Inspiring Creativity Through Reading

Build-A-Bear Foundation is committed to helping children and families achieve their best futures. In service of this commitment, we established a focus on children’s literacy as a core pillar of our charitable work.

What We Know

Reading Is Fundamental

Much of a child’s education is rooted in reading. Research shows that children who don’t reach third-grade reading level on time often fall behind and struggle for the rest of their academic careers, which affects the trajectory of their lives. Kids who are behind in reading after third grade are more likely to be impoverished, hospitalized, and even imprisoned as adults.

Practice Makes Perfect

Research also tells us that the foundations of literacy can be built through simple habits, like parents, educators, and caregivers reading to kids at a young age. Kids are never too young to start enjoying written stories – in fact, exposure to lots of books has been shown to expand vocabulary and lay the groundwork for better reading skills later on.

All Kids Deserve the Same Opportunities

The challenge? Not all kids, families, and educators have the same access to high-quality reading materials. Lower-income and minority students are exposed to fewer words and stories early in their reading career. Students from Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities also have far less access to stories that reflect their lived experiences – each year, less than 3% of published picture books are written by Black authors.

What We're Doing

Build-A-Bear Foundation believes reading is the key to inspiring creativity for kids of all ages. That’s why we’re partnering with the experts to create opportunities for kids most in need of educational support.