About Us
The New Worlds Reading Initiative is Florida’s free home literacy program for eligible VPK – 5th graders.
New Worlds Reading was signed into law in June 2021 as a program to help Florida’s striving readers strengthen their literacy skills, build reading confidence, and foster a lifelong love of reading.
Each month during the school year, eligible children receive a free book tailored to their interests with resources and activities for caregivers and children to use together. Books and materials are available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and braille.
To be eligible, a child must be in a Florida VPK and not yet meeting age-appropriate standards according to FAST Star Early Literacy or in K-5th grade and not yet reading on grade level in a Florida public or charter school. You can view more on eligibility here.
The UF Lastinger Center for Learning is the state-appointed administrator for New Worlds Reading.
The UF Lastinger Center for Learning creates equitable educational systems where every child and educator experiences high-quality learning that supports achievement of the critical milestones predictive of success in school and life. Its programs focus on kindergarten readiness, third-grade reading proficiency and algebra proficiency. Since 2002, the Lastinger Center has made significant strides for real, scalable solutions in collaboration with educators and families in Florida and around the country. To learn more about the Lastinger Center, please visit the UF Lastinger Center for Learning website.
Scholastic
The UF Lastinger Center has partnered with Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, to help procure and distribute high-quality books, in addition to providing operational, technical, and promotional support for the program. Learn more at www.scholastic.com.
Florida Department of Education
Books are selected in collaboration with the Florida Department of Education’s Just Read, Florida! office.
UF / IFAS Extension
Books and Cooks is a seven-week literacy and nutrition program created in partnership with UF/IFAS Extension. New Worlds Reading families in select Florida counties engage in educational sessions that highlight different children’s books, cooking demonstrations and reading activities.
Kibeam Learning
The research team at the UF Lastinger Center for Learning is partnering with Kibeam Learning to pilot the Kibeam Wand™ with a subset of New Worlds Reading participants. This study will inform program development that amplifies reading engagement and accelerates reading performance.