Developing a passion for reading is critical for a child’s academic success. Decades of research have confirmed a correlation between childhood poverty, limited access to books, lower reading proficiency, and lower graduation rates.

According to the organization Read Aloud 15 Minutes, research shows that students who read frequently perform better academically and stay in school longer, while those who do not read regularly struggle to improve.

Arellanes Elementary School Librarian Megan Lizalde explained why it’s so important for kids to have books at home.

“Particularly in our area, we’re actually a book desert, meaning that most households have less than 10 books in them so access, right? Making sure our students have access, our community, our children have access to quality books t

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