Page Ahead operates on one simple andastounding fact: being read to as a youngster is the foremostpredictor of academic success in childhood. If a child can read atgrade level by 3rd grade, she will continue to read at grade levelthroughout her academic career. A child who succeeds in school willremain there, earning a chance at a better job and a better life inthe years ahead. A child who lacks early exposure to reading oftensuffers from low self-esteem, struggles academically, and is athigher risk for substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and delinquency.Succeeding begins with reading.

Children with literacy problems typically come from low-incomefamilies, have no books at home, and have caregivers who are notaware of the importance of reading to their children. Yet studieshave proven, beyond dispute, that access to age-appropriate booksand reading aloud to children are essential to developing languageand reading skills.

Page Ahead was founded in 1990 as "Books for Kids" byindividuals from the Seattle Chamber of Commerce's "LeadershipTomorrow" program. This team of volunteers developed the conceptand raised money to hire a coordinator to operate the program.Books for Kids established its own office in October, 1994. Thename was changed to Page Ahead in 2001.

Since 1990 Page Ahead has placed over 2 million new books intothe hands of 605,000 at-risk children through collaborations withschools, social service agencies, preschools, and early childhoodcenters across Washington State.