Lack of access to books and educational materials is a major problem in the United States, especially in underprivileged communities. And, forty-two percent of children in the United States — more than 30 million — live in low-income households and don’t have age-appropriate books at home or at school.* Cheerios recognize access to books as one barrier to literacy development, which is why after 10 years it continues to distribute quality books inside boxes to children nationwide.
Can you believe those statistics? Scary isn’t it? Growing up in an area like Metro Detroit I’ve seen and heard for myself just how much these underprivileged communities need our help. We had a chance as a family to check out the books that are available in this years boxes of cheerios & we loved each and every one of them. It really pains me to know that there are families and children out there that can’t experience something as simple as the joy of reading together. Over the past few years I’ve realized myself just how expensive books can be & I can only imagine for those going through hard times that books probably make it last on the list. That’s why I wanted to make sure to share this important info with you, in hopes that you might look for these specially marked boxes of cheerios and share a special moment with your children, or if you have the means, even donate to help another family. Please keep reading to learn more about this awesome program.
Celebrating 10 Years
Worms, monsters, zebras and hippopotamuses are only a few of the imaginative children’s book characters to appear in specially-marked Cheerios® this year as part of the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories® program. Through the program, which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this spring, Cheerios distributes six million bilingual children’s books from award-winning authors free inside cereal boxes.
Actress and mom Jennie Garth kicked off the anniversary celebration back in March, called ‘Breakfast & A Book’ at a special reading event with the Mayor of Los Angeles to encourage parents and kids to read together. Similar events will be happening in cities across the country over the coming weeks. You can find out more info & see where at: spoonfulsofstories.com
To help put books into the little hands that need them most, Cheerios will also give 50,000 children’s books and $300,000 to First Book, an award winning literacy nonprofit.
Find Select Children’s Books Free Inside Specially Marked Packages of Cheerios
Cheerios will this year once again provide more than six million children’s books, written in both English and Spanish, free inside specially marked Cheerios boxes
This year’s in-pack book offerings, all of which are from award-winning authors, appropriate for children ages three to eight and from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, are:
- Peeny Butter Fudge, by Toni and Slade Morrison and illustrated by Joe Cepeda
- Mostly Monsterly, by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Scott Magoon
- Noodle & Lou, by Elizabeth Garton Scanlon and illustrated by Arthur Howard
- If I Were a Jungle Animal, by Amanda Ellery and illustrated by Tom Ellery
- Hello Baby, by Mem Fox and illustrated by Steve Jenkins
- Can I Just Take a Nap?, by Ron Rauss and illustrated by Rob Shepperson
Learn More & Help Support This Effort
Learn more about Spoonfuls of Stories, the “Breakfast & A Book” events, this year’s in-pack books, or donate to First Book by going to: www.spoonfulsofstories.com.
Text to Donate
You can also use short code 20222 and text Books2Kids, a $5 donation will be made (and will appear on the primary subscriber’s cell phone bill), providing two new books to a child in need. Standard messaging rates will apply.
Disclosure: I received the above books to help facilitate this information & learn more about this program, no monetary exchange took place. All opinions are my own.
