I'm collecting books for my church's book drive this month.  We're looking for books for middle and high school age students.  I'm looking for deals, for anyone who'd do 3 for 1 or better.  These books are going to students for whom English is a second language.  Please, only books that meet the requirements of PBS.  These student deserve to have "nice" books, as for a lot of them, these will be the first books they "own."  They don't have to be perfect, or "like new," just ones that meet the requirements, especially no torn pages and no water damage.

We're all readers here, I know, and I feel strongly about introducing these young people to the wonderful worlds the can visit within books.  Thanks so much!!

UPDATE: I went to the church today to help organize the books, and we were able to collect over 350 books!!  I ended up receiving about 30 books, in exchange for just 5 credits, from my fellow PBSers.  Thanks so much everyone, we helped to make the book drive a huge success this year!  (It wasn't last year, and today we discussed moving this to a different time of the year, like when school is out in the springtime.)  Thank you thank you thank you!!!

Hi Kim,

We have some titles in multiples at our library. I feel the same way you do about the condition and quality of the reading materials for your young people. Let me see what I can put together tomorrow and I'll send you a pm. Is there any age in particular you need most?

Are you building a library or will you be giving indivual books to every child?

If English is a second language, I highly recommend you look at comic books and graphic novels. They are less intimidating. The white space helps difuse a sense of being overwhelmed by a page full of text. A librarian/teacher suggested this to me and I have found it to be true. A reluctant or below reading level readers have been responsive to these books and frankly, I think they are great for all readers.

These books will be given to the youth of another church.  It's population is more than 50% Hispanic.  I'm not sure if these books are for the church's library (our church has a sizeable one) or if they are to be given to each young person.  This is what's been described to me:

November Basket Ministry: We are collecting books for all ages (written in English or Spanish) for both the Hispanic Ministry at Douglas Street United Methodist Church and for those who are incarcerated at the County Jail. Place your contributions in the baskets in the lobbies of the Family Life Center and Sanctuary. Thank you for making our Basket Ministry a success!

Because reading is so near and dear to my heart, I've asked for further ways I can help out, and I've been given money from one of the women's groups to buy books.  I was told that in greatest need are books for middle and high school students.  After doing my shopping, I've got plenty of books for the middle schoolers, but I'm stumped when it comes to high schoolers.  When I was in high school I read mainstream fiction.  I have a few books that I know were "taught" when I was in high school, and I have a few books like "The Bourne Identity" which were made into movies.  I also have 4 "Time Life" books that have awesome pictures about the different regions of the USA, and these have a "science" angle to them.

So my greatest need at this point is for high school books.  The comics sound great to me; should I try to find a comic book store?  Being that those are so popular in the movies right now, I think they would be a big hit. 

I should add too that the money I've been given was specifically for books for the children, NOT for the inmates at the jail.  This sounds cold, but my church is very family-focused and the women in this group were much more concerned that the children get books.

Sent you a PM

5 for 1 on all children/teen/young adult books.

sent you a pm

Kathy

OK, thanks to the generosity of the members of PBS, I feel like I have plenty of books for teen girls.  Now I just some for the boys.

Thank you to everyone who has responded!!

Kim,

Not nessarily comic book store. Go wherever you normally shop and ask for graphic novels for middle and high schoolers. I read a ton of YA. Check out the most recent comments in the discussions in the YA forum and check Multicultural lit thread in Contemporary fiction. For second language readers or below grade level YA is great for two reasons: deals with more subjects that will match age of reader but written at level for younger readers.

Feel free to pm. I'm on my way to the library. Will report back when I return.

A huge thanks to everyone here on PBS!  I now have 24 books coming for the price of 5 credits!!  Thank you all so much for helping me make our church's Basket Ministry a success!!

bump for kudos and thank yous!