BEGIN WITH BOOKS is Charleston County’s premier early literacy program.  We provide monthly books by mail to babies and encourage their parents to begin the tradition of reading with them every day.  

     Reading aloud to babies and toddlers is very important, because, among many other benefits, the rich language in high-quality children’s books increases vocabulary.  Vocabulary is the pre-kindergarten skill that matters the most, because it is the prime predictor of school success or failure.  “Yes, a child goes to school to learn new words, but the words he already knows determine how much of what the teacher says will be understood. And since most instruction for the first four years of school is oral, the child who has the largest vocabulary will understand the most, while the child with the smallest vocabulary will grasp the least.” – The Read-Aloud Handbook

     We’ve recently reached an enrollment milestone of 5,000 children enrolled, which means we have to raise more than $10,000/month, every month, to maintain book distributions at this level.  This $10,000 campaign will help us start the new year with a month’s books already pre-paid.

     BEGIN WITH BOOKS will distribute more than 60,000 books in Charleston County in 2020.  Every book delivery inspires parents to read aloud more often, and this gives infants and toddlers something very nourishing to hear!

     Help us reach our goal of making sure that every child is excited about reading and ready to succeed in school.  Thank you!