Greetings!

Our children need us more than ever. As budget cuts hit education over and over, school libraries are going unstaffed, textbooks focus on “informational text,” and teachers have more and more tasks. BookPALS spark imagination! We excite children about books! We teach community compassion!

I was lucky to discover BookPALS ten years ago as the coordinator of the New York branch. I am a union actor and worked for ten years as a children’s book editor for HarperCollins. How fortunate for me to be able to link both passions! After my move to the west coast, I began coordinating the Los Angeles BookPALS branch. And now am in charge of all our national literacy programs—including our five BookPALS branches, Storyline Online, PencilPALS, and new exciting pilot programs (stay tuned).

Nationally, over 2300 BookPALS volunteers read in classrooms, shelters, hospitals, museums, and special event venues—reaching over 60,000 children monthly! And our Storyline Online program of 25 books read by celebrities reaches over a million people internationally every month!

Hooray for BookPALS!

Robin Roy,

National Director of Literacy Programs