News & Events
Latest News & Updates
Find out what’s going on at Willsam Books!
Our First Summer Reading Program: More Grades, More Books, More Readers
June 18, 2026 – Brockton, MA.
This summer marked an exciting milestone for Willsam Books! Thanks to your incredible support, we expanded our summer reading program from serving just fifth graders to reaching students in grades 2 through 5.
Together, we donated 803 brand-new books, helping even more children head into summer with a book they were excited to call their own.
As always, we believe the people who know students best are their teachers. Under their guidance, each child selected their own summer reading book, ensuring every student received a title that matched their interests and reading level.
The excitement on distribution day was unforgettable! While every child was thrilled to receive their own new book, several students selected books from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney and were delighted to receive autographed copies signed by Jeff Kinney, making an already memorable day even more special.
Every book was individually hand-wrapped by our amazing volunteers because we believe receiving a new book should feel like opening a gift. Creating that sense of excitement, pride, and ownership is at the heart of what Willsam Books is all about.
One teacher shared:
“Thank you so much for everything Willsam Books did to make this book donation so special for our students. The excitement throughout the building was incredible! The kids were thrilled, and honestly, the staff was just as excited.”
Another teacher told us:
“Willsam Books has been absolutely incredible and my students truly are so pumped for the delivery of these books! This charity alone has encouraged my students to buy more books online, have an adult take them to get a library card, and even borrow more books from our own classroom library. So incredible!”
Hearing that our donations are inspiring students to read more, visit the library, and build their own home libraries is exactly why Willsam Books exists.
Be sure to check out the heartfelt thank-you notes from our second graders—they brought big smiles to all of us!
While we aren’t able to share photos of the students directly on this website, you can visit our Facebook and Instagram pages to see highlights from the day, including photos shared by the school.
Will and Sam – Read On! 
The Next Chapter: A New Season of Reading
April 6, 2026 – Brockton, MA.
This spring, Willsam Books continued its Four Seasons of Reads program by delivering a new collection of brand-new books to fifth-grade students. Working closely with classroom teachers, we asked them to select the titles they believed would most inspire, challenge, and engage their students. We believe teachers know their students best, and their recommendations help ensure every book has the opportunity to make a lasting impact.
This season’s selections included Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz, Refugee by Alan Gratz, Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and Ghost by Jason Reynolds—stories that explore courage, resilience, empathy, and self-discovery through unforgettable characters.
Behind every delivery is a team of caring volunteers. Together with Will, Sam, and our amazing volunteers, we packed hundreds of brand-new books and prepared them for their journey into students’ hands. The best part of what we do is seeing the impact on students. Above are a few of the wonderful thank-you notes we received from the children after receiving their new books.
Will & Sam – Read On!
Growing Our Reach
March 16, 2026 – Hyde Park, MA.
This spring marked another exciting milestone for Willsam Books. We expanded our impact by delivering books to a second school, while also launching our Open Shelf Program—a new initiative that allows us to respond to individual book requests from schools throughout the year, beyond our seasonal book deliveries.
Every request reminds us that access to books can make a meaningful difference in a child’s education. Through the Open Shelf Program, we’re able to provide teachers and students with the resources they need, exactly when they need them.
One of the teachers shared this after receiving the books:
“Getting these books is incredibly helpful for my students. I’m a reading specialist, and part of my work is making sure students have access to high-level texts. My students come to me, we read the texts aloud together, and then we talk through what we’ve read. One challenge is that they’re using Boston Public Schools texts, so they can’t highlight or write notes in the margins as they read. With your books, they’ll be able to annotate, mark important sections, and note new vocabulary, which really helps guide their written responses and deepen their understanding—especially since many of my students are English language learners.”
Hearing how these books will be used in the classroom—and the difference they’ll make for students—is exactly why we started Willsam Books.
Will & Sam – Read on!
Launching January 1, 2026
On January 1, 2026, Willsam Books officially opens its doors with a simple but powerful mission: to place books into the hands of children and classrooms who need them the most.
Through our signature Four Seasons of Reads program, classrooms receive four carefully chosen books each year – one for every season – two for the classroom and two for the students to take home. Each delivery is designed to grow readers steadily, one story at a time, while helping children build a lifelong relationship with books.
Alongside this program, The Open Shelf program allows schools and teachers to request books based on their unique needs. Whether it’s filling a classroom library, supporting a special reading project, or responding to an unexpected need, The Open Shelf ensures that when stories are needed, they are within reach.
Founded by a family who believes in the power of books to change lives, Willsam Books: A Charity For Kids by Kids exists to open doors, spark curiosity, and place stories in the hands of children who need it the most.
Join us as we turn the first page of this journey – and begin growing readers one season and one shelf at a time. 📚
Will & Sam – Read On!
Our First Chapter: Angelo Elementary School
December 22, 2025 – Brockton, MA.
Before our official January 1 launch, Willsam Books was honored to hold its very first giving event at Angelo Elementary School in Brockton, Massachusetts.
On December 22, we visited the school’s fifth grade – part of a vibrant community of more than 200 students across nine different classrooms – and gifted each student with a brand new book to take home for winter break. Our hope was simple: that every child would have a story to enjoy and make their own during school vacation.
Seeing the excitement as the students opened their books reminded us exactly why Willsam Books exists – our belief that access to books plays a powerful role in helping children grow as readers.
This visit marked the beginning of our journey and the spirit behind everything we do – placing book into the hands of young readers in places where they learn and grow. One grade, one group of students, one stack of books at a time.
We are deeply grateful to the teachers, staff, and students of Angelo Elementary for welcoming us and allowing Willsam Books to begin its story with them.
Will & Sam – Read On!
Before the First Chapter
Will and Sam preparing the very first Willsam Books Delivery
December 6, 2025 – Boston, MA.
Two brothers, many stories.
Before our first visit to Angelo Elementary, Will and Sam gathered around our kitchen table to sort, stack, and prepare every book by hand. It was a meaningful moment – the very first time Willsam Books came to life, as stories were sorted and readied for the children who would soon be taking them home.
Will & Sam – Read On!