It is well known that children who read more, read better. Research shows a positive relationship between free reading and gains in reading achievement (Krashen 1993). Yet today, many children stuggle to read--or don't read even when they have the skills. At the same time, many parents remain uninvolved in their child's education.

Books and Beyond is a comprehensive, research-based recreational reading program designed to increase reading outside the classroom and help parents promote literacy behaviors at home. Its design purposefully integrates the cognitive, motivational, and social aspects of reading. The overarching goal of the program is to increase independent reading for students of all achievement levels while improving attitudes toward books and reading.

The program has six aims:

1. motivate children to read for fun and fall in love with reading and books,
2. actively engage parents as partners in their children's education,
3. offer staff development that helps teachers improve students' reading,
4. develop community partnerships that support literacy,
5. provide additional opportunities for children to practice their reading skills,
6. help families learn to moderate their television viewing.

The primary component of the California Reads program is a schoolwide Read-a-thon. The Read-a-thon bulletin board (with artwork selected from one of our six themes) is placed prominently in a public area of the school. The bulletin board is a wonderful visual representation of the reading that is going on in the school, and helps to foster the sense of the school being at the center of a community of readers.