Reading by 9

Reading by 9 is a bilingual guide for parents and educators to help kids read at the appropriate level by age 9, a crucial indicator of future academic success.

Lee en Español | Order the guide | Download the guide | Donate

Each time a child picks up a book, he or she enters a world of learning. It doesn’t matter if the main character is a boy wizard, a famished caterpillar or a fancy young girl who dreams of Paris. The key to building a strong foundation in literacy is allowing children to pick up the books they love. When children read, they discover new places and new ideas and develop literacy skills they will continue to use as they make their way through high school and beyond.

We need to do more to encourage children to read.

Far too many children lack the critical skills needed to engage with reading. Nearly 58% of the students in the Los Angeles Unified School District who took the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress failed to meet English language arts and literacy standards in 2018. In order to build a strong foundation for students, we must shrink this number. Students who read at age level are more likely to graduate from high school. Reading opens doors to academic fulfillment, career readiness and opportunities throughout a child’s life.

The Reading by 9 annual publication, “How to Raise a Reader,” was developed in partnership with Access Books, an independent nonprofit dedicated to renovating school libraries and ensuring that children have access to quality literacy resources. The guide, available in English and Spanish, is free — and has tips and ideas for incorporating reading into a child’s daily life. Its recommendations — books, local literacy resources and more — highlight the value of encouraging students to read books they are interested in.

The guide is distributed to parents, teachers and educators throughout California with the help of community-based organizations and schools. It’s also available in print.

Thank you for reading!
Chris Argentieri
Chief Operating Officer
Los Angeles Times

There are many organizations around Los Angeles and Orange counties that provide families with literacy resources and support services. Visit your local library for access to computers, free Wi-Fi and books for all ages.

Central Los Angeles
826LA
1714 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 413-3388
Website

Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors
1000 N. Alameda St., #240
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-346-3216
Website

Pathways LA
3325 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90010
213-427-2700
Website

Ready, Set, Read
1000 N. Alameda St., #240
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(818) 986 - 9867
Website

South Los Angeles
South Central LAMP
892 E. 48th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90011
323-234-1471
Website

Southeast Los Angeles
Mexican American Opportunity Foundation
6113 Clara St.
Bell Gardens, CA 90201
562-928-1357
Website

East Los Angeles
Koreatown Youth and Community Center
3727 W. 6th St., #300
Los Angeles, CA 90020
213-365-7400
Website

Proyecto Pastoral
420 N Soto St.
Los Angeles, CA 90033
323-446-0066
Website

West Los Angeles
Allies for Every Child
12120 Wagner St.
Culver City, CA 90230
310-397-4200
Website

Mar Vista Family Center Preschool
5075 S. Slauson Ave.
Culver City, CA 90230
310-390-9607
Website

San Fernando Valley
CSUN LA Times Literacy Center
18111 Nordhoff St.
Northridge, CA 91330
818-677-7394
Website

Verdugo
Families Forward Learning Center
980 N. Fair Oaks Pasadena, CA 91103
626-792-2687
Website

Orange County
Hands Together
201 Civic Center Drive
East Santa Ana, CA 92701
714-479-0294
Website

Orange Children & Parents Together
1063 N. Glassell St.
Orange, CA 92867
714-639-4000
Website

Parentis Foundation
24012 Calle de la Plata, Suite 400
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
949-305-2716
Website

Libraries
Los Angeles Public Library
72 branches throughout the city
213-228-7000
Website

Orange County Public Libraries
33 branches throughout the county
(714) 566-3000
Website

This supplement did not involve the editorial or reporting staff of the Los Angeles Times except where noted.

To order additional copies or download a digital version of the 2019 parent reading guide, visit latimes.com/readingby9. The guide is free to parents, educators and organizations working with children and families. To contact us with comments and questions or to receive more information, email [email protected].

Los Angeles Times Public Affairs manages philanthropy, community engagement and corporate social responsibility at the nation’s largest metropolitan daily news organization. We broaden perspectives, empower storytellers and inspire our community to question and transform the world around them. For more information, visit latimes.com/readingby9.

Access Books is a volunteer-run organization dedicated to transforming school libraries in Los Angeles’ most underserved neighborhoods. Each library served receives thousands of new, quality books, a new coat of paint, and dozens of literacy-themed murals that make the library more inviting. For more information, visit accessbooks.net.