Community Bookseller Jamaica Stevens at an event.

“I love being able to set up my own little bookstore.”

Ambur Gorman is one of the many who have joined our North American Community Bookseller program to help share Barefoot books with children and families.

She says, “I think that Barefoot just does a great job with helping kids to understand that we all have the right to be here, and no matter what you do, you can make a difference in this world.”

Barefoot Books’ Community Bookseller program offers parents, grandparents, educators and children’s book-lovers the opportunity to run a flexible and meaningful business. And it’s fun!

Did you know that reading aloud is the single most important thing you can do to help children achieve academic success?

Early exposure to reading aloud has such a long-term influence on children’s outcomes that pediatricians in the United States are now required to “prescribe” reading to parents of all babies from birth! Reading aloud is in itself extremely beneficial for kids of all ages, but research shows that there are things you can do at home to support early literacy even more as you read. Here are some practical, evidence-based tips for supporting literacy from infancy through school age.

Is learning to read earlier better?

We live in a competitive society that rewards being first and best — and this mentality is deeply ingrained in most of us. No matter how often we tell ourselves that each child is unique and will grow at their own pace, it’s natural for us to feel proud and excited when our children hit milestones “early” or excel in certain areas — and to feel concerned when our kids are “late.”