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Meijer, Random House Children's Books And First Book Bring New Books To Children In Need For Holidays

68,000 Brand-New Books Will Go to Children Throughout the Midwest

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 2012 -- Michigan-based retailer Meijer and Random House Children's Books are joining forces with First Book, a nonprofit that provides new books to children in need, to give 68,000 brand-new, high-quality books to children from low-income families in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

"We're delighted that Meijer and Random House have stepped up to put new books into the hands of children who so desperately need them," said Kyle Zimmer, First Book's president and CEO. "We know that reading skill is the number one predictor of success in school, and now tens of thousands of kids will have new books in time for the holidays."

The books will go to children at local schools and community programs in First Book's national network.

"Books are essential tools children need to thrive, and Meijer is proud to partner with Random House and First Book to ensure children have these great, new books before the holidays," said Mark Chenier, media buyer for Meijer. "Not only do books help children master literacy skills, they are instrumental in developing imaginations."

Random House has long been one of First Book's most generous publishing partners, providing more than one million new books every year.

Any school or program serving children from low-income families is eligible to receive new books from First Book. Click here to learn more.

About First Book
First Book has distributed more than 90 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income families throughout the United States and Canada. By making new, high-quality books available on an ongoing basis, First Book is transforming the lives of children in need and elevating the quality of education. For more information, please visit us online or follow our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

Random House Children's Books is the world's largest English-language children's trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, ebooks, and apps, the imprints of Random House Children's Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. The company's website, Kids @ Random (http://www.randomhouse.com/kids) offers an array of activities, games, and resources for children, teens, parents, and educators. Random House Children's Books is a division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company is Bertelsmann, a leading international media company.

About Meijer: Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 199 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. As a pioneer of the "one-stop shopping" concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive electronics departments, garden centers and apparel offerings. Additional information on Meijer and the ability to shop for more can be found at http://www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer or become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/meijer.