Recognizing the academic benefits of access to print for young children, book distribution programs abound in the United States. Designed to promote book ownership for low-income families, programs have unique delivery systems, leading to a largely fragmented policy. This article describes an urban city's effort to build a coordinated book…

Reports results of a 2-year program to put high-quality children's books in urban child-care centers. Gives an overview of the project, detailing its progress, processes, and impact on children's literacy development. Suggests to increase the volume, quality, and intensity of young children's stimulating experiences with good books at an early age…

Finds striking differences between neighborhoods of differing income in access to print (books, signs, labels, logos, public places conducive to reading, and access to books in local preschools, school libraries, and public library branches), with middle-income children having a large variety of resources to choose from, while low-income children…