Skip to main content

THIS BOOK IS COOL!

Related Material

You’ve reached the THIS BOOK IS COOL! Webisode Library.
We’re so glad you’re here!

webisodes from A–Z

The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading welcomes back our 10-week THIS BOOK IS COOL! summer reading program. This FREE summer adventure is designed to engage the minds of incoming students in grades PreK–3.

THIS BOOK IS COOL! is a series of 100 webisodes to encourage a love of reading. It premiered on June 1, 2020, and since then, thousands of children from across the Suncoast region have qualified to receive free books thanks to the generosity of The Patterson Foundation.

Participating children receive:

  • 20 books for each registered child entering Pre-K through 3rd grade this August

  • TBIC! activity guide with engaging projects that correspond to the books

  • Access to TBIC! online webisodes

  • Reward bracelets and brag-tags to celebrate reading

SCGLR distributes books and hands out rewards to qualifying children (grades PreK–3) who were registered and fully participating in THIS BOOK IS COOL!

To maintain an active status in THIS BOOK IS COOL!, parents must have ongoing contact with the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. This program is designed for families with limited means. If you don’t believe your child would qualify due to limited income but would still like to be a part of the program, we suggest making a donation of $80 to Season of Sharing.

  • A resident of Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, or Sarasota counties 

  • Entering PreK-3rd grade in the fall of 2026 

  • Enrolled at a Title I school, eligible for free/reduced lunch, or have other demonstrable need 

For folks who did not register in time but still want to participate, we encourage you to check out these books from your local library and follow along here. Activity guides are located in each grade level and are connected to their corresponding webisode. If you would like to receive early notification of the program in 2027, email connect@gradelevelreadingsuncoast.net. 

THIS KID IS COOL!

We all know THIS BOOK IS COOL!, but have you seen how cool the kiddos are?! BIG THANKS to all the families who have sent in photos. 🙌

Why THIS BOOK IS COOL!?

Research spanning 100 years has proven that students experience academic learning loss when they are out of school for the summer and do not engage in educational activities. With an average loss of more than two months in reading achievement during the summer, progress toward third-grade reading proficiency for children from asset-limited families is greatly slowed, and the achievement gap with their middle-class peers is exacerbated. Summer learning loss is also cumulative, making it nearly impossible to catch up year after year. The summer learning initiative focuses on creating opportunities to stop the “summer slide” and help close the achievement gap.