Children who grow up in homes with at least 20 books get three years more of schooling than children in bookless homes. Kids who read with parents or caregivers for 20 minutes each night are exposed to 1.8 million words a year. By middle school, they have read over 800 hours and are likely to score 90% better than their peers.

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34% of New Mexico's are reading at grade level or above, which means 66% of children in students in grades kindergarten through grade 11 are reading below grade level. Not surprisingly, these children have limited access to books and reading opportunities outside of school. BOOKKIDS exists to ensure that they receive free books so they can practice their reading skills during the out of school hours.