That’s right folks, our 2nd Annual LEAP for Libraries Grant Application is NOW OPEN and we’re searching for today’s library program game-changers.

What is LEAP?
LEAP stands for Literacy and Education in Action Program.  A portion of every book purchased on BetterWorldBooks.com supports literacy and education around the world.  We use LEAP as a way to support libraries and literacy non-profits through grants.  

Who Won the LEAP for Libraries Grant Last Year?
Approximately 3.5 million dollars worth of grant requests and almost 240 applications were reviewed by the Better World Books Literacy and Library Council in 2011. While there were countless worthy projects, six emerged as the winning grant recipients.  You can find their winning grant stories at www.betterworldbooks.com/librarygrants.

Try reading this short story and closing your eyes to think about it:

Imagine you are four years old. Your parents farm the food you eat every day. You sing songs and dance in joy around your fruitful village with your many siblings. Life is good.

Now you’re five years old. You just started primary school and are so excited to get a freshly pressed pink and blue uniform, books and a composition notepad. You walk home from school with a smile on your face. Your mother looks frightened. She stumbles through your sack of clothes and sends you off to sleep in the jungle. You are too scared to sleep.

For five years you walk to school, never getting a new book or uniform again. Each night you hide in the jungle, fearing that you will be kidnaped and forced to attack your family, become a sex slave or to do whatever the rebels ask of you. This is the only life you could ever see for yourself.

Fast forward ten more years. You are now 20 years old and you are about to graduate from University with a degree in Accounting. You have a fresh pressed uniform again, loads of books, and control of your future. Your life has completely changed.

What happened?

Watch Agnes’s story to find out.

What did you do with your college textbooks when you graduated college?

I sold mine at the University of Virginia Bookstore and took the fresh cash to a cute boutique for a new dress and to Harris Teeter for a bottle of cheap champagne to celebrate.

Too bad I had not yet become aware of Better World Books. I sure hope I would have sold, or even given, my books to them. I still could have used the extra cash on silly splendors but others, who could barely dream of a shiny new dress or enjoying a bottle of bubbley, would greatly benefit too.

Here’s just a glimpse of what our student partners have been able to support in 2011 with their used textbooks:

Many students’ efforts on campus generated funding for Books For Africa. Books For Africa recently shipped its 25 millionth book to Africa, and was given a Charity Navigator 4 star rating for the 5th consecutive year, which means you can feel well assured that the funding and books raised by our wonderful book-drivers are being put to great use.

Others chose to support Room To Read through their campus book drives. Room to Read recently distributed their 10 millionth book, and they have opened more than 12,000 libraries and 1,500 schools to date. They’re currently opening libraries in South Asia and Africa at a rate of 6 per day. If you have not yet read the story of how Room To Read got started, it’s very inspiring and available here. Two lucky, passionate, hard-working college book drive leaders will win the trip of a lifetime this summer to come with Better World Books and Room To Read to visit their projects in the developing world!

With Worldfund’s 10th Anniversary quickly approaching, they have already invested more than $12 million in Latin America, with a focus on intensive training programs for public school teachers. Worldfund is currently impacting 340,000 children every year with their teacher training efforts in Mexico and Brazil. The top-generating book drive leaders from last school year were awarded a trip with Better World Books and Worldfund to South America this summer. Check out their life-changing experience in this video.

College (and even high school) students all over the country have started clubs to help end a war in Central Africa with Invisible Children. Thanks to our partnership with the peace-makers, filmmakers and educators, Better World Book Drives are supporting Invisible Children’s Legacy Scholarship Program which is providing 590 secondary and 195 university students in Northern Uganda with educational scholarships and dedicated mentors. The fundraising efforts of people like you have resulted in more than $1 million raised by Invisible Children this year. Make sure to check out their latest Book Drive video here.

The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) and Better World Books recently awarded 20 mini grants to schools, libraries, and community-based organizations. These grants will help fund their literacy efforts, many of which target at-risk populations in the United States. In 2012, NCFL and Better World Books will be offering $10,000 grants for library literacy programs that support family literacy. Here’s a video about one family that has greatly benefited from your support.

In 2011, Better World Books officially became a Book for Book™ company. Without our amazing student book drivers (and all book donors) we could not match each book purchase with a donation to someone in need via Books for Africa and Feed The Children. There are teenagers in the United States who make it all the way to high school without ever owning a book. Meet Zachariah here, and see how you helped change his life for the better.

We want to send a giant virtual thank-you hug to all of our campus book drivers, and all book donors, for your support. We’d also love to hear your stories and see your photos. Please share by commenting below or by posting on our Facebook & Twitter pages.

Want to get even closer to making a massive difference like Bill Gates? You can with one click. Simply share Better World Books with your friends. For each new “like” and “follow” on Facebook and Twitter, we donate another book to a child in need via Feed The Children.

Finally, it’s time to BUY your textbooks and Better World Books has almost every one you need for up to 90% off! Plus, each one of your book purchases powers a book donation! Thank you and happy 2012!

We have just thing for this campaign! Recently, we have created a series of short films which highlight the impact that folks like you make every time you donate books or shop with Better World Books. We’ve entered six videos into the contest and would love for you to view and vote for them to be shown at the TED conferences this year.The videos

A homeless 9th grader who got his first book through the BWB/Feed The Children teacher store tells his story. The spot ties buying and donating to impact like Zachariah’s story.

2:40 – http://www.youtube.com/tedaws?x=us_showcasephase2_8324_27

60 seconds – http://www.youtube.com/tedaws?x=us_showcasephase2_8327_27

From the age of 5, Agnes had to sleep in the Ugandan jungle to hide from rebel soldiers. Today, she is a proud university graduate thanks to BWB and Invisible Children.

90 seconds – http://www.youtube.com/tedaws?x=us_showcasephase2_8328_27

30 seconds – http://www.youtube.com/tedaws?x=us_showcasephase2_8329_27

Our new literacy initiative – Book for Book. Better World Books commits to matching every sale on betterworldbooks.com and betterworldbooks.co.uk with a book donation to someone in need. This initiative is in addition to the funding Better World Books gives to literacy non-profits from every single sale.

1:40 – http://www.youtube.com/tedaws?x=us_showcasephase2_8325_27

Did you know that 2 billion pounds of books each year are sent to the landfill? And 21% of people in the US are functionally illiterate. We have a way to help address the environmental impact while also building advocacy around education and book donations. It’s our Better World Books drop box program! One parking spot can help change the world.

2 minutes – http://www.youtube.com/tedaws?x=us_showcasephase2_8326_27

Guest post by Jean Reidy, children’s author and activist

My third children’s book, Light Up the Night (Disney Hyperion), was inspired by every kid who throws a sheet over the kitchen table and calls it a clubhouse. It’s for every kid who makes a fort out of couch cushions. And it’s especially for every kid who huddles down under a blanket at night ─ where safety and security reign, allowing imagination to blast off. It’s about earth, space and a kid’s sense of place.

He’s in the 9th grade. He and his mom were recently evicted from their home. He began this year on a 5th grade reading level. But thanks to you, Zachariah has hope – and a huge smile to boot.

Thanks to a partnership between Better World Books and Feed The Children, Zachariah now owns his very first book. Feed The Children does not only focus on feeding the literal hunger of children and families across America and worldwide, but also supporting healthy minds. With the help of Better World Books book donations, Feed The Children has distributed over 500,000 backpacks full of school supplies.

Zachariah’s success story would not be possible without you. Each time you donate or buy a book with Better World Books, students like Zachariah are given more opportunities to learn and grow.

Read more about how we met Zachariah.

A couple of months ago I wrote a blog called “Feeding Minds” in which I shared the eye & heart opening experience of filming the literacy success stories of our partner Feed The Children. These amazing stories were made possible only with your help – every time you donate and buy books with us.

In it, I introduced you to a number of students from Oklahoma who have gained access to their own books and even learned to love reading and to appreciate their education as a way out of poverty. I promised to share videos with you of these remarkable young Americans and am so glad to introduce you to Zachariah. I’ll let him and his teacher, Mrs. Feldman, tell you the their story…

What encouragement would you like to give students out there like Zachariah and teachers like Mrs. Feldman? Thanks for sharing your thoughts below.

We have noticed that there are many incredible socially-minded businesses out there that share our philosophy of capitalism – that capitalism is not just about a single, financial bottom-line, that business can and should also change our world for the better. We share lots of stories about how our book donors, customers, staff, partners and advocates make a difference every time they interact with Better World Books. Now, we’d also like to begin sharing how like-minded organizations are making a difference as well.

So, without further ado, Meet Boosterthon.

BWB:  Tell us about the Boosterthon Fun Run.  How did it get started and what do you do?

The Boosterthon Fun Run is a nine day Fitness, Leadership, and Character-based elementary school fundraiser that offers a healthy alternative to traditional product sale fundraisers. Our founder and president, Chris Carneal, started Boosterthon while attending Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Chris started a sports tutoring company that helped local students improve their baseball skills, and because Chris was also interested in impacting kids in other ways than just sports, he added a character lesson to each sports tutoring session. When he was approached by one of his kids to buy a product to raise money for a school, Chris thought there could be a better way to resource schools. From there, Boosterthon was started to help resource schools in a fun, hassle-free way. Students don’t have to sell anything. They just gather pledges from friends and family as they prepare for the Boosterthon Fun Run event.

BWB: The Boosterthon Fun Run program lasts for nine days, what do those days look like?

One of our most distinguishing features is that members of our team are on each school campus for two weeks, opening doors at morning carpool, eating lunch with the students and teachers, and serving at afternoon dismissal and bus line in addition to running the program. The number one word our schools use to describe our team members is “enthusiastic.” So, with our enthusiastic team on campus for two weeks, each day of the program is fun and has a lot of energy.

During the 9 days, our program moves through phases. The first day on campus kicks off with a high-energy pep rally that informs students what the Boosterthon program is about and how they can participate and help their school. For the next six days, our team members visit every classroom each day teaching character lessons that correspond to an annual theme—this year’s character theme is Epic Adventure. Team members also award students with fitness rewards for the pledges they received for the Boosterthon Fun Run event. The time in the classroom is educational, team building, and most importantly, fun! All of the days build momentum toward the culminating event—the Boosterthon Fun Run—when students join their classmates as they run around the Boosterthon Speedway to raise money for their school.

BWB:  One of the great things about this program is you are able to get the community involved – how does that happen?

Everyone in the school community is invited to attend the Boosterthon Fun Run event. Whether you are a student’s sponsor, family member, or next-door neighbor, we ask students to extend an invitation to their family and friends to cheer them on as they run laps. We’ll have hundreds of parents and supporters at each event waving signs, dancing, and encouraging the students. It’s a pretty amazing sight.

BWB: On average, how much money does a school raise from the program and what are the costs associated with it?

On average our program raises schools 70% more than a school’s best previous product sale. We absorb all the costs associated with the Boosterthon. We provide the most inclusive, hassle-free fundraiser available that incorporates every student in the school, whether they give financially or not. The Boosterthon Fun Run provides t-shirts for every student and teacher, all the prizes, equipment, character-curriculum, online pledging system, our team on campus for two weeks, communication, and much more.

BWB: We really appreciate that your emphasis is not just on fitness but on character, how do you incorporate that into your program?

Since the start of Boosterthon, Chris incorporated character traits into every school he served, but within the past 5 years, we’ve formalized our character campaign to include a theme that helps students get even more excited about building character.  Over the years, we’ve gradually expanded our character program. Our curriculum now contains classroom presentations, a children’s book, a short movie, and music. We always want to improve our program year after year, so we are excited to offer such a wide variety of character resources to our students and schools. We’re already working on next year’s curriculum and it’s going to be the best yet.

BWB: Tell us about the fair-trade prize this year?

Over the past two years, we’ve merged our heart to give back to others by integrating a giveback initiative into our program. This year, if students reach a certain prize level, they receive a hand-stitched cloth frisbee made by Guatemalan women. Not only do we get the opportunity to support a fair-trade company, but when a student reaches this prize level, Boosterthon makes a donation to build a playground for an underprivileged school in Guatemala. Our goal is to donate $25,000 and build three playgrounds during the summer of 2012. You can learn more about our giveback initiative “Operation Playground” here: http://vimeo.com/26350232

BWB: What motivates you on days that you want to give up?

Over ten years serving schools, we’ve had quite a few success stories—school-wide successes and individual successes. I’ll share two from last year:

With the economy in its current state, one of our schools in Atlanta, Georgia, always wanted to have a Spanish program, but could never afford it. Their goal was to raise enough money with the Boosterthon to fund a Spanish teacher’s salary for one year. They ended up raising enough for two years! When some teachers are losing their jobs, this school was able to add a teacher and a new subject.

A school counselor told us another great story. Apparently, one of her students came to her upset that he wasn’t a “leader.” She asked why and the boy said that he couldn’t be a leader because he was being a bully to another student. That year’s character theme was “Leader Launch.” One of the character traits spoke on how “Leaders are Not Bullies.”)Needless to say, we were blown away that our character program would have that kind of impact on our students. With the recent increase in bullying in America, even one student changing his or her behavior is a big win.

BWB:  Final question – where do you operate and how can a school get in touch with you?

We have teams that serve schools all over the country, but we’re located primarily in the Southeast and Midwest. Our Home Office is in Atlanta. Schools can find us online at www.boosterthon.com.

Does your child’s school or the school where you teach have Boosterthon? How has it served your students and community? Please tell your story below.

Are you interested in having BWB feature you and your organization on our blog one Better World Wednesday? Share a bit of your story in the comments below and we’ll get back with you.

It took me 3 years of attending college to convince my recently Ph.D.-ed mother that it wasn’t the right time for me to be in college. I couldn’t have explained it well then, and I’m still not sure if I could explain it well now. But I didn’t feel like the school system was for me. School was a pivot table, and I was abstract art. Luckily, my parents are amazing people who understand the importance of being true to who you are.

My family prizes education. I think that’s probably why so many of them got intentionally involved in the educational system. My dad started a high school and was the administrator, as well as taught everything from maths to history for 17 years. My mom taught at the same high school while finishing her bachelor’s, earning her master’s, and then her Ph.D.. She’s now a professor at a university (the same university I attended while trying to convince her to let me quit, naturally). My grandmother started and ran an elementary school for years. My uncle took over as administrator when my grandmother retired; he also taught in the school. Another uncle taught music, an aunt taught piano, and the list goes on.

After I left college, degreeless, I worked as an administrative assistant in higher education. I took time to broaden my knowledge, hone my skills, strengthen my abilities, and find my passions. Then, I found a place where I could not only use my KSAs, but also was encouraged to have shared passion with my company and coworkers. The fact that I didn’t have a degree didn’t deter my hiring manager from seeing that customer service was my art and my passion.

Still, I almost never feel comfortable admitting the fact that I didn’t finish college. It makes me feel inferior, inadequate. I love knowledge. I’m an information junkie. And when I found out that a (degreed) guy said he wouldn’t want to date me because I was “too smart,” I laughed. And then I got to thinking: my level of formal education has nothing to do with how smart I am and has nothing to do with my value. I am a smart person! It was a revelation.

Before I read Out of Our Minds and The Element (both by Sir Ken Robinson), I would have been surprised to hear someone say they see a little of their own story in mine. Growing up, I felt like a fish out of water. I felt like everyone else was just sailing through college like they were meant to be there. And I was definitely the odd one out.

The Element is full of stories: stories about people who thrived once they found where their passions and skills intersected, stories about people who believed in someone, stories that will resonate with you, stories about people you will recognize with backgrounds you’d never guess. Reading The Elementwill make you feel like it’s okay to be you. It should also make you want to mentor someone like you (and your version of someone like you might open quite broadly after reading it).
So I’ll leave you with this to ponder, and hope it spurs you on not only to read these books, but also to share them, and then to make a difference in whatever way you can, even if it’s just in one person’s small life.

This year, our literacy partners at Invisible Children are proclaiming that the “The holiday spirit is the human connection”. Through their latest holiday campaign, they are helping to illustrate that with every purchase we make this year, we can choose to positively impact someone’s life – a concept very close to our hearts at Better World Books – and the foundation on which our entire business is based.

As a triple-bottom-line social enterprise, it is embedded into our mission, vision and even by-laws that we work towards the betterment of people and planet – not only profit. We are passionate about sharing our story with people like you to further the wave of conscious consumerism.

Today, you don’t only need to donate or volunteer to make an impact, you can simply be thoughtful about where you buy things you already need. For example, every time you buy a book with us, organizations like Invisible Children get funding – plus we donate a book to a student in need. Book for Book.

Better World Books is glad to be one such company and honored to take part in a Twitter movement this holiday season based around the ideas of extra thoughtful giving – #GiveDifferent.

You can tune into #GiveDifferent on Twitter to learn about like-minded social enterprises, triple-bottom-line companies and non-profits with successful business models where giving is built in.

Here are a few pre-crafted messages to get started, shared with help from #GiveDifferent founder Whitney at @NEXTforWomen:

We are honored to carry many of the meaningful titles we stock at Better World Books and one of those that means the most to us is What You Wish For, a special book full of a collection of the world’s best-selling and honored writers for young adults and children. The authors share stories and poems that captivate, inspire, and offer hope about things we all wish for. Together with Darfur advocate and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow, who wrote the book’s moving Foreword, they contributed to this amazing collection for free so that the proceeds could be used to fund libraries in Darfuri refugee camps in Chad.

We’ve all heard of Toys for Tots, but what about those old textbooks that you don’t ever want to see again? Is there a way they, too, can help children in need worldwide learn to read?

This holiday season we’re giving you the chance to create abundance with your unwanted textbooks!

If you and 3 of your friends pledge to send us your textbooks by Dec 20th you’ll all receive 10% off your textbooks for next semester when you buy them on BetterWorldBooks.com.

Shipping your books is easy and free.  Simply fill out the form on our Facebook campaign page.  We will get back to you with the easiest way to send. Have questions? Drop us a line at campus@betterworldbooks.com.

By sending your books you are joining a network of nearly 2,000 collegiate book drives across the US and Canada.

These book drives serve as green service projects, organizational fundraisers for students and a source of invaluable funding for worldwide literacy. Your books will generate an abundance of learning opportunities for those who otherwise would not have access to such material. Our non-profit partners like Invisible Children, Room to Read and Books for Africa will ensure your book donations reach those most in need.

You will also create a wave of gratitude from students who will have access to an even larger selection of used textbooks during the textbook buying season in January (some titles are already discounted up to 90%).

Thank you, good luck on exams and happy holidays!

Take part here.

Why do you send your books to Better World Books? Which cause do you support through your textbooks? We’d love for you to share your story below.

The £100,000 matching fund will only be secured if Room to Read can raise £100,000 online between 5th and 9th December.

Room to Read has an ambitious goal to fund 20 new local language children’s titles.  Here’s how your donation could make a big impact during The Big Give Christmas Challenge:

• £25 is doubled to £50, which could provide 100 colourful, engaging and culturally relevant local language books to inspire children to develop a lifelong habit of reading
• £50 is doubled to £100, which could commission the services of a local author to write bright and appealing new books for their country’s children
• £125 is doubled to £250, which could provide a whole bookcase of local language books at three schools in Asia or Africa, giving hundreds more children access to books written in their own language

If you want to help Room to Read satisfy, and fuel, many more students’ thirst for engaging literature by supporting the publication of 20 new local language books, please follow these simple steps:

1. Click here to “Like” Room to Read’s Facebook page for The Big Give, and receive reminders and updates about the campaign.
2. Click here to donate online at 10am today, (or as soon as possible). A limited amount of the match fund is available each day, and donations up to £5,000 will be matched until the fund runs out. Further match funds will be released at 10am each day until 9th December.

Better World Books is a fantastic resource for programs all over the world including my volunteer project, Literacy Outreach Belize.Once upon a time in 2005, after a holiday to Belize and learning about their need for assistance in positively impacting literacy rates I was inspired! This former Children’s Librarian and now Professional Storyteller left her full time job, sold her house to the first person who saw the For Sale Sign and embarked on a journey to bring her passion for reading and storytelling to Belize. Since 2006, I have donated programs for 33,000 students and teacher training for over 600 teachers throughout the country.

A HUGE part of this project is also bringing in needed materials. There is not a single dedicated Book Store featuring NEW books in Belize, they do have public libraries but most of the libraries have $0 budgets for buying books. So, every trip to Belize (this January will be Lucky #13) I bring books to distribute. Often these books are donated by friends, schools, libraries and churches who partner with Literacy Outreach Belize.

Better World Books has helped immeasurably with their FREE Shipping, Incredible Inventory and Low Prices! I developed a simple Training Manual with exercises for use with a selection of books including Diego Saves the Tree Frogs, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears, Mixed-up Chameleon, and Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree.

Thank you Better World Books for helping Literacy Outreach Belize to supply more materials through your website. You are welcome to visit www.storytellerkp.com to learn more about Literacy Outreach Belize.

If you could give any book to children in need worldwide, what would it be and way? Did you know that every time you buy a book from Better World Books, we donate a book to a student in need?

*Note* The above blog post is a guest blog from Professional Story-Teller, Kristin Pedemonti. This content does not necessarily reflect the views of Better World Books (as our lawyers make sure we say). We love having guest bloggers and invite you to email 11@betterworldbooks.com if you are interested in covering a book or topic on the BWB Blog. Thank you, Kristin!

Each time you tell a friend about us, donate a pre-loved book to us, or buy a book from us, people like Beatrice, below, benefit.

Our wonderful partners at Invisible Children are happy to share an example of their work with our funds through the spotlight story below. We hope you are inspired!

Mentor Spotlight: Beatrice

What Invisible Children is Reading Right Now

In the words of Bethany, an LSP supporter AND Invisible Children employee:
“In reading again the stories of those that fought for the freedom of slaves I am honored all over again to be in a movement of so many working parts. It takes everyone; from those speaking, to those writing to those simply dwelling on the possibilities and supporting the movement in any way possible. This history book is not facts and quotes, it is a story of real people, real circumstances and real life inspiration. I have never been more proud of this calling.”Do you mentor anyone through education? What are your hopes for your mentees? Do you have great book recommendations for the incredible staff, volunteers and donors of Invisible Children? Please share below!

Guest post by Derek Williams & John Cervenka, Founders of The Giving Network

GivLive, a weekly show on The Giving Network hosted by Derek Williams and John Cervanka, highlights the great work of non profits and organizations around the world. On a recent episode GivCause shared about the outstanding work Better World Books is doing to bring attention to education and literacy.

Cervenka says, “Better World Books is on the forefront as a for-profit company that makes non-profit work part of their business model. GivCause is proud to share the impact of Better World Books with our global audience.”

GivCause | The Giving Network is revolutionizing the way non profits and cause driven organizations are telling their story to the world. After launching only two months ago, GivCause is already being seen in over 36 countries. The network, headquartered in Los Angeles, was founded by Derek Williams and John Cervenka. With their extensive background in the entertainment industry their goal is to build the largest global online television network completely dedicated to non profit programs. By the response they are already experiencing they are well on their way.

A full roster of new programs from various non profits around the world will premier in January 2012.

Do you have any suggestions for webisodes Better World Books can host on The Giving Network? What about other organizations that you’d like for GivCause to highlight? Please share below…

*Note* The above blog post is a guest blog from our friends at The Giving Network. This content does not necessarily reflect the views of Better World Books (as our lawyers make sure we say). We love having guest bloggers and invite you to email 11@betterworldbooks.com if you are interested in covering a book or topic on the BWB Blog. Thank you, John and Derek!

Dear stellar students, the following is an exciting update from your campus reps at BWB.

We want you to put us to work at the warehouse of our partner, Books for Africa, so we can provide some much needed (wo)manpower in support of their efforts to end the book famine in Africa.

Now that Halloween is over, it feels like the remaining holidays for 2011 are rushing in to take its place. On November 1st I heard Christmas music playing in a sandwich shop and it seems like there are even more commercials on TV reminding you to go out and shop, shop, shop. As we still have some breathing room before the holidays arrive, it’s important to take a moment to stop and reflect on what we can all do to help others in need.

The Better World Books On Campus Team has definitely been thinking about this and we want to let you know about our November service project. (Read carefully because you play a very important part in the plan!)

Here’s the deal: if we receive 3,000 cartons of books from our student group and bookstore friends by November 30th, our entire campus team here at Better World Books will spend an afternoon volunteering in the Books for Africa warehouse. Send us a total of 5,000 cartons, and we’ll all volunteer for an entire day (that’s 56 volunteer hours!).

What do these numbers mean? Right now we’re a little over a third of the way to our 3,000 box target. If we can hit this target, we can not only donate our time, but these books can generate $16,000 to support Better World Books’ non-profit literacy partners with over 4,000 books being donated directly to Books For Africa.

If we can go beyond this and rise to the challenge of sending in 5,000 boxes then we can generate $26,000 in funding for worldwide literacy and 6,000 books in donations.

We’re counting on your support! If you have any questions, or if you need any help with supplies or shipping, please don’t hesitate to call or email your Account Executive. And be sure to check as the numbers rise on Facebook and Twitter every Monday before November 30th.

Here is an amazing example of where many of you have decided to help make a difference through raising books. Hope you are as excited and encouraged by this video from our friends at Invisible Children as we are. Please share widely!

Both of my daughters had shelves full of beloved books. We all bonded over the shared experience of reading picture books. Both Soleil and I loved cuddling up with Eliana to read her a good book. So I made a trip to the book store and bought one of our favorite picture books, Wild About Books, by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Marc Brown.

Being self-employed, I had lost all my income because of Katrina so money was tight. I’m not one to ask for charity but my daughters needed books! I began a letter writing campaign and wrote to our favorite authors. The Dot by Peter Reynolds, an amazing book about creativity, was a favorite book for all three of us. When I wrote to Peter Reynolds, he responded immediately with signed copies of The Dot and Ish.

In those days and months that followed the aftermath of Katrina, those books became our refuge. We were wild about books and, just like Vashti in The Dot, I urged my daughters to overcome life’s obstacles and make their marks upon the world.

Eventually, we rebuilt. Not only are we storm survivors, we are thrivers! Soleil is a senior at LSU now, finishing her degree in graphic design and illustration. She is preparing for a career as a children’s book author and illustrator, and already has four book credits. Eliana is 11 years old and has become a celebrity kid chef. She is now working on her second cookbook. In the six years since Katrina, I have 18 published books – 10 books for educators and 8 picture books.

I later met Marc Brown and told him our Katrina story. He is such a caring man that he teared up and hugged me as I cried. Peter Reynolds is now a friend and my girls rejoice every time they see one of his books. My daughters and I have definitely made our marks upon the world, and I firmly believe that the enduring message of our beloved picture books helped pave the way.

November is Picture Book Month! Read * Share * Celebrate!

Dianne de Las Casas is an award-winning author of 18 books, a professonal storyteller, and founder of the international literacy initiative, Picture Book Month. She tours worldwide presenting revved-up author visit/storytelling programs, lively educator/librarian training, fun workshops, and inspiring artist residencies. Her children’s books include The Cajun Cornbread Boy, Madame Poulet & Monsieur Roach, Mama’s Bayou, The Gigantic Sweet Potato, There’s a Dragon in the Library, The House That Witchy Built, and Blue Frog: The Legend of Chocolate. www.storyconnection.net www.picturebookmonth.com Twitter – @storyconnection

*Note* The above blog post is a guest blog from our friend Dianne, an award-winning children’s book author. This content does not necessarily reflect the views of Better World Books (as our lawyers make sure we say). We love having guest bloggers and invite you to email 11@betterworldbooks.com if you are interested in covering a book or topic on the BWB Blog. Thank you, Dianne! Happy Picture Book Month!

My good girlfriend, Marje Etheridge, came to me on July 19, 2011 in the midst of the headlines about Atlanta’s public school cheating scandal. She said that she wanted to start a reading campaign called I’m BOOKed!™ to make kids Book Addicts and get them excited about reading. She described how we would pay them $100 to read a book and hook them up with the author who could verify that they’d actually read the book. She had been working for three years on developing relationships in Atlanta’s Pittsburgh community, so we decided to start there. Her work has included stints with Atlanta’s Fulton County, the Atlanta Beltline Project, and more, so she had seen committee after committee and program upon program. There are no shortage of programs or ideas or committees to discuss them, but I’m BOOKed!™ had to be different. She said, “We are not going to ask for permission or wait until someone gives us money. We are going to demonstrate that we can do this and find the money.”

That’s just what we are doing. In less than 48 hours, I developed the complete strategy, the branding, the community model. Everything. As I write this, tomorrow will mark exactly week thirteen in the sixteen week strategy to execute the first I’m BOOKed!™ 30-Day Challenge. That strategy includes the I’m BOOKed!™ Launch Party (held on October 8, 2011), weekly I’m BOOKed!™ Reading Circles held each Saturday during the 30-Day Challenge (10/15, 10/22, 10/29 & 11/5), weekly Author Mentor Sessions, and the I’m BOOKed!™ Rewards Celebration scheduled for Saturday, November 19, 2011. That’s not enough. We are teaching our Readers productivity principles using the Flip Productivity™ Flip Book that I designed, encouraging them to deposit $50 of the $100 cash reward into a college savings account at the Credit Union of Atlanta (who will provide a $25 deposit match), and we have designed a Rewards Program that helps them develop the habit of reading. Whew! It’s been a whirlwind, and this is what they mean by “grass roots.”

We started with nothing but the dream of inspiring a passion for reading to give kids a reason to WANT to improve their reading. In developing the strategy, I felt that the best way to create a sustainable model beyond the excitement of $100 was to rally a network of parents, educators, corporations, authors and volunteers to provide support, encouragement and accountability. No one in our path is “safe.” When you hear that jails are planned based on the reading levels of third graders, that illiteracy is linked to poverty, obesity and crime, and that the statistics for high school graduation rates, juvenile arrests, and gang activity for urban youth are staggeringly high, you can’t help but get a little misty.

But, when you realize that you can transform a community with one child, one book – the tears stop falling, and your eyes light up. Every time I tell someone about I’m BOOKed!™, their first question is, “What can I do?” So glad you asked. We need rewards, and we need money. It’s simple. Join the community at bookedatlanta.com, and let us know how you want to help. Like us at www.facebook.com/imbookedreading. Follow us on Twitter @imbookedreading.

Better World Books is excited to help the I’m BOOKed grassroots literacy effort by donating books, gift certificates and staff volunteers to the program located in our own HQ backyard, Atlanta.

*Note* The above blog post is a guest blog from our friend Gwendolyn at I’m BOOKed. This content does not necessarily reflect the views of Better World Books (as our lawyers make sure we say). We love having guest bloggers and invite you to email 11@betterworldbooks.com if you are interested in covering a book or topic on the BWB Blog. Thank you, Gwendolyn!

The most “liked” answers:

8. Love your neighbor in all ways.

7. Help others by giving our time, resources, and/or money. That’s what we are here for: To love and help one another.

6. Support the 10 for 10 campaign and give just 1 buck at www.1buckstrong.com and help impact the lives of over 10,000 people, and still have money to buy presents.

5. Find creative alternatives to gift wrapping to save trees – use old fabric, recycled newspaper/magazine paper/maps, aluminum foil. You can decorate with cut outs of used greeting cards.

4. Make giving to the less fortunate the focus of your family’s giving. There are ALWAYS people less fortunate than ourselves and they are closer by that we think.

3. Adopt a family for Christmas!

2. An act of kindness. Hold a door open, help someone who is overloaded, whether it be with bags, kids and strollers or a handicap, a smile for someone who has had one of those days, or a nice comment to brighten the minute. It doesn’t cost a thing to be kind and it will actually help you feel better too!

1. Buy your gifts from Better World Books – give the gift of thoughtfulness to your loved ones and to someone in need at the same time!

It’s my holiday wish that the every single person in our world will find out about Better World Books so that they can make a difference every time they buy a book and we donate one to someone in need! Thanks for helping my wish come true this holiday season…

What is your holiday wish for the world? How are you making a difference? We’d love to hear your story!

The $500 mini-grants were awarded to 20 schools, libraries and community-based organizations that submitted innovative ideas for adopting and using Wonderoplis with the families in their existing programs. Most target at-risk populations, including a program for children whose parents are in prison.

There is tremendous variety in the programs – from elementary schools to gifted programs to school-to-home outreach. These programs, urban and rural, reach more than 2,600 students and their families in 11 states.

Winning applications range from creating mock trials and editing video footage on iMovie that can be posted online and shared with other students, to making a Wonderopolis quilt, to creating a blog to post student videos and photos.

The mini-grants will help personalize Wonderopolis for families in their programs and communities. Further expanding the impact, the grants also will give other programs and communities ideas for how to maximize the use of Wonderopolis.

This is the latest partnership effort between NCFL and Better World Books, which began in 2005.

Congrats to the winners

The winners, listed by state, are:

• Arizona: Sopori Elementary School in Sahuarita
• Arkansas: Centers for Youth and Families in Little Rock
• California: Leonardo da Vinci Health Sciences Charter School in Chula Vista, Fremont Adult School CBET Family Literacy in Fremont, Knights Landing, Children’s Center in Knights Landing, Long Beach Unified School District in Long Beach, Grand View Boulevard Elementary in Los Angeles and Gompers Middle School in Los Angeles
• Indiana: Brownsburg Public Library in Brownsburg
• Iowa: Williamsburg Public Library in Williamsburg
• Kentucky: Jefferson County Board of Education (Family Education) in Louisville, McNabb Elementary School in Paducah and Pleasant View Elementary School in Williamsburg

What do you wonder about? Post a comment below and we will share it with Wonderopolis!

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.

Prison Book Program and Better World Books shared an exhibit tent where we talked about the missions of both organizations to interested attendees.

We used our presence at the Boston Book Festival to promote our upcoming joint project — the fifth Annual Great American Book Drive — taking place in Boston on Saturday, November 5, from 10am – 3pm.

If there is one thing book lovers have in common, it’s a desire to see the books they’re finished with get passed along to new readers, and to support global literacy initiatives.  As an added bonus, by clearing off their bookshelves for the Book Drive, folks had a chance to made room for all of the new books purchased at the Festival!

Full details on the Boston Book Drive visit: www.prisonbookprogram.org/bookdrive

Better World Books is proud to support the efforts of Pam and her fellow volunteers at Prison Book Program through our LEAP Grant. The grant will help 220 prisoners receive GED test preparation materials and dictionaries so they can earn a GED and have viable options for work when they are released. You can learn more about this, and other grant, here.

*Note* The above blog post is a guest blog from our friend Pam at Prison Book Program. This content does not necessarily reflect the views of Better World Books (as our lawyers make sure we say). We love having guest bloggers and invite you to email 11@betterworldbooks.com if you are interested in covering a book or topic on the BWB Blog. Thank you, Pam!

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.

“My mom says we don’t have enough money,” a 1st grade girl wearing a bright pink ribbon explains to me why she does not have her own books at home. “My grandma is the only parent I’ve ever known,” shares an adorably toothless 1st grade boy. “My mom and dad don’t know English yet,” says another 1st grader, newly arrived from Mexico.

These are powerful statements made by young students in America. However, each student, no matter how rough their situation, cannot stop smiling. Sharing on camera makes them feel “special” they tell me. Getting to pick out a book they want to read, being able to write in it and read it at their own pace without having to worry about overdue fees gives them great joy and pride.

One young lady wants to tell me her story but cannot be on camera, she is a ward of the State of Oklahoma. “When I was five years old my brothers raped me,” she says matter-of-factly. She shares her story with the class, hoping to inspire them to be honest and not ashamed of their circumstances. “Living in a group home with nine other girls, there is a whole lot of drama and not many ways to relax. We share everything. Getting this stack of books from Better World Books is such a gift. I have a chance to be free,” she tells her peers.Her friend decides to speak up, too. He and family were recently evicted from their home. His dream is to be the first in his family to graduate college. He started this 9th grade year at a 5th grade reading level, and in one short month thanks to a remarkable teacher and the chance to pick and keep his own books, he is already up to a 7th grade reading level. I have no doubt this positive young man will exceed a 9th grade reading level this year. He picks up the book off his desk and says, “this is the first book I’ve ever gotten to keep and I cannot wait to impress my grandma by reading it to her.”

Another classmate speaks up. “My parents didn’t even finish middle school. They had to start working in Juarez when they were younger than me. My dad has diabetes so I want to work hard and become a doctor so I can save his life.”

Thanks to a partnership between Feed The Children and Better World Books, children in unbelievable situations like these are getting to choose and take ownership of books – developing a love for reading and learning. These kids, more than most, understand that education is their chance to break the cycle of poverty.

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.

Question: The Cracked.com and NPR stories about book-burning and trashing at libraries around the world is shocking news. Is it true? Do libraries really sometimes throw away, or even burn, books?

Answer: Yes, they sometimes have to throw away books but we haven’t heard of anyone burning books. Librarians regularly need to make room for updated editions, yet struggle to find an easy and comprehensive way to move out old stock. They often do not have recycling contracts, and no environmentally responsible outlet for getting rid of their used books.

Some libraries have terrific Friends groups that sell some of the material, and some books can be donated, but often much remains. Some libraries just don’t have the resources to sell, donate, and find recyclers for these materials. Hence the late night dumpster runs.

And no one is more troubled than librarians themselves.  

You can learn even more about our love for working with and serving libraries in this recent Sustainable Life Media news article about Better World Books: How Dumpster Diving Can Be A New Business Metric.

Q: Why do libraries get rid of these books which have so much life left in them? Is it really cost-saving?

A: In some cases, libraries have no choice.  Laws vary from state to state and some make it difficult for libraries to find a solution for their weeded materials. And in some cases, they are not aware of the options available to them. There are libraries who throw books away, those who recycle their books, and those who have them sold on their behalf, many times through Better World Books.

Q: Where do we, Better World Books, come in? How did we find out about the library book throw-away crisis and when did we decide to help?

A: It was at the American Library Association conference that we first heard librarians admit they were sneaking out to the dumpster to throw books in the trash. They just didn’t have an outlet for the books they took out of circulation.

The librarians saw that we had an ideal platform for selling those books to generate revenue for the library. Suddenly, we were popular folks at that conference, and a major strategic decision for our business was born.

Q: How many libraries do we partner with?

A: We partner with over 3,000 libraries across the U.S, Canada, and the U.K.  Libraries ship books to us free of charge.

Q: How much do libraries have to pay us to help them with their used books?A: Nothing! We often hear that our program is “too good to be true.” There are no service agreements (unless requested), sign-up fees, monthly fees or one-time fees. We understand the budget constraints many libraries across the nation are facing and as a result charge nothing. 

Q: What’s in it for the libraries? How do they benefit from partnering with us?

A: Libraries partnering with us receive commission for books sold from their inventory shipped to Better World Books. In addition, the program serves as an outlet for their unwanted books.  Books sold from their inventory also benefit a local or international literacy partner that Better World Books and the library support.   

Books from their inventory that cannot be sold are donated.  And only as a last resort, are books recycled. Better World Books has never placed a book in landfill.

To date, we have raised over $10 million for our literacy and library partners across the U.S and around the world. This includes over $4.5 million to directly support libraries.

Q: How else do we partner with libraries?

A: We have reclaimed more than 720,000 pounds of metal shelving from libraries across the United States.

We also support libraries through our partnerships with literacy non-profits such as the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL), which is the worldwide leader in family literacy. More than one-million families have made positive educational and economic gains as a result of NCFL’s work, which includes training more than 150,000 teachers and thousands of volunteers in communities, schools and libraries across America.

Better World Books has also provided libraries all over the world with grants to support much needed programs.  Check out the grant info here.

Q: Do we ever throw a book away?

A: No. We are very conscious about our environment and we have an active recycling program. If we determine that a book does not meet our criteria or cannot be sold due to its condition, then we will recycle the book. Books that do not sell after a given period of time are collected and prepared for distribution to our Non-Profit Literacy Partners or recycled in an environmentally responsible manner. To date, we have re-used or recycled over 70 million pounds of books – that’s over 57 million books!

We hope this message gets across to everyone concerned about books being thrown away. Please share our story and let us know your thoughts…

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.

The video asks everyone to show their support. Here is ours…

You can learn more about our partnership with Invisible Children and how you can help in the blog post right below.

Here is more information about the President’s action and how Invisible Children helped make it happen.

Please share your photo on our Facebook page and your reaction in words below. Thank you and power to the people!

I could not believe American media outlets were not reporting on this conflict, which had been happening for decades, and that my teachers had never brought up this issue in any of my social science classes.  Invisible Children caught hold of me in the best way possible and not only explained the situation in Central Africa, but also provided an avenue for me and other students across America to advocate for an end to this war.

Even after fundraising for Invisible Children throughout high school and college, I still felt I could do more for the vulnerable civilians in Central Africa. The opportunity came through an internship which was required as a part of my social work program through the University of Arkansas. I was hired as the Book Drive Intern for Invisible Children. This internship has been one of the best experiences of my life. I can leave the office each day knowing that I was an integral part of the effort to protect innocent civilians and to provide recovery to this war-torn region.

One of Invisible Children’s fundraising initiatives involves book drives, which are made possible through our partnership with Better World Books. Invisible Children asks their supporters to collect books at high schools and university campuses, which in turn are sent to Better World Books and sold online. A portion of the sale from these book drives are donated back to Invisible Children.  Book drives are an easy way for students to support Invisible Children’s mission and make use of textbooks that their bookstores would not buy back.  I am so passionate about Invisible Children books drives because I see firsthand how the financial support brought in by these book drives helps to fund programs that are not only saving lives, but are also creating sustainable change in conflict-ridden countries.

Our projects and programs are implemented throughout Central Africa including Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, and South Sudan.Our Legacy Scholarship Program provides a scholarship and a mentor for over 750 students in secondary school and university. Our Schools for Schools program benefits 11 partner schools in northern Uganda with hardware projects like building renovations and software projects that include teacher capacity workshops and curriculum development. Through book drives and online book sales, Better World Books as raised over $385 thousand for these initiatives.

The Functional Adult Literacy initiative currently has 50 groups of 20-25 focusing on numeracy, writing, and reading in their local language. This program is strengthened through Better World Books’ Literacy and Education in Action Program (LEAP), a grant initiative which funds programs all over the world. Better World Books also supports our Teacher Exchange program which enhances present educational models, and establishes long-term learning opportunities for both international and Ugandan teachers.

Finally, our newest initiative, the Protection Plan, promotes the protection of communities in LRA-affected areas (DR Congo, Central African Republic, and South Sudan) through the implementation of an Early Warning Radio Network, the encouragement of LRA defection through FM radio broadcasts, the posting of defection fliers in LRA active areas, and the creation of the first rehabilitation center in the Democratic Republic of Congo for LRA affected youth.

*Note* The below blog post is a guest blog from our friend Sarah, the Book Drive Intern for our partners at Invisible Children. This content does not necessarily reflect the views of Better World Books (as our lawyers make sure we say). We love having guest bloggers and invite you to email 11@betterworldbooks.com if you are interested in covering a book or topic on the BWB Blog. Thank you, Sarah!

Sarah reacted in an amazing way when she heard about the travesty happening in Central Africa. What are your thoughts on how you can make a difference for the child soldiers and their communities? Have you read any inspiring books about this issue? Please share…

More than 1,800 college and university campuses have already committed to partnering with Better World Books this year in our no cost book reuse/recycling programs for libraries, bookstores, recyclers and student groups.

These programs support campus waste reduction strategies, while generating funding to support worldwide literacy initiatives.

The 2010-2011 academic year saw participation from 1,858 campuses across Canada and the United States, with 3,424,138 pounds of book waste diverted from campus waste streams.

Top participants were the State University of New York College – Geneseo, Ohio State University – Columbus, and Wright State University – Dayton, who diverted a combined total of nearly 150,000 pounds of book waste. Better World Books is offering to conduct book waste reduction audits for any school interested.

Through Better World Book Drives, lead organizers have the chance to go on the trip of a lifetime. For the last couple of years, Better World Books takes the top two student book drive leaders on an international literacy trip.  Past winners have gone to Uganda and South Africa. Last year’s top two student book drive organizers got to go to Peru and Chile with Better World Books and our partners at Worldfund.

Want to learn more about running a book drive on your campus? Click here.

Have you run a Better World Book Drive on your campus? Tell us about it!

You may ask: “Why literacy?” From unesco.org:

“Literacy is a human right, a tool of personal empowerment and a means for social and human development. Educational opportunities depend on literacy. Literacy is at the heart of basic education for all, and essential for eradicating poverty, reducing child mortality, curbing population growth, achieving gender equality and ensuring sustainable development, peace and democracy.”

We couldn’t agree more.

A quick glance at the 2011 numbers shows the challenges before us.  793 million adults are illiterate worldwide; 67.4 million children are not enrolled in school.

However, we’d like to answer those statistics with a few of our own.  Since its founding, Better World Books has raised over $10 million in funding for literacy and donated over 5 million books, with the help of our non-profit literacy partners and a multitude of heroic individuals we’re proud to have as customers.

Numbers like that are a good sign, one that means there are plenty of others out there who care about teaching the world to read.  It shows that this movement means business.  Who would have ever imagined that doing real-life good in the world could be as easy as buying books?

So to celebrate International Literacy Day 2011, we’re offering 20% off 3 or more used books from a huge selection — nay, a big honkin’ selection — that we put together for your enjoyment.  (And anyone you know who likes big honkin’ selections.)  As always, for every book you buy at our site, we donate a book to someone in need; and every purchase you make at our site funds literacy projects by way of our non-profit partners.

Happy International Literacy Day!

Edit:  The International Literacy Day sale has been extended… now the last day for the sale will be Wednesday, September 21st.

We hit $10 million raised for our literacy and library partners at home and around the world. We did it together – with you our awesome friends, fans, customers, book donors and partners. Thank you!

In honor of this huge accomplishment, we are making a new commitment to bringing education and opportunity to everyone possible. Every time you buy a book at BetterWorldBooks.com or betterworldbooks.co.uk, we donate a book to someone in need. Learn more about Book for Book here!

]]> http://blog.betterworldbooks.com/2011/08/15/10-million-raised-book-for-book/feed/ 0 http://blog.betterworldbooks.com/2011/07/11/be-like-the-moon/ http://blog.betterworldbooks.com/2011/07/11/be-like-the-moon/#comments Mon, 11 Jul 2011 21:31:35 +0000 Erin http://blog.betterworldbooks.com/?p=6877 Last month, I felt like the moon – casting a joyful light amid darkness (my post below casts some light on this statement, pun intended). It was all THANKS TO YOU, our amazing friends, fans, donors and customers. Because of you I was able to bring 50 pounds of books from Better World Books and Books for Africa to Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya. Enjoy this video and be so proud of your contribution. Read more below for the whole story…

“’We must strive to be like the moon.’ An old man in Kabati repeated this sentence often… the adage served to remind people to always be on their best behavior and to be good to others. He said that people complain when there is too much sun and it gets unbearably hot, and also when it rains too much or when it is cold. But, no one grumbles when the moon shines. Everyone becomes happy and appreciates the moon in their own special way. Children watch their shadows and play in its light, people gather at the square to tell stories and dance through the night. A lot of happy things happen when the moon shines. These are some of the reasons why we should want to be like the moon.” I highlighted these wise words in Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone my fourth year of college and penned in a smiley face with my shaky pen.

This analogy of the sky threads through the entire book as a spirit of perspective during a real-life nightmare unfolding with each new bleak sentence. Beah was kidnapped and forced to be a child soldier during the civil war in Sierra Leone. There were nights when the hope of the moon was all that kept him alive.

I suffered from my own nightmares of what would happen when I woke up and continued to read about what Beah would face next. Spliced among these nightmares, I also had dreams of serving as the child soldier rehabilitation counselor that Beah fondly remembers. I made a conscious decision to learn every single thing I could about this “dark” continent so I could move there upon graduation and fix it.

Little did I know this intentional academic journey would change my life forever. My idealism would be tested, my heart broken many times over, my mind opened so wide I had trouble focusing it again and my stomach destroyed. I would also slowly learn to be a little more like the moon thanks to the bright light inside so many kind Africans along the way. And rather than my fixing their problems, they would fix my heart.

One year later serving in the Peace Corps in Madagascar I, too, understood the power of the moon. The fact that I saw the same moon as my friends and family who seemed a whole universe away was so comforting. I chased my shadow with the children in my village and danced under it with fellow volunteers. I felt its peace and its grace – much like the young ladies who frolicked across the red dusty roads with baskets and buckets piled high atop their heads.

Beah also wrote that “some nights the sky wept stars that quickly floated and disappeared into the darkness before our wishes could meet them.” Two years after being enveloped by the moon, the mangoes and the mangroves of Madagascar, I found myself in Northern Uganda staring up at the most star-filled sky I’d ever sat beneath and feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. I was trying to remember that if God could place each one of these stars, surely He could place me where I needed to be. Fourteen bumpy offroading hours later I was being serenaded by the freshest faces of the African Children’s Choir in Kampala.

These little children come from the most vulnerable of situations across Africa. They are members of child-led households, children of subsistence farmers who do not have enough crops to feed all of the hungry mouths in their family, orphans of AIDS and genocide, victims of civil war and political upheaval that leave them displaced. Yet these precious young people have the sweetest grins, most contagious giggles and best ideas of most Ivy-Leaguers and celebrities I know. They are the perfect example of the hope and dignity across Africa. With the chance for an education, these children shine even brighter than the moon.

One of the only moments in my own life when I have truly felt like the moon was when I sat with friends and family and watched my documentary about the Choir on CNN. The amazing young people sang, danced, shared their story, shocked people and changed the lives of viewers around the world. These children and their continent changed my life as well. I realized that the moon must feel so fulfilled every night when it gives its light to the world thanks to my one small chance to share a glimmer of hope.

After trying various routes to make my little bit of difference in this world, I learned that education was the answer. Better World Books is the perfect way to bring together businesses, non-profits, students, professionals, grandparents and babies in the name of ending world poverty (as cliché as it sounds) one book at a time!

Take a moment to sit back and feel like the moon (and share your stories of being like moon with us)!

“How on earth will I be able to go 25 hours without saying a word? I still haven’t figured that out (and I know some of my coworkers have their doubts), but let me tell you what I do know: The Invisible Children Protection Plan is AWESOME, and it means huge things for protecting and rehabilitating LRA victims in central Africa.  So why am I participating in the 25 event? Because I can help raise money for The Protection Plan AND speak out (well, you know what I mean) against Joseph Kony’s war, all at one fell swoop! Get ready to join the movement, friends – it’s a beautiful day for changing the world!” shares Amy Clark, an Atlanta-based Account Representative for Better World Books.

Today, almost 100,000 activists all over the world are going quite to make a loud statement through their silence: the longest running war has got to stop and child soldiers must be redeemed!

The Protection Plan from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Many amazing individuals on the Better World Books staff are taking part in 25 today!

“I’m participating in Invisible Children 25 because I know exactly where my funds and efforts will go. Helping IC means helping end the LONGEST running war on Earth. I don’t consider myself a big talker but being silent so those without a voice can be heard is awesome! I talk to clients often so having an opportunity to inform them of the amazing things IC is doing this way will really help spread the message,” explained Catarina Gutierrez a Better World Books Regional Manager.

“I’m participating in 25 because I would like to honor Nate’s 25 years of life and his contribution to Invisible Children as well as bring awareness to the longest running civil war. It’s the little uncomfortable action that I can take to make a difference half way across the world!” Account Representative Kathy Marks says.

The efforts of “25” participants are helping Invisible Children build up their Protection Plan as the Lord’s Resistance Army moves from Northern Uganda and into the DR Congo, Central African Republic and Sudan.

“I choose to support Invisible Children because they are so deserving of our attention. Many organizations out there have good intentions–their hearts are certainly in the right place. IC stands out to me from this plethora of nonprofits because they are adequately prepared to take on practical solutions to improve the quality of life of the people they’re helping. They perform thorough research, they consider their options, and they construct the proposal that what will bring the most beneficial results. I mean–a radio communication system and a rehab center (which are both apart of the Action Plan that the 25 Campaign’s proceeds will go toward) are not ridiculous requests. It’s one thing to say, ‘I want to save the world,’ and it’s another to move forward with an impactful, but most importantly, feasible, agenda. IC practices great judgment and is successful at producing results. I know my contributions, efforts, and donations will be apart of something that works,” says Sam Lansford our Antique, Rare and Collectibles Specialist.

“While working at Better World Books allows us to do so much in support of our non-profit literacy partners, it’s so important to believe in their causes… participating in events like 25 allow us to make that happen and do more in support of an organization doing great things,” explains Joshua Fu, BWB Account Representative.

“Being a chatter box, 25 is HUGE undertaking for me. Try parenting without being able to speak to your kids! The reason I’m participating in 25 is simple: It’s amazing to be part of something that proactively save lives like the Protection Plan will. It’s also a great way to honor someone (Nate Henn) who selflessly gave everything he had to help others. In a way, I feel like a silent solider using the power of my voice; to speak out without saying a word,” Account Representative Stacey Bolnik says.

We partner with Invisible Children in many more ways than the 25 project. At Better World Books, we are dedicated to bringing education to these “invisible children” across Central East Africa – children who are kidnapped, raped and forced to kill in this 25 year long war. One of the most effective ways YOU can support our joint efforts is to make your books count for more by hosting a Better World Books drive, buying your books from BWB or even selling your textbooks to us to benefit Invisible Children. Become a part of the solution here: http://www2.invisiblechildren.com/bookdrive.

Our friends from Invisible Children came to our Atlanta office to show us their latest film, Tony. This powerful film brought tears of sadness and of hope to all of our eyes. After the screening, we swapped t-shirts in a celebration of our awesome partnership!

Check out the trailer for Tony:

Tony Bracelet: Trailer from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Another exciting way that Better World Books works with Invisible Children is through our Literacy and Education Action Program (LEAP). We have awarded Invisible Children with a $22,000 grant to implement their Teacher Exchange project in Northern Uganda. Our grant will enhance training and resources for six teachers affecting over 300 students, and this effect will expand over time. The program will bring six Ugandan teachers to the U.S. for a week long intensive teacher-training program after which they will return to their schools and spread what they’ve learned. Check here soon to hear how the teachers are doing.

Finally, we are so proud of our friends at Invisible Children for their presence on Oprah last week for the third time. You can see their interview with Oprah here: http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Invisible-Children/1.

Thank you so much for helping us support these amazing initiatives across Central East Africa with Invisible Children. Keep donating and buying books at BWB to continue making the world a better place one book at a time!