PRH US donates up to 300,000 books to First Book charity in Obamas' name

Penguin Random House US will donate up to 300,000 more children’s books to First Book, the literacy charity, on behalf of former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

The publisher previously gave one million of its children’s books to First Book in the Obama family’s name. Plans for the one million donation were originally announced in 2017 when PRH acquired world publication rights to publish books by the Obamas. First Book, a longstanding PRH non-profit partner, is dedicated to promoting equal access to education by providing new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need in the US and Canada.

“In celebration of the completion of the one-million-book donation in the Obama family name, Penguin Random House announces that it will donate up to 300,000 additional children’s books to First Book as part of the Hope Love Give campaign to raise one million dollars to help give one million books to kids who need them most,” the publisher said. “For every three dollars donated to First Book from now through December 31st, Penguin Random House will give two new books to First Book, up to 300,000 books.”

PRH c.e.o. Markus Dohle said: “We are honoured to donate one million children’s books in the Obama family’s name to First Book. When children have greater access to our books and stories, we, together with President and Mrs. Obama, are helping to shape a literate, educated, and democratic society that will become the next generation of readers and leaders.”

The PRH donations to First Book in the Obama family name are  made in support of the continued publishing partnership between the company and the authors “as a reflection of their shared commitment to social responsibility and to promoting literacy and education,” PRH said.

Michelle Obama made a surprise visit as part of the tour for her bestselling memoir Becoming (published by Viking in the UK) to the Para Los Niños Tina and Rick Caruso Early Education Center, an organisation located in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles that receives program support from Child360, to spend time and read with a group of four-year-old children. Child360 was one of the first recipients to receive books from the company’s one-million-book donation to First Book.