Did you know that in many low-income neighborhoods, there is only one age-appropriate book for every 300 children?

I didn’t believe it, and then I did the research. It’s true.

When I first saw that statistic, my heart sank. Compare that to middle-income communities, where the ratio is 13 books per child. The gap is heartbreaking—and it’s not because parents don’t care. It’s because they’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and often just trying to make sure their kids are fed and safe. And they assume the school will provide needed books. Owning books, just for fun? A luxury when basic survival is the priority.

But here’s the part that really gets me: These children almost all go to public schools—schools that often spend over $15,000 per student, per year. And yet… many of these children still don’t learn to read well. Why? Because they don’t have anything to read at home that brings joy, sparks curiosity, or meets them where they are.

What about libraries? A lot of kids don’t use the library, their parents are afraid of the fees. It’s also hard to walk places these days.

As a homeschooling mom who has built a life around Fun-Schooling, I believe in the power of reading for pleasure. Kids learn best when they’re exploring their interests and reading things that light up their imaginations. That’s why we surround our children with books—not just textbooks, but beautiful, quirky, creative, silly, engaging books that they want to read.

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What Can We Do?

You and I might not be able to change national education policy overnight, but we can absolutely flood book deserts with life-giving stories—one child at a time.

Here are some simple, powerful things homeschool families like ours can do:

Click here to keep reading! 📚