Suzanne's Reading Goal:  10 books

Hi everyone! I know I’m not alone when I say it’s hard to find the time and energy to read as an adult. I used to be that kid who climbed trees and read all day, but as I grew older, I fell farther and farther away from one of my favorite things. So, a few years ago I set a reading goal for 10 books in a year, and since then I’ve re-fallen in love with reading, surpassing 100 books last year alone!

I believe reading is a superpower that allows us to disappear into another world for just a little while; whether it’s an epic adventure about destroying a magic Ring, or a a memoir of a beloved public figure, or a book about how to build a better world here and now. And I want everyone to be able to have that superpower!

Open Books' Associate Board is hosting a month-long Read-a-Thon throughout March 2026, in honor of National Reading Month, to raise funds and awareness for Open Books' signature reading and book access programs. Considering Open Books' mission to support literacy skill development and encourage everyone to enjoy reading, this is a fantastic opportunity to get involved and show why you love to read! Please consider supporting one of our readers or joining in the fun yourself - you can sign up here or contact readathon@open-books.org to learn more and get started. 

This year, the Read-a-Thon team is working hard to raise $45,000 for Open Books' literacy and book access programs. Consider what your donations can support:

$25 can provide books and supplies for one 1st or 2nd grader in our year-long Reading Buddies program
$50 can support a month of upkeep of our Little Free Library network in North Lawndale
$100 can provide 30 new, high-interest book titles for our youth book granting efforts
$250 can fund supplies for one of our eight-week-long Early Childhood Literacy Residencies in at-home daycares
$500 can support the development of resources for parents and caregivers in our target communities

Open Books' Mission

Open Books is a nonprofit literacy organization that helps transform lives through reading, writing, and the unlimited power of books. We partner with communities to ensure that youth and families have equitable access to be lifelong readers. Open Books is committed to working in community with our neighborhood partners toward a collective effort to grow and foster a literacy-strong Chicago. We work to break down systemic barriers to reading and literacy and build strong values of reading. Through neighborhood partnerships, we design and implement literacy initiatives for youth, families, caregivers, and communities on the South and West sides of Chicago by providing high-quality resources, experiences, and book-centered spaces. We employ people power and a variety of pathways for books to fuel our placemaking initiatives so that reading can happen anywhere, anytime. To learn more, please visit www.open-books.org.