Founder Natasha Agarwal enjoys Pete the Cat at the Guadalupe Center library." [Photo courtesy Natasha Agarwal]

ESTERO — BelieveNBooks, a Florida-based nonprofit dedicated to expanding children's access to books, is launching its My Very Own Book initiative. The program will provide more than 6,800 young children across eight Florida counties with a book of their own to take home and access to a corresponding read-aloud video.

Through partnerships with the Early Learning Coalition of Florida’s Heartland and the Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida, more than 150 early learning centers will receive books through the initiative, reaching Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) students across Collier, Lee, Hendry, Glades, Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee and Highlands counties. Each participating child will receive a copy of Pete the Cat Too Cool for School, to take home and keep, along with access to a YouTube read-aloud video of the same book.

VPK students enjoy Pete the Cat at Kid City Early Learning Academy in LaBelle. [Photo courtesy Early Learning Academy]

“Early literacy grows stronger when the learning that begins in the classroom can continue at home,” said Dr. Melanie M. Stefanowicz, CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida. “The My Very Own Book initiative gives children something tangible that belongs to them, while the read-aloud component gives families another way to share in that experience. We are grateful to BelieveNBooks for helping make reading more accessible, engaging and meaningful for young children and their families.”

The initiative extends reading beyond the classroom by pairing each book with a companion read-aloud video. Children can follow along with the physical book at home, including when a caregiver is unavailable to read aloud or faces English-language barriers. This approach helps children build home libraries while supporting early literacy, English-language development and kindergarten readiness.

“There is something powerful about being able to say, ‘This book is mine,’” said Natasha Agarwal, Founder and CEO of BelieveNBooks. “Every child deserves the opportunity to build a home library and experience the excitement of having a reading buddy. We can make that experience possible for thousands of children and give them a story they can enjoy long after they leave the classroom.”

The launch represents one of BelieveNBooks’ largest coordinated early-childhood book distributions to date and significantly expands the organization’s work with early learning communities across Florida. BelieveNBooks is grateful to the Wildcat Run Charitable Foundation and Galeana Foundation for their support in making the initiative possible.

Following the initial distribution, BelieveNBooks plans to expand the program to additional Early Learning Coalition regions across Florida, with a longer-term goal of bringing the model to children enrolled in subsidized early learning and preschool programs nationwide. To date, BelieveNBooks has distributed over 250,000 books to 50,000 children in need.

About BelieveNBooks

BelieveNBooks was founded in 2021 by then middle school student Natasha Agarwal, who began by sharing books from her own shelves with children who lacked access to them. Today, BelieveNBooks is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has provided 250,000 books to 50,000 children, expanding young people’s access to stories, knowledge and opportunity. The organization relies on donors, grants and more than 150 community partners to facilitate book distributions. For more information, please visit www.BelieveNBooks.org.