We Give Books is a new digital initiative that enables anyone with access to the Internet to put books in the hands of children who don’t have them, simply by reading online.

We Give Books combines the joy of reading with the power of helping others, providing a platform for caregivers and educators to inspire children to become lifelong readers and lifelong givers.

We Give Books also helps some of the world’s best, most inspiring, literacy organizations by spreading the word about their great work and by providing books to the young people these organizations support.

Who Is Behind It?

We Give Books was created by the Penguin Group and the Pearson Foundation. Together, we support literacy through programs that engage entire communities through literacy and awareness programs like Booktime and Jumpstart’s Read for the Record. We hope that We Give Books proves to be a way that young children, together with their parents or caregivers, can come to understand the power of reading—and of giving—as much as we do.

Penguin Group is one of the world’s premier global consumer trade book publishers, with key market positions in the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, Canada, India, China, New Zealand and Ireland. The Penguin Group (http://www.penguin.com) is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.

Pearson Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Pearson plc. A 501(c) (3) nonprofit operating foundation, the Pearson Foundation extends Pearson’s commitment to education by partnering with leading nonprofit, civic, and business organizations to provide financial, organizational, and publishing assistance across the globe.

The Books

We are dedicated to delivering award-winning books empowering you to read and share beautiful stories with children in your life. With age-appropriate content for young readers, our goal is to create lasting memories that will last a lifetime.

Books are right at the heart of this program – books for reading and books for giving!

All of the books available for online reading are children’s picture books appropriate for children through age ten. There is a mix of fiction and nonfiction, a range of authors, and an equal balance between read-alouds and books for independent readers. We’ll be adding news books every month, together with special seasonal offerings.

The We Give Books team works upfront with each non-profit literacy partner to identify the kinds of children’s books that best fit their program needs. Some of the same great books you can read online will be donated to our charity partners through your reading efforts. We also donate others they request specifically for the young people they serve.

Our Advisory Council

The We Give Books Advisory Council is comprised of top researchers, academics, psychologists and educators in the field of pro-social development of children, social responsibility and philanthropy. The Advisory Council helps shape the development of the We Give Books Program.

Marvin W. Berkowitz, Ph.D.: Dr. Berkowitz is the inaugural Sanford N. McDonnell Endowed Professor of Character Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He is author of “Parenting for Good,” editor of “Moral Education: Theory and Application” (1985) and “Peer Conflict and Psychological Growth” (1985), and author of more than 70 book chapters, monographs, and journal articles. He is also a contributor to “Parenting for Character: Five Experts, Five Practices” (2007). His primary interests address young people’s development toward becoming healthy and happy adults who contribute to society through their willingness to act morally.

Nancy Eisenberg, Ph.D.: One of the foremost researchers on children’s prosocial development in the Western world, Dr. Eisenberg is a professor of psychology at Arizona State University. She is the editor of “Social, Emotional, and Personality Development Handbook of Psychology, 5th ed,” and the co-author of “The Roots of Prosocial Behavior in Children” (1989). Her research interests include moral and emotional development, altruism, empathy and prosocial responding, among others.

Professor Larry Nucci: Nucci is the director of the Office for Studies in Moral Development and Education and professor of Education and Psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is currently a research educator in the Institute of Human Development at the University of California, Berkeley, where he currently teaches social development in the Developmental Teacher Education Masters program of the Graduate School of Education. Nucci has written extensively in the field of moral and social development and education. His books include “Nice is Not Enough: Facilitating Moral Development” (2008); “The Handbook of Moral and Character Education” (2008); “Education in the Moral Domain (2001) and “Moral Development and Character Education: A Dialogue” (1989).

Susan Raymond, Ph.D.: Dr. Raymond is the executive vice president of research, evaluation, and strategic planning for Changing Our World, the leading philanthropic services company in the world. She has extensive experience in research, analysis and planning, most recently with the prestigious New York Academy of Sciences. At the Academy, she created the first technology and public policy program, and then became Director of Strategic Planning and Special Projects. Susan serves as Chief Analyst for onPhilanthropy.com, Changing Our World's media division and a global resource for nonprofit professionals. She has published a series of briefing papers on philanthropy relative to the arts, education, the environment and other fields.

Dr. Warren Spielberg: A clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst who is on the faculty of the New School University, Dr. Spielberg is co-author of the upcoming book about African American boys, based on five years of research with black boys and their families. Since 1998 Dr. Spielberg has pursued his interests in understanding the relationship between collective trauma and politics as a consultant and developer of the Peace Now Dialogue Program. Since 9/11 he has also served as a consultant to the FDNY and received an APA Practitioner of the Year Citation for his work, 2003- 2004. In 2005, Dr. Spielberg was appointed to the APA Task Force on the Development of Treatment Guidelines for Boys and Men. Dr. Spielberg maintains a private practice in Brooklyn Heights where he sees children, adults and families.

Dale Atkins, Ph.D.: Dr. Dale Atkins is a licensed psychologist who has more than 25 years of experience as a relationship expert, focusing on families and parenting. An author of several books, articles and journals for popular and professional audiences, Dr. Atkins is a much sought after lecturer and keynote speaker as well as a recurrent guest expert in the media. She frequently appears on NBC-TV's "Today Show". Dr. Atkins has a private practice in New York City.

Lauren Randel, MD: A psychiatrist currently working in private practice in D.C., Dr. Randel is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Georgetown University’s Department of Psychiatry. She completed her residency in psychiatry at Georgetown before beginning the Greenwall Fellowship Program. For her internship as a Fellow, she worked at the Agency for Health Care Policy Research (AHCPR) with Dr. Carolyn Clancy, Director of the Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research, in defining the AHCPR's research agenda with respect to ethics and managed care.

Pam Allyn: Pam Allyn is the Executive Director of LitWorld. She is also the Executive Director of LitLife, a nationwide education professional development consultancy. Pam is the recipient of the James Patterson Page Turner Award for excellence in bringing literacy to underserved populations through her foster care initiative, Books for Boys. She has received a Disney Points of Light Foundation Award for her work bringing books and literacy to children. Pam has written seven books for teachers and administrative leaders including the groundbreaking curriculum development guide entitled "The Complete 4 for Literacy" (Scholastic 2007) and one for parents, caregivers and educators entitled "What to Read When" (Penguin 2009).

Matthew Greenburg: Matthew Greenberg has been an educator in New York City for over 18 years. Matthew began his career in education as a physical education teacher at School of the Ascension. He then moved on to teach physical education at Bank Street School for Children, and Columbia Prep, all prior to taking a physical education position at the Manhattan School for Children. For the last seven years, Matthew has been a classroom teacher at the Manhattan School for Children, first in the lower school and then its middle school. At MSC Matthew is the Union Chapter Leader, was a member of the school hiring committee, a mentor for student teachers, and earlier in his teaching career at Manhattan School for Children he was a curriculum liaison through the school’s partnership with Teacher’s College Reading and Writing project. Most recently, Matthew has received his administrative degree from City College’s Leadership Academy with the intention and vision to be a school leader at GUGCS.

Russ Quaglia: Dr. Russell Quaglia is the President/Founder of the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations. He has been described by NBC-TV Today Show as America's foremost authority on the development and achievement of student aspirations. As a dynamic speaker, he travels extensively presenting research-based information on student aspirations and motivation to audiences throughout the United States and around the world. Dr. Quaglia has pioneered the work in student aspirations as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of students that have taken the My Voice Survey. He also serves on numerous national commissions ensuring the voices of students are always recognized, heard, and acted upon.

Julie Walker: Julie A. Walker is Executive Director of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). Prior to serving in this capacity, Walker was the Director of Library & Media Services for the Round Rock (TX) ISD. For the past twelve years, she has been responsible for directing a number of national programs, including the development of the association’s learning standards and guidelines for school library programs. Walker currently serves on the advisory committee for the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries. She is the chair-elect for the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.

Paul Richman: Paul Richman is the Executive Director of the California State PTA. In April, 2007, Paul Richman joined California State PTA as the first executive director in the 110-year history of the organization. His hiring coincided with the relocation of California State PTA’s headquarters office to Sacramento, in an effort o further increase the association’s policy leadership on behalf of children and families. California State PTA is the largest children’s advocacy organization in the state, serving nearly one-million volunteer members. At PTA, Mr. Richman’s responsibilities include managing the association’s staff, providing strategic guidance to the 15-member Board of Directors and 115-member Board of Managers, and helping to advance the association’s goals and priorities. Mr. Richman has been involved in a wide range of local and state education and children’s issues for more than 15 years, first as a legislative analyst and advocate, and later as an association executive and consultant. Prior to joining the California State PTA, he served for nearly a decade as Assistant Executive Director for the California School Boards Association.

Contact Us

info@wegivebooks.org