These fathers are giving away thousands of free books to Philly kids to encourage early literacy

Faced with a group of excited preschoolers gathered at their feet for story time, Akeiff Staples and Brent Johnstone made a promise that had the youngsters screaming: free books.

The men are founders of FathersRead365 and are giving out free books and reading out loud to preschoolers to spark a love of reading. They also want to inspire other Black fathers and father figures to read daily to the children in their lives.

“We believe that what we are doing as Black men in education is changing the narrative,” said Johnstone. “I want us to know our power.”

They are focusing on day care centers and schools in high-poverty areas in Philadelphia, and want to give every child at least 13 books to take home. They also donate free books to the centers and make return visits to replenish their inventory.

“We want early literacy to become an everyday topic,” said Johnstone, a father of two. “We want to make sure we put books in kids’ hands.”

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After dropping off 13 boxes containing about 1,300 books at the Acelero Learning Center on Germantown Avenue in North Philadelphia on Thursday, Johnstone and Staples put on a show for two classes in the all-purpose room. Referring to themselves as “Mr. A.” and “Mr. B,” the fathers talked about more than literacy: They promoted self-esteem, listening skills, and healthy eating.

The new and gently used books the kids were receiving included topics on Black explorers and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. They handed out books for English learners and picture books with positive images.

“I get to keep all of these books?” asked Zoraida Romero, the center’s assistant director, as the boxes were carried inside. “It’s a big deal for us. A lot of our families don’t have books.”

The men began their presentation by dividing the preschoolers into two teams that competed in a “screaming ABC contest.” They had the children run in place, first in slow motion, and then at a faster speed to demonstrate the impact of eating sugary foods compared with fruits and vegetables.

The men took turns reading excerpts from I’m Beautiful. I’m Proud, and Mr. Healthy Snacks, which they co-wrote. Staples, 44, shared his story about his quest for a healthier lifestyle after he was diagnosed with diabetes in 2008. He encouraged the children to yell out the name of their favorite fruit or vegetable. Johnstone, 46, shared his battle with dyslexia that went undiagnosed for years and told the children not to be afraid to ask for help.

Johnstone called one student, Hafstu, to the front after learning from a teacher that the 5-year-old could read and write. She boldly accepted the book Llama Llama Red Pajama from him and flawlessly read a passage about an impatient llama waiting for his mother.

“Who reads to you?” Johnstone asked her.

“I can read by myself,” the girl responded proudly.

Said Johnstone: “She was amazing.”

The center enrolls about 100 children, from infants to preschoolers, Romero said. By kindergarten, most should be able read their first and last names and read sight words, she said. The center encourages parents to read to their children for at least 15 minutes a day.

Johnstone and Staples initially considered starting a program to help young incarcerated men become better fathers when they were released. They strongly believed that illiteracy and a lack of positive role models contributed to their delinquency.

The two men met while playing football at Temple University in 1997. They eventually became social workers and youth advocates and wanted to do more to help their communities.

They shifted gears in 2017 to focus on youth in their community and started reading to children at day care centers and schools. They were surprised that they usually were the only male volunteers. They were intrigued by a Harvard University study that found that fathers who read to their children at age 3 had a major impact on their language development.

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The men turned the program into a nonprofit and began securing funding. Eventually, the program grew, and FathersRead365 became a full-time mission for both. They have a white van wrapped with their logo and motto to transport boxes of books for their visits, about five a month during the school year. They hope to add a book bus to travel to locations and distribute books and recruit other men to join them.

They even made a YouTube video to teach parents how to read aloud.

FathersRead365 is now operating in about 100 day care centers, having distributed about 170,000 free books to Philadelphia children. Most of the books come from organizations First Book or Book Smiles, which has donated at least 10,000 books a month.

“There’s a screaming need for books,” said Book Smiles founder Larry Abrams. “It’s a match made in heaven.”

When Johnstone and Staples wrapped up story time, some children gave them high-fives and hugs. The men promised to come back with more books.

“They really seemed to have enjoyed it,” said Romero.

“We did, too,” Johnstone said with a smile.

For more information visit www.fathersread365.org.