By Jessica Torrez-Cano and Michelle Cook
20 books.
20 books in the home; a key indicator of whether or not a child graduates high school.
20 books in the home of every Texas child, regardless of their zip code.
Brainstorming on how this huge goal can be accomplished, we received an invitation to offer books at Klyde Warren Park’s Annual Trick-or-Treating in the Park.
Request: 2,500 books and 10 volunteers to run the book tables
That’s a lot of books on such short notice!
Who could run such a big event with tables in two locations in the park since both Nicol and I were scheduled to be out of town?
One of our Ambassadors, Jessica Torres-Cano, volunteered for this huge task, recruiting her family and friends to share their love of reading with thousands of families from across Dallas. We asked her to share with us about the experience.
“What an honor and privilege it was to be part of this year’s Trick-or-Treating in the Park with Book Drive for Kids. The energy was incredible! I loved hearing kids squeal with excitement when they spotted books they already love. And honestly, my favorite moments were when I got to introduce them to new authors and stories—watching their eyes light up when they discovered something new. It was priceless.”
For parents, this wasn’t just about candy. It was about giving their kids a treat for the imagination—a chance to take home stories that will last long after Halloween. For the trick-or-treaters, it meant finding new adventures to dive into. And for our volunteers? It meant everything to see those happy faces and share their own favorite stories. We had book fairies, Hogwarts students, the Hobbit, a witchy librarian, the Evil Queen and even Tweedle Dee roaming the park—talk about bringing books to life!
By the end of the night, we were exhausted but our hearts were so full. Thousands of books found new homes, and countless smiles reminded us why we do this: to spread the joy of reading and make sure every child has access to stories that inspire.
After hearing about this amazing event, I can’t wait to dress up and attend next year!
This event was the first large event for our Literacy Connection Initiative – the vision being the bridge to connect books from those who have them (and have outgrown them) to the children who desperately want and need them but do not have the means to purchase them.
What is the next BIG Literacy Connection event?
It’s going on right now! This Christmas, Book Drive for Kids has been asked to provide new books to 2,000 local children so that EVERY child has a book under the their Christmas tree. Join in the fun! Whether it’s by donating a book at Barnes & Noble – Flower Mound, shopping our Amazon list, or organizing your own book drive, let’s spread the joy of reading and love of books this Christmas!