Books For Kids



Literacy Carnival April 24 at Queens Central Library

The Legal Aid Society’s Books for Kids Project will hold a Literacy Carnival on April 24 at Queens Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica, which promises to be a spectacular event. It is a special day for court-involved children and their caregivers and families in the community - to enjoy literacy-related activities, meet two children's book authors and illustrators, learn about local literacy and library resources and hear from successful role models in the community. There will be a magician, a bubble wrap fashion show and a balloon sculptor plus teaching artists from the Children's Museum for the Arts and volunteers from Legal Aid and Goldman Sachs doing face painting, seed planting, and book give aways. The Carnival will be held from noon to 4pm.


Books for Kids

The Books for Kids project was founded in 2004 by staff of the Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Practice. Books for Kids provides some of New York’s most vulnerable children and their families/ care givers with opportunities to read and own books. It is the only literacy program specifically targeting children involved in the New York City Family Court system. Many of the Juvenile Rights Practice clients come from impoverished backgrounds, are in the foster care system, lack access to the world of reading and have few, if any books of their own. They are at high risk for academic delays and difficulty in school. Literature shows a strong correlation between reading at home and school achievement. The Books for Kids project was created to foster that link by providing free books to all our clients who visit our offices in the five boroughs, come to the Family Courts or meet with JRP staff in their homes or places of residence.

The Books for Kids project is always in need of books for our clients, ages birth to twenty-one. Please support us by donating new or “gently used” books to any of our borough offices.


How to donate to the Books For Kids program.

Books For Kids in the News

Books for Kids has been featured in the New York Times, and on the CW11 morning news.