Glow
Book deserts are low-income areas or neighborhoods with less than ten books per household. In Charlotte, about 60,000 children live in these areas. Glow is a program dedicated to assisting other book banks with book drive donations and distributions of age-appropriate books to children in Pre-K through fifth grade. This program is also designed to encourage children to read and interact with the books they are currently reading. The products that I designed for this program are posters to bring awareness to book deserts, a children’s book to encourage children to read, and an interactive board game for children to engage with the books that they are reading.
Logo
Fill The SHelf
Fill The Shelf is a call-to-action campaign and book drive that helps bring awareness to book deserts in the city. It is also a way for people in the community to participate and help donate age-appropriate books to young children. These posters can be displayed to the public, such as at bus stops or schools. The first poster includes a meaningful phrase: "Books have Power…So Do Empty Shelves." The second poster consists of a statistic regarding the estimated number of children currently living in a book desert. QR codes are included on both posters for the audience to scan regarding how and where to donate age-appropriate children's books or to participate in a local book drive.
Why Markie The Firefly Loves to
Read
An illustrated children's book titled Why Markie The Firefly Loves To Read is distributed along with donated books. In the story, readers follow Markie the Firefly, who entertainingly informs children of the positive effects of reading. The story would also allow children to explore the different photo-collaged settings of the book, such as parks, mountains, flower fields, and Markie's cozy library. A firefly is used as the story's main character, as a symbol of hope, and a reminder that no matter how tiny you think you are, you can still have the power to shine your light.
Markie's Book Walk
A children's board game, Markie's Book Walk, is designed to help children further interact with the books they are reading. Parents are encouraged to participate in this game with their children. When landing on a space in the game, players can complete certain tasks, such as doing a scene from a book they are reading in a silly voice or completely acting out their favorite scene. If a player lands on a lightbulb space, an incentive is rewarded by the children's parents or is listed.
