Creating a Nation of Readers

Creating a Nation of Readers was launched in April of 2007 through the collaboration of Weigl Publishers Inc. of New York and Rock For Reading and Book Worm Angels of Chicago. The program seeks to combat rising youth illiteracy rates in the United States through the recruitment of book donations from publishers and distribution of donated books to literacy organizations. Publishers who have books to donate should contact Linda Weigl at linda@weigl.com. Creating a Nation of Readers is committed to getting books to those children who most need them and to inspiring one child at a time, one book at a time to discover the wonderful world of reading.

Participating publishers:

The ABDO Publishing Group has been serving school and public libraries for more than 25 years. ABDO provides award-winning fiction and nonfiction through their four highly acclaimed companies.

The Child’s World com is an independent, family-owned company that has been publishing books for schools and libraries for nearly 50 years. Our objective is simple: to introduce children to the joys and rewards of reading.

The Creative Company is proud to present our award winning collection of books. Recognized around the world for their excellence in writing, illustration, and design, each of these exquisite stories will be a prized possession for years to come.

Encyclopedia Britannica,Inc. has been the leader in reference and education publishing since 1768. Its products include the 32-volume Encyclopedia Britannica, Britannica Concise Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia Britannica Almanac. Britannica also has many digital products for consumers, schools, libraries and universities, including Britannica Online School Edition and Enciclopedia Universal en Español. The company makes its headquarters in Chicago.

Free Spirit Publishing Inc. is the leading publisher of learning tools that support young people’s social and emotional health. We help children and teens to think for themselves, succeed in life, and make a difference in the world.

Heinemann-Raintree Publishers a division of Harcourt Education, is a leading publisher of children’s nonfiction books, serving schools and public libraries. Our three major imprints are Heinemann Library, Raintree Library, and Heinemann-Raintree Classroom. All Heinemann-Raintree books feature appropriately leveled text, carefully chosen content, and engaging design.

Lerner Publishing Group is one of the nation’s largest independent children’s book publishers and is based in Minneapolis, MN. The company is made up of the following imprints and divisions: Lerner Publications, Millbrook Books, Twenty-First Century Books, Graphic Universe™, Carolrhoda Books, First Avenue Editions, Kar-Ben Publishing, and LernerClassroom.

Rourke Publishing Group has been publishing non-fiction children’s books for over twenty-five years. The editorial mission is to produce publications complying with national curriculum standards. The high-interest series, vividly portrayed with full-color photography and illustrations provide motivation for children to develop more fluent reading and comprehension skills.

Based in Irvine, CA, Saddleback Educational Inc. publishes high-interest materials for struggling students in the middle grades through high school. These resources, correlated to national standards, consist of supplementary curriculum material in the core subjects of language arts, math, and science in multiple formats; young adult fiction and nonfiction beginning at reading levels as low at 2.0; our best-selling adapted classics with over 44 titles to choose from; and 45 graphically illustrated classics including 12 graphic Shakespeare titles offering the opportunity for differentiated instruction. Our resources activate prior knowledge; emphasize learning over performance; offer strategy instruction; and challenge students with higher order thinking skills.
We believe that students tend to be motivated when they are doing things they are good at doing. The best way to motivate struggling readers to read is to teach them how to read. With the goal of helping to transform disengaged students into motivated and successful learners, Saddleback will continue to provide educators with the finest quality curriculum assistance well into the future.

One of the fastest-growing independent publishers in the U.S., Sourcebooks is exceptionally strong in romance, self-help, business, parenting, and fiction titles.  They also publish mixed media titles and in 2007 introduced a children’s imprint, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, which has already experienced the success of two New York Times bestsellers!

Weigl Publishers Inc. brings education to life by creating inspired learning resources that engage the minds of young readers.  Dedicated to publishing nonfiction, Weigl books are filled with eye-catching visuals and well-researched, trustworthy content.  Weigl’s learning resources prepare students for the challenges of life in the 21st century.