"I sleep with my new books under my pillow at night!"
Jasmine, Book Joy book collector
Our Founder
Carolyn Polchinski, Ed.D., a tenacious literacy advocate, holds a Doctorate in Education with a subspecialty in Reading and Literacy Development. Early on in life, Carolyn cultivated a strong interest in the storytelling, wonder, and imagination found in children's books and developed the keen understanding, instilled by her parents, that reading books held the key to infinite opportunities in life. As her career as a reading specialist unfolded, Carolyn's meaningful teaching experiences revealed the vast inequities in access to book ownership that stem from sharp contrasts in funding and resources. This important realization compelled her to pursue doctoral research to more fully examine how access, choice, and book ownership can be transformative in children's lives, ultimately becoming the foundation for the Find Book Joy program. As Lead Book Joy Ambassador, Carolyn is determined to continue to expand distribution efforts and effect meaningful change, so that all children, in every zip code, can experience the magic and promise of BOOK JOY!
"We learn from books all that we can do."
Cameron, Book Joy book collector
"It is so exciting to be a book collector!"
Josie, Book Joy book collector
Book Joy in Children's Lives
A Parent's Book Joy Gratitude
A Parent's Book Joy Gratitude
A Parent's Book Joy Gratitude
"Dear Carolyn,
My children were so happy and excited to tell me all about the books that you delivered to our home! My husband and I are both so grateful that you have come into our lives, not just for showering our children with books, but for pouring into them, and investing your time, energy, and resources. These gifts are an investmen
"Dear Carolyn,
My children were so happy and excited to tell me all about the books that you delivered to our home! My husband and I are both so grateful that you have come into our lives, not just for showering our children with books, but for pouring into them, and investing your time, energy, and resources. These gifts are an investment into their future, and we are truly thankful. At this point Carolyn, you are considered extended family! Thank you for sharing the book joy with my children!"
– Danita R., Parent of Book Joy recipient, Stratford, CT
A Program Leader's Gratitude
A Parent's Book Joy Gratitude
A Parent's Book Joy Gratitude
"Carolyn, also known as the Book Fairy, brought her incredible Book Joy program to NHA, and it was magical! With her personalized approach, she carefully selected books tailored to each child’s unique interests, sparking their imaginations. The one-on-one reading sessions have allowed students to experience books in a whole new light, enh
"Carolyn, also known as the Book Fairy, brought her incredible Book Joy program to NHA, and it was magical! With her personalized approach, she carefully selected books tailored to each child’s unique interests, sparking their imaginations. The one-on-one reading sessions have allowed students to experience books in a whole new light, enhancing their reading comprehension skills. The Book Fairy’s dedication and passion for fostering a love of literature impacted our students in a meaningful way. We are so grateful for the joy and inspiration that Carolyn and her Book Joy program have brought to the young readers in our program!"
- Shana J., Norwalk Housing Authority Learning Center Leader, Norwalk, CT
A Parent's Book Joy Gratitude
A Parent's Book Joy Gratitude
A Parent's Book Joy Gratitude
“Thanks to the thoughtful and generous support from the Book Fairy, my daughter now has beautifully chosen, culturally appropriate books she absolutely loves. I was especially touched when Carolyn personally delivered the books to our home — that extra connection made it feel truly special. She also takes the time to stay informed on my d
“Thanks to the thoughtful and generous support from the Book Fairy, my daughter now has beautifully chosen, culturally appropriate books she absolutely loves. I was especially touched when Carolyn personally delivered the books to our home — that extra connection made it feel truly special. She also takes the time to stay informed on my daughter’s progress, which means so much to us as a family. Thank you for sharing your book joy with my child!"
- Janette K., Parent of Book Joy recipient, Bridgeport, CT
"The more joyful reading can be, the more a child will want to read."
(Allington, 2014)
The Heart of Find Book Joy
Our Partnerships
Our books are secured from well-resourced families and schools who partner with us to share their existing book wealth to provide equitable reading opportunities and increased choice in book selection to children in communities with limited resources. We prioritize inclusive books that feature authentic representation to meet the needs of the children in the communities we serve. In turn, children connect to the characters' lived experiences, aspirations, and goals in the books they read. We welcome children's book donations from donors nationwide, from our new Amazon wish list. This book wealth is then sorted and categorized for distribution to young readers on our waitlist eager to own their own books!
Our Signature Approach
In the Find Book Joy model, young readers are empowered with trust and CHOICE in book selection, as choice fosters pride in book ownership, agency, autonomy, independence, confidence, and increased motivation to read. Choice also affords children expansive opportunities to learn about genres and define their individualized purposes for reading. This intentional practice frames choice in book selection within a culturally responsive approach, as for choice to truly matter, books must accurately represent the lived experiences of the young readers in the communities we serve (Neuman, 2022). The humanizing practice of giving children trust and autonomy to choose their own books that they can keep provides them with a sense of agency that they may not have in other areas of their lives (Neuman, 2022). Moreover, choice in book selection advances social justice principles by providing children with literature that features authentic representation and rich opportunities to experience meaningful connections that further develop their reader identities (Heineke et al., 2022; Kleekamp & Zapata, 2019; Konrad, 2023).
Authentic Representation
The Find Book Joy program aspires to provide inclusive literature that explores the nuanced intersectionality of characters’ varied identities. Notably, our curation of inclusive books maintains an intentional focus on authentic representation that advances children's understandings of differences (Kleekamp & Zapata, 2019). These purposeful decisions address the imperative need to provide curious young readers with culturally affirming books that feature a wide range of diverse characters and lived experiences (Ascenzi-Moreno & Quiñones, 2022; Ford et al., 2019; Hayden & Prince, 2023; Heineke et al., 2022; Konrad, 2023). When children see their lived experiences represented, respected, and recognized in meaningful ways in the books they read, they are more fully engaged in the reading process and may be more motivated to read independently (Ford et al., 2019).
Our Research
Doctoral research conducted by our founder, Carolyn Polchinski, Ed.D., revealed that access to book ownership and choice in book selection provide children with increased opportunities to read inclusive books that feature authentic representation and foster individualized reading encounters that:
(1) nurture hope, resilience, and optimism and
(2) build meaningful connections that enhance book joy experiences and expand reading engagement.
Further, study findings demonstrated that reading books about fictional characters or real-life individuals who overcame adversity to achieve their goals was an empowering experience for young readers. Children viewed characters’ hope and resilience as admirable qualities to emulate in their own lives. These individualized connections expanded book joy experiences and strengthened children's reader identities (Polchinski, 2025).
“I was curious when I first saw this book, since I've always wanted to learn about ballet dancers."
Imani, Book Joy book collector
Find Book Joy: Champions of Children's Choice
Find Book Joy champions children's choice and agency by redistributing book wealth at no cost to children in Title I schools. We remove the high cost barrier to book ownership and provide abundant choice in inclusive children's books at no-cost book fairs, inviting eager young readers to experience the magic and promise of book joy. Please send us a note if you have good-quality children's books to rehome and one of our Book Joy Ambassadors will respond ASAP. Thank you for sharing your book joy with children eager to own their own books!
"Now I have a library in my own house!"
Orion, Book Joy book collector
Find Book Joy: A Gallery of Literacy Wonders
In loving memory of Maureen Carroll Polchinski Heaney, M.S., beloved mother of our founder, Carolyn Polchinski, Ed.D., and a passionate literacy advocate, lifelong educator. Maureen's love of learning and belief in every child continue to inspire the heart and the mission of Find Book Joy.
The Magic of Book Joy
