Raising Readers Home
Did you know that reading for enjoyment contributes to a child’s happiness?
Books build bright futures, and Raising Readers is our shared responsibility. Encourage the kids in your life to become lifelong readers by sharing the joy of reading for enjoyment, thereby contributing to happiness, health, and success for generations to come.
More than family circumstance, parents’ educational background, or income, reading impacts a child’s future academic performance, emotional well-being, communication skills, economic security, ambition, and (this is big) happiness.
Studies show that kids reading for enjoyment in the US is in rapid decline:
Together, we can commit to Raising Readers and change this trend.
To Open This Next Chapter
We are happy to announce that Hachette Book Group (HBG) is kicking off its partnership with Read Ahead to host a Raising Readers Holiday Gift Book Wrapping Event in December at HBG’s New York City office.
Read Ahead is an organization that equips elementary students with opportunities to unlock their full potential through reading-based mentoring that supports social-emotional skills essential for academic and life-long success.
During the event, HBG and Read Ahead volunteers and supporters will wrap 1000 children’s books donated by HBG for under-served NYC students during the holiday season.
Hachette Marks 200th Anniversary with $200,000 Fund to Provide Curated Classroom Libraries to 200 Underfunded Schools and Education Programs
HBG’s $200,000 Raising Readers fund will be dedicated to social impact initiatives embedded within its urgent and long-term Raising Readers campaign. Raising Readers strives to raise awareness of the decline in the number of children reading for fun and encourages everyone to make reading for enjoyment part of children’s daily lives. Reading for fun impacts academic results, mental health, wealth, communication skills, happiness, and ambition.
A Message from Reese Witherspoon
We’re thrilled to share that Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon is the spokesperson of Raising Readers beginning Fall 2025.
As part of the initiative, award-winning actress and New York Times bestseller and co-author of the upcoming novel Gone Before Goodbye with #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben, Reese Witherspoon will voice an urgent message in Hachette Audio fiction books starting this fall. Witherspoon will be the voice of Hachette’s global social impact campaign tackling declining rates of children reading for fun and entertainment. In addition to Hachette Audio listeners hearing Witherspoon’s voice, readers will see a call to action at the end of Hachette print and eBooks starting in the fall.
Listen to Reese Witherspoon’s message:
