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- Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK announced on Tuesday, Dec. 9 that they will invest $200,000 into its Raising Readers campaign
- The funding will go toward providing classroom libraries to 200 underfunded schools and launch “a minimum” of 200 little free libraries in areas where there aren’t many books available
- The company stressed the importance of reading for fun for children as it impacts “mental health, wealth, communication skills, happiness and ambition”
One of the world’s leading publishing companies is dedicating new resources to boost children’s reading.
Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK CEO David Shelley announced on Tuesday, Dec. 9 that they would invest $200,000 into its Raising Readers campaign, which combats the growing decline in children’s reading for fun and entertainment.
“In 2026, we aim to take Raising Readers to the next level,” Shelley said in a press release shared with PEOPLE.
“2026 serendipitously marks the 200th anniversary of Hachette Livre,” he continued. “Milestones like this are often celebrated internally, but given the urgency of the reading crisis, I believe the most meaningful way to mark the bicentenary is to invest more deeply in Raising Readers.”
The funding will be directed toward the campaign’s social impact initiatives in 2026, which include providing “curated” classroom libraries to 200 underfunded schools and education programs in areas where there aren’t many books available.
Hachette Book Group noted that providing these libraries would allow at least 50,000 students to be able to access books that “support literacy, rehabilitation and educational advancement.”
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They also plan to launch “a minimum” of 200 Little Free Libraries in areas surrounding reentry housing and transitional communities with book replenishment, which will help the company direct at least 40,000 books to communities with low access to bookstores and libraries.
In addition, the Raising Readers campaign also plans to mobilize “at least 200 volunteers to deliver reading or literacy support” in the new year and host 200 author visits to classrooms.
Part of the funding will also be put toward programs that help improve kids’ reading proficiency, including tutoring, coaching, family literacy, community library rebuilds or community programs, among other things that help to “close the gap in lower-than-average literacy rates.”
Hachette Book Group noted that the importance of reading for fun goes beyond just “academic results,” as it also impacts “mental health, wealth, communication skills, happiness and ambition.”
“The outpouring of support from our authors and partners in the first year of the Raising Readers campaign has been inspiring and energizing,” said Megan Tingley, president and publisher of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers at Hachette Book Group.
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“I am confident that these new initiatives will help us raise significantly more readers during this historic year for Hachette and well beyond,” she added.
Hachette Book Group has also partnered with stars like Reese Witherspoon and 23 other organizations including the American Booksellers Association, PEN America, Poets & Writers and Read Ahead.
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