Volunteers from Westerville Partners for Education and Kiwanis of Westerville have brought the Book Bonanza! program to the Early Learning Center preschool and four Westerville elementary schools already in 2014-15 (Hanby, Emerson, Hawthorne, and Huber Ridge)–reaching 1500 students! With this program (formerly “Books for Break”), we collect gently used books from Half Priced Books and other donation sites (such as the BOO! for Books program in October), research and note the AR level of those books, and create book distribution events at schools. At these events, teachers and volunteers help a student choose a “just right book” and students keep the books they select. McGraw Hill generously sponsors this program.

There are thousands of used children’s books, in great condition, on shelves in homes and around town. We repurpose these books, review them to ensure they are in good condition and the material is appropriate, research their AR level, and get them in the hands of kids. The program aims to get kids excited about books to promote literacy in the Westerville City School District.