CHARLOTTE — The 9 Books for Kids collection drive is underway.
Channel 9 teamed up with the nonprofit, Promising Pages, to collect new and gently used books to help build home libraries for children across our area.
Channel 9’s Elsa Gillis met a young author who shares his love of reading with others.
Eight-year-old Brayden Best stopped by Promising Pages with a very special delivery.
He dropped off dozens of copies of the book he authored: “Two Turtles in a Tank,” which is about the adventures of two turtles, Sheldon and Tim.
“My kindergarten teacher, her name was Miss Clay. She had two turtles in her classroom. I used to see them every day, so that was the idea for me to write my book,” Brayden said.
Brayden, who is now in third grade, told Gillis that Dr. Suess is one of his favorite authors and “The Cat in the Hat” is his favorite book by the author.
He knows how important it is for kids to have books at home, which is why he went to Promising Pages.
The nonprofit collects new and gently used books to share with children in book deserts where there are few, if any, books at home.
More than 60,000 children in Charlotte are in that category, and Brayden hopes his endeavors make a small difference.
Brayden told Gillis why he loves to read.
“It just makes me smarter and makes me have big dreams,” he told the reporter.
Our 9 Books for Kids drive is through April 30.
VIDEO: Organizations provide books to families transitioning out of homelessness
This browser does not support the video element.