The New York Times bestselling author kicked off her commitment to literacy access for all children during a school visit at Winthrop STEM Public Elementary in New London, CT
NEW YORK, NY – (September 10, 2025) – Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, announced today that children’s book author, philanthropist, and pilot Lauren Sánchez Bezos will be a Literacy Champion for The United States of Readers, Scholastic’s classroom to home literacy support program that creates opportunity for book choice and ownership among PreK-8th grade students attending under resourced schools across the U.S.
“As a pilot, an author, and an advocate for children, Lauren Sánchez Bezos understands that all kids need both excellent academic reading instruction and the opportunity to choose and own the books that will motivate them to read,” said Judy Newman, Scholastic’s Chief Impact Officer. “Lauren’s commitment to literacy for all children—with a special focus on children attending under-resourced schools—is inspiring and truly impactful. We are thrilled to collaborate with Lauren and her character Flynn to raise awareness and create more motivating opportunities for all kids to exercise their choosing muscles and become lifelong readers.”
“Partnering with Scholastic on the United States of Readers program is truly an honor,” said Lauren Sánchez Bezos. “As a mother, I know how powerful books can be in shaping a child’s world, and as an author I understand that literacy is the foundation for success in school and in life. I’m grateful to support Scholastic’s mission of putting stories into children’s hands.”
As part of this collaboration, Sánchez Bezos’ New York Times bestselling picture book The Fly Who Flew to Space—along with its Spanish edition, La Mosca Que Voló al Espacio—will be made available to students through the United States of Readers beginning this Fall. The Fly Who Flew to Space, published by women-owned independent publisher The Collective Book Studio, follows an adorable fly named Flynn with big dreams of becoming an astronaut. Flynn’s journey inspires young readers to dream big, stay curious, and explore the world around them, and it’s in this spirit that Flynn will be assuming the role of “spokesfly/portavoz” for the United States of Readers. To encourage children to express themselves through literacy, the United States of Readers will be launching a school year-long “Dear Flynn” class project where students can write to Flynn about their own hopes and dreams.
To kick off her role as a United States of Readers Literacy Champion, Sánchez Bezos visited the Winthrop STEM public elementary school in New London, CT on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. During her author visit, Sánchez Bezos read aloud from The Fly Who Flew to Space, took questions from students about her sources of inspiration and her work as a children’s book author, and talked with classroom teachers and administrators about their literacy goals for students. As a Literacy Champion, Sánchez Bezos will continue to engage with more schools throughout the school year to deliver inspiring messages about the importance of reading and the necessity of book access and choice.
The United States of Readers program, founded by Scholastic and delivered through a collaboration with new non-profit Impact Reading, aims to bridge the gap of literacy and book inequity, specifically in Title I schools and rural areas where students have little to no opportunity to choose their own books and build their home libraries. Piloted for impact and efficiency for two years with 48,000 students in every state in the US, the United States of Readers enables all participants to choose top quality books from all publishers that motivate them to read. The program features a curated selection of grade-level appropriate books from which students choose two books, five times a year, for a total of 10 books at no cost to families to add to their at-home libraries. In addition, teachers at the participating schools receive 25 books for their classroom library, further expanding book choice and access for the entire school community. Throughout the school year, families receive relatable materials to support their children’s literacy and connect to their children’s classrooms. The program is supported through state and local funding and private philanthropy contributions.
