To help parents find new, interesting books to read, My First Reading Club has launched a subscription service that sends age-appropriate books to children across the country.
The co-founders of the company include several businesspeople with Chattanooga ties. John Woods, co-managing member of the Chattanooga Lookout, is an East Ridge native that graduated from East Ridge High School in 1983 at played football at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. Joe Kelly, a Nashville attorney, and Danny Schaefer, a Knoxville area businessman, also played football for the Mocs. Andy Kelly, starting quarterback for the University of Tennessee Volunteers in 1989-1991, rounds out the ownership group.
The company was founded because each member of the ownership group has a passion for reading and improving literacy and know the youngest children are natural learners with boundless curiosity and the capacity to absorb information, they said. Learning between birth and 5 years of age is critical to future success—and that all starts with reading, said officials.
“We value literacy and know it is the foundation that all education is built on,” said Mr. Woods. “By creating learning opportunities for children and by providing parents with the books they need, we help to engage and ignite an excitement about reading.”
My First Reading Club is a monthly service where three, age-appropriate books are delivered based on a child’s age and parents’ preferences. The books are shipped directly to a subscriber’s doorstep on the first of each month.
“We’re delivering the gift of reading,” said Andy Kelly. “Every time a box arrives children are excited about what’s inside and we think that contributes to the joy and excitement of reading.”
My First Reading Club also extends the gift of reading to other children. The company partners with Project Night Night and donates one book for each new subscription to the nonprofit. Project Night Night provides 25,000 packages annually to homeless children. Each package contains an age-appropriate book, a stuffed animal, and a security blanket. More information is available at projectnightnight.org.
The cost of the My First Reading Club subscription is $9.99 per month. Each box includes three books selected from among thousands of available titles. The retail value of the books is always higher than the subscription price and shipping cost. Often, to reward parents for giving the gift of reading, the box includes a free, pampering surprise for mom.
More information about My First Reading Club is available online at www.myfirstreadingclub.com.