Powering Summer Reading Through Partnership and Purpose

That’s the impact of this year’s Book Up Summer program, an annual literacy initiative led by Washington-based nonprofit Page Ahead that helps low-income students choose and take home books for summer reading.

For the fifth consecutive year, Follett Content supported the program behind the scenes providing book curation, fulfillment, packing, and shipping to help ensure students across the state of Washington had access to books they were excited to read all summer long.

This year, the program distributed 79,959 books to 10,220 students across 50 schools, helping thousands of young readers build home libraries of their own.

Helping Students Read All Summer Long

Summer reading plays a critical role in helping students maintain literacy skills and avoid the “summer learning slide.” Yet many children have limited access to books outside of school.

That’s why Book Up Summer was created.

Each year, Page Ahead works to connect students with books they can keep, read, and enjoy throughout the summer months. By putting books directly into students’ hands, the program encourages reading beyond the classroom while helping children build personal home libraries.

Five Years of Partnership

Follett Content has proudly partnered with Page Ahead for the past five years, supporting the organization’s efforts through book sourcing, curation, and fulfillment expertise.

The partnership has helped Page Ahead efficiently deliver books to schools throughout Washington, ensuring students have access to engaging, high-quality reading materials that reflect a range of interests and reading levels.

Delivering Books Kids Were Excited to Read

Providing access to books is only part of the equation. The goal is to connect students with books they genuinely want to read.

Working closely with Page Ahead, Follett Content curated thousands of titles designed to engage diverse readers. According to feedback from schools, the selections resonated strongly with students.

Popular titles included favorites such as Minecraft and Bluey, while educators praised both the variety and quality of the collection.

One school librarian described this year as the program’s best yet, noting the diversity of characters and titles available to students. A teacher shared that there were enough books for every K-2 student – including late enrollments – and that the assortment ensured students could find books aligned with their interests.

Flawless Execution Behind the Scenes

Programs serving more than 10,000 students don’t happen without significant coordination.

From book curation and inventory management to packing, shipping, and school communications, Follett Content teams worked closely with Page Ahead to ensure books arrived where they needed to be.

Following the program’s conclusion, Page Ahead's Director of Programs Lisa Ceniceros praised the partnership’s execution:

“The book selection and quality from Follett is outstanding! This year the team from Follett provided flawless execution from book curation, packing, and shipping to communication with the schools for book deliveries. The schools and students were thrilled with the new books and over 10,000 students across the state of Washington were able to fill their home libraries with almost 80,000 new books.”

Looking Ahead

The success of this year’s Book Up Summer program demonstrates the impact strong partnerships can have on student literacy.

With 79,959 books distributed to 10,220 students across 50 schools, Page Ahead’s program continues to help children discover the joy of reading while building home libraries that support learning beyond the classroom.

Because every student deserves the chance to find a book they're excited to open – and a story they’ll remember long after summer ends.

Inspired by Book Up Summer?

Follett Content helps schools, districts, libraries, and community organizations create engaging summer reading experiences that put books into students' hands and support literacy beyond the classroom.

From curated collections and Take-Home Book Packs to customized summer reading solutions, our team can help you build a program that fits your goals, timeline, and budget.

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