Newark Public Schools, Scholastic, and N.J. Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz teamed up to launch The Newark Literacy Movement: Page by Page, We Rise, a new citywide reading initiative that brought free books to more than 18,000 students in grades Pre-K through 3.
Through the program, students in over 60 schools across the city had the opportunity to choose five free books at their Scholastic Book Fair, along with an additional grade-level title to help build their home libraries and encourage reading at home.
The initiative launched on April 11 at Speedway Avenue School, where students received a visit from celebrated Scholastic author and illustrator Bryan Collier. Each second grader took home a copy of All Because You Matter, the bestselling picture book Collier illustrated. Senator Ruiz, Superintendent Roger León, and other district leaders joined the event in support of early literacy.
Publishers Weekly highlighted the event in their newsletter and on their website. See the placement here.
“The Newark Literacy Movement is a powerful reminder that when we work together, we can change the trajectory of a child’s life page by page, book by book,” said Superintendent León. “We are deeply grateful to Scholastic and to Senator Ruiz for sharing our commitment to building strong readers by ensuring every child has access to books at home. This is how we build a culture of reading in Newark.”
“Reading opens doors to imagination, learning, and opportunity,” said Senator Ruiz. “This movement is about equity, empowerment, and ensuring every child is inspired by what they read.”
The initiative was made possible through Scholastic’s Sponsored Book Fairs program, which provides book access to students in under-resourced communities.
“We're so proud to support Newark Public Schools and Senator Ruiz in bringing this vision to life,” said Sasha Quinton, President of School Reading Events for Scholastic. “Access and choice are essential, but what Newark gave these students was something even more magical: the joy of stepping into a world of books, the thrill of choosing stories that speak to them, and the experience of feeling a whole community celebrate their reading journey.”
Newark Board of Education President Hasani K. Council emphasized the long-term impact: “Literacy is the foundation for all learning, and access to books at home is critical to student success. Our children deserve every opportunity to thrive.”