Amazon Australia Donates Thousands of Books to Encourage Young Aussies to Get Reading
Amazon Australia donates thousands of books worth over $30,000 in support of grass-roots community street libraries partners with the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation to donate a further $20,000 worth of books to support primary school libraries across the country that are most in need
SYDNEY, 19 August 2019 Amazon Australia is supporting community street libraries across the country by donating more than $30,000 worth of books for children and young adults by mainly Australian authors to champion reading among young Australians. The donation is designed to support communities that have taken it upon themselves to invest in reading and instill a love of books in the next generation.
In addition, Amazon Australia is donating a further $20,000 of books to bolster 40 primary school libraries across the country, in partnership with the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation and this year’s Children’s Laureate, celebrated Aussie author Morris Gleitzman. Each school chosen by the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation will receive a $500 voucher to spend on books alongside a recommended list of books chosen by Gleitzman and the Foundation. Customers can access the recommended titles with a discount of 20% on amazon.com.au/booksdonation
Rocco Braeuniger, Country Manager for Amazon Australia, said, “Amazon started as a book seller over twenty years ago and books are still a part of our DNA today. With millions of books available on amazon.com.au, or digitally through a Kindle reading device or the Kindle app, we provide customers with a vast selection of books to read, however they want. We are passionate about reading and are excited to be partnering with the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation to support community libraries and school libraries across the country with books to help young Australians foster their love of reading.”
From the Jodie McGregor Flowers Library in Annandale, NSW, to the Hovea Street Library in Crescent City Beach, WA, Australia’s grassroots street libraries have welcomed Amazon Australia’s help connecting families and children via book-sharing. Among the books appearing in community libraries across the country are several titles from Australian Children’s Laureate Morris Gleitzman, who says that reading is critical to children’s development.
“There is so much competing for kids’ attention these days that it is more important than ever for us to play an active role in developing their love of reading,” said Gleitzman. “We are excited to partner with Amazon Australia to give new books to libraries in some of the schools that are most in need across the country.”
Explaining the impact both school and community street libraries can have on growing minds, Gleitzman pointed to a study by the Australian National University’s School of Sociology[1] that found people who grow up in book-filled homes have higher reading, mathematics, and technological skills, “We know that reading from an early age has an enormous effect on a whole range of skills as children move through life. This generous donation from Amazon Australia of more than $50,000 worth of books to libraries both in schools and in local communities will mean there will be more books in the hands of more Aussie kids,” Mr Gleitzman said.
K-2, ages 5-7
· Monster Party by the Children of Rawa Community School and Alison Lester and Jane Godwin
· A is for Australian Animals by Frane Lessac
· Pig the Tourist Aaron Blabey
Years 3-4, ages 8-10
· Miss Franklin by Libby Hathorn and Phil Lesnie
· Grimsdon by Deborah Abela
· Ninja Kid by Anh Do
· Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables by Tim Harris
Years 5-6, Ages 11-12
· Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan
·Young Dark Emu: A Truer Historyby Bruce Pascoe
· Don’t Follow Vee by Oliver Phommavanh
· Detention by Tristan Bancks
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For more information on how to start a community street library head to StreetLibrary.org.au.
For more information, please contact:
Lillian Morrison
Revere on behalf of Amazon Australia
Lillian.Morrison@revereagency.co
0430 390 393
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com.au.
[1] Joanna Sikoraa, M.D.R. Evans and Jonathan Kelley, “Scholarly culture: How books in adolescence enhance adult literacy, numeracy and technology skills in 31 societies”, (2019) 77 Social Science Research 1.