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In their own words: Parents’ voices about a book-provision program

Book distribution or book provision programs that provide free books to families with young children have become increasingly popular approaches to promote home literacy practices. This qualitative study aimed to understand parents’ perceptions of the implementation of a book provision program and its impact on their families’ literacy practices and behaviors. Forty-three parents participated in twelve focus groups in which they were asked about the perceived benefits of participating in the program. Participant parents were born in the U.S., Mexico, Central and South America, and Africa, had spent more than five years living in the U.S., and had attained different levels of education. At home, parents spoke only English, mostly Spanish, or two different languages in addition to English. Thirty-nine percent of the parents were Black (not all of whom were African American), and 53% were Latinx. Findings suggested that parents had positive views towards the program’s impact on their family’s literacy practices. Specifically, Spanish-speaking families reported appreciation for learning new ways of engaging their children in shared reading. Parents considered the opportunities offered by the program, congruent with their cultural models. They believed that participating in the program allow them to be part of a community and that shared reading was a means to strengthen their relationship with their children. Results highlight the importance of considering families’ cultural models in the design and implementation of book provision programs.