transformative for all, regardless of their social circumstances. 2
Children who do not read on grade level by the end of third grade are four times less likely to graduate high school on time. 3 Early literacy is a strong indicator of later life success, yet 61% of children growing up in poverty do not have access to any age-appropriate books. 4
Having books at home makes it more likely that children will gain exposure to the terms and complex vocabulary that they need in order to thrive at school and in life. It is more challenging for children to develop vocabulary and background knowledge or create a real joy for reading and book culture without books to read at home. Having access to a range of books that they want to read makes it more likely that children will choose to read for fun. This leads to a domino effect—they enjoy reading, so they read more; they read more, so they know more; they know more, so they do better in school; they do better in school, and they have more opportunities in life.
Children who grow up in book-rich homes achieve higher educational outcomes and occupational attainment. The effect is “strongest for people from the most disadvantaged homes,” which means that “each additional book in a home library has much larger benefits for families that only possess a few books than for families that already possess many.”5
For families with competing needs, buying new books is an unaffordable luxury. 21% of children in NYC live below the poverty line.6 The average price of a new book is $21.85. At that price, it would cost $2,185 to buy a 100-book home library. By distributing free books, Brooklyn Book Bodega makes home libraries a reality for families in need. In 2023, we distributed almost 142,000 books. If families were to buy those books new, it would cost over $3 million.
Why 100 Books?
Evans, Kelley and Sikora’s research study of 42 countries concluded that the quantity of books in homes was the second most important predictor of reading performance. In fact, having about 100 books in the home yielded a reading performance 1.5 years higher than those with fewer books.
Windows & Mirrors
We often say that books should act as both windows and mirrors. We want children to see themselves reflected in the books that they read and to have books that act as doors that they can walk through to understand other perspectives and lives.
Early Literacy
Early literacy is a huge indicator of later life success. The National Center for Education Statistics found that 43% of adults with low literacy live in poverty and that nearly 61% of children growing up in poverty do not have access to any age-appropriate books.
“Immersing children in book-oriented environments benefits their later educational achievement, attainment and occupational standing.”
“Growing up in a home with a sizable library enhances literacy, number sense and even technological know-how in later life.”
References
Hernandez, D. (2011). Double Jeopardy How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation. The Annie E. Casey Foundation. Retrieved from www.aecf.org.
Iyengar, Sunil. (2007). To Read or Not To Read A Question of National Consequence. National Endowment for the Arts (Research Report #47).
Hernandez, D. (2011). Double Jeopardy How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation. The Annie E. Casey Foundation. Retrieved from www.aecf.org
Bridges, L. (2013) Make Every Student Count: How Collaboration among Families, Schools, and Communities Ensures Student Success. Family and Community Engagement Research Compendium. Scholastic, Inc. Retrieved from http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/face/pdf/research-compendium/Compendium.pdf
Sikora, Joanna., Evans, M.D.R., Kelley, Jonathan. (2018). Scholarly Culture: How Books in Adolescence Enhance Adult Literacy, Numeracy, and Technology Skills in 31 Societies. Social Science Research 77 (2019) 1–15.
Drobnjak, Marija, Mullan, Jack, Kimiagar, Bijan. (2022). Keeping Track of New York City’s Children: 2022 Every Child Healthy, Housed, Educated and Safe. Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, Inc.