Penguin Random House Celebrates 10 Years of Partnership with Save the Children Through Unprecedented Global Book Donation Effort

Since 2014, the publisher has donated over two million books and will give an additional one million by 2027, marking the largest global book donation in Save the Children’s history

New York, NY. (Dec 2, 2024) —This Giving Tuesday, Penguin Random House is celebrating 10 years of partnership with Save the Children through a multiyear book donation of one million books to spread the joy of reading to kids everywhere. Since 2014, Penguin Random House has donated over two million books to children and families participating in Save the Children’s programs and has also supported many of the global humanitarian organization’s emergency response efforts around the world. The publisher is renewing its commitment by giving an additional one million books to children over the next three years. This investment to expand global access to books marks the largest global donation of books in Save the Children’s history.

Today, in celebration of Giving Tuesday and the 10th anniversary of partnership, for every book purchased on penguinrandomhouse.com through December 10, Penguin Random House will donate $1 to Save the Children, up to $10,000. Additionally, the publisher has launched a special unlimited matching gifts program for their employees to commemorate a decade of successful collaboration. Together, these initiatives will result in a $20,000 investment in Save the Children’s early education programming to nurture the next generation of readers and advance literacy in rural America.

The need for children’s literacy programming and access to books has never been more urgent. Today, nearly 400 million primary school-aged children cannot read or write and more than half of all three to six-year-olds lack access to preschool. Further, 25 million children, two-thirds of them girls, will never enroll in school. The pandemic has exacerbated this literacy crisis, and while schools have since reopened, 70% of 10-year-olds in low-to-middle-income countries are unable to read. Climate change and conflict further threaten education, disrupting the learning of over 40 million children annually, with only 25 percent of youth on track to attain the full range of skills needed to thrive in school and in life.  

"For over ten years, Penguin Random House has been a committed partner in advancing Save the Children’s global education programs, ensuring all children have access to books, no matter where they live," said Luciana Bonifacio, Chief Development Officer of Save the Children US. "Our partnership embodies our shared belief that books and literacy ignite children's independent thinking, creativity, and free expression. We are grateful for their steadfast support and generosity," she added.

With the long-standing support of Penguin Random House’s book donation, Save the Children implements a range of impactful programs aimed at fostering literacy and creating community learning environments. These initiatives include:

●  Programming to ensure children across rural America have access to learning and quality reading materials.
●  Indigenous-led literacy initiatives in communities across Canada.
●  Inclusive and reader-friendly spaces at elementary schools in Germany.
●  Community-based learning environments in India that feature rural libraries and activity centers designed for children as a one-stop-shop for literacy, language skills, and cognitive and emotional development.
●  Health and literacy programs for young children in South Africa, including “reading camps” to promote a culture of reading. 
●  New partnerships with Women’s Aid in Northern Ireland and programming that supports parent-child relationships while enhancing children’s learning experiences in the U.K. 

Collectively, these programs aim to create a brighter future for children in the U.S. and around the world. Children, program staff and school leadership shared the profound impact the global book donation has had within their communities. “We are thankful for the donation of books, which will be very helpful in building children’s imagination and creativity,” said Alok Singh, District Program Officer, Chittorgarh, India. “Your generosity has touched our hearts and is creating positive ripples throughout our community, making a meaningful difference in the lives of many,” a local parent in North Carolina added.

“Save the Children is a particularly special partnership to Penguin Random House, and to me personally,” said Claire von Schilling, EVP and Director of Corporate Communications and Social Responsibility, Penguin Random House. “For more than ten years, we have worked closely with our local partners on-the-ground to provide life-changing books to children around the world—many of whom are in remote communities that are hard to reach through traditional channels. Here’s to ten more years of shaping children’s lives through the power of books and reading!”

Save the Children is committed to bridging the global learning gap by investing in schools, teachers and communities– working to ensure every child has access to quality education. The global humanitarian organization helps create safe and stimulating preschool environments, provides books and learning material to schools and families and collaborates with governments to enhance literacy programs. In the U.S., they focus on helping children in rural areas, where resources are scarce, to achieve critical reading milestones and foster a love of learning, because every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.

About Penguin Random House: Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, is dedicated to its mission to ignite a universal passion for reading by creating books for everyone. The company, which employs more than 10,000 people globally, was formed on July 1, 2013, by Bertelsmann and Pearson. As of April 1, 2020, Bertelsmann is full owner of the company. With more than 300 imprints and brands on six continents, Penguin Random House comprises adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction print and digital English-German-and Spanish-language trade book publishing businesses in more than 20 countries worldwide. With over 16,000 new titles, and more than 700 million print, audio and eBooks sold annually, Penguin Random House’s publishing lists include more than 80 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world’s most widely read authors.