Blog Posts

A Thanksgiving Gift from Reading Is Fundamental: Free Books for Every Child

By Alicia Levi

This Thanksgiving, as we gather around tables and reconnect with the people and traditions that ground us, I’ve found myself reflecting on what this past year has brought and what it has taught us. 

In so many ways, it has been a year of change and disruption. New technologies are reshaping how we live and learn. The world feels faster, louder, and more complex than ever before. Yet through it all, one truth remains constant: books are still where we find safety, discovery, and connection. 

Books have always offered something the world cannot: a quiet space to set our worries aside, to escape for a little while, and to explore new places, ideas, and possibilities. They remind us that imagination is a refuge and that even when life feels uncertain, stories can anchor us, heal us, and bring us back to what matters most. 

At Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), we’ve always believed that reading can transport us across continents, through time, and into new ways of understanding ourselves and each other. This year, that belief has only deepened. As the world changes around us, books remain the steady heartbeat of learning and imagination. 

So, this Thanksgiving, rather than asking for your support, as we so often do to help make our mission possible, we want to turn the tables and give you a gift. 

Thank you video from Alicia Levi

We’re opening up free access to hundreds of eBooks and video field trips through our newly updated kids’ reading app, Skybrary. It’s our way of saying thank you for standing with us, for believing in the power of reading, and for helping us ensure that every child has the chance to discover the joy that lives inside the pages of a book. 

Of course, our mission continues. In the months ahead, we’ll look to you once again to help us reach more children in need of books and reading resources. But this season, we simply want to celebrate the gift of stories and the community that makes our work possible. 

In a world filled with screens, we’re turning screen time into story time. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate gratitude than by sharing stories that inspire curiosity, imagination, and hope. 

Thank you for being part of the RIF family. May your Thanksgiving be filled with warmth, laughter, and perhaps a few good books that remind you how powerful words can be, and how they give us the opportunity to imagine, dream, and hope.

Visit Skybrary or download the app on Apple to access your free books today! Coming soon on Google Play Store and Amazon App Store.

 

About Alicia Levi
Alicia Levi is President and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation’s leading children’s literacy organization. Since joining RIF in 2016, she has championed innovative approaches to expand access to books and reading resources, launching digital platforms like Literacy Central and Skybrary that inspire a lifelong love of reading. A recognized leader in educational media, Alicia remains dedicated to ensuring every child has the opportunity to read, learn, and grow.