Guest post by Pam Boiros, Prison Book Program volunteer

The Prison Book Program gets books into the hands of prison inmates, who often lack any educational resources. As a grassroots organization operating on a shoestring budget, the organization’s partnership with Better World Books has has been essential–providing a stable source of funding.Prison Book Program was delighted to represent Better World Books at the third annual Boston Book Festival Saturday, October 15.The festival took place on historic Copley Square, in the center of downtown Boston, near iconic (and literary) landmarks such as the Boston Public Library and Trinity Church.  Dozens of authors led discussion panels, and signed their books for an estimated crowd of 30,000 “booky” Bostonians of all ages and walks of life.  Crisp fall weather, and the fact that all events were free, contributed to the great turnout.

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Dear friends, fans and fellow book-lovers,We heard you! You asked for us to publish our top site sellers. And here they are! This is the list of the top 25 books sold on our website this September.

We’d love to hear more from you, too. Did you contribute to this list? Which book did you buy? What do you love about the book? Would you recommend it to a friend? Think it will make the next top 25 list?

25. Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
24. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
23. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
22. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson
21. Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

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I turned my video camera on and focused on her big brown eyes. She is 15 and told me she had thoughts this summer. Thoughts of suicide. The book in her hands is the very first book that she has owned. She proudly wrote her name on it. She loves mystery books and because of them wants to be a detective when she grows up. Getting lost in these stories is how she escapes the poverty she faces every single day.

This week I have been filming with Feed The Children in Oklahoma City and Muskogee, Oklahoma. Feed The Children does great things all over the world, and as their name implies, feeds many children all over the world. They also feed their minds.

Many people in the “West” believe that starving children, hungry minds and empty hearts only exist in the developing world. Feed The Children and Better World Books do a ton to help people in those countries. But there is also poverty in our very own backyard.

A little 6th grade boy told me about his friends that live in shelters. They come over to his house for food and fun. What do they do for fun? They read! This sweet boy was so proud that he can teach his homeless friends to read, understand and pronounce big words, “like onomatopoeia!” he smiles.

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I am sitting on a plane on the way to Oklahoma.There are a number of ways I could occupy this time. Much needed sleep. Much loved listening to great music. Much desired talking with the complete strangers next to me about their lives. I’ve tried all of those. I’ve also tried reading the book I brought. None of it is working because I have this compelling call to write to you.
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There has been quite the uproar online the past week about two articles which discussed the issue of libraries actually throwing away books. First, Cracked.com wrote about the problem. Then, NPR responded and elaborated. Now, it’s our turn to show these news outlets and book lovers around the world how we are the solution.

I interviewed our library experts at Better World Books about how we serve and work with libraries to help them responsibly handle their surplus books, make money, and make the world more literate in the process.

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Better World Books hosted a day-long community fundraising book drive at Brooklyn Public Library in early October.A fall favorite returned to Brooklyn: once again, Better World Books hosted the “Great American Book Drive,” inviting area residents and community members of all ages to clean off their cluttered bookshelves and come out to donate pre-loved books to help raise money for Brooklyn Public Library’s collections and programs. It’s exciting to see this program return year after year. It has such a direct affect on the community it serves. It brings people together for a common cause and everyone really looks forward to the opportunity to contribute.

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Friday was big day in the office for our partner, Invisible Children. And we stand strong in support of their success and ongoing efforts to rescue and educate child soldiers across war-torn Central Africa.

Here is their video reaction to President Obama’s announcement that 100 U.S. advisory troops are being deployed to Central Africa to help combat the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and remove Joseph Kony from the battlefield.

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Guest post by: Sarah Lipscomb, Invisible ChildrenAfter watching Invisible Children: The Rough Cut in high school, I was immediately taken aback by the child abductions and crimes against humanity taking place in Uganda by Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

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In southeast Costa Rica, just south of Puerto Viejo, there’s a farm named Punta Mona. To find it, you hike along a rugged path through an oceanside jungle. Upon arrival you hear the waves crashing up on the shore, music in the background and a communal kitchen built in the center. Young permaculture enthusiasts scatter around, occasionally seeking each other, flipping compost, building pathways, planting seeds, stripping cinnamon. Two years ago, I worked on this farm and found community of many walks of life all joining on the same path; a path toward sustainable living.