Welcome: A Letter from the L.A. Times

Encouraging a child to read allows them to enter a world of imagination. But once a child learns the art of storytelling, they learn the skill of self-expression. At the Los Angeles Times, we remain committed to serving the youngest learners in our community and encouraging them to explore new ideas through reading and writing.

Reading by 9, a program of the Los Angeles Times, aims to support youth and family literacy. Established in 1998, we continue our work to aid parents, guardians and educators to meet child literacy goals.

The Reading by 9 annual parent reading guide was developed in partnership with the Los Angeles Public Library, whose mission is to provide free and easy access to information, ideas, books and technology that enrich, educate and empower every individual in our city’s diverse communities.

Our 2022 guide includes a diversity of child authors and main characters in stories. The diverse book recommendations allow children to read and learn from the experiences of others. The guide is available in both English and Spanish, and offers resources to promote literacy as a routine in a child’s life.

As we look ahead, we aim to provide year-round opportunities for our community to engage with literacy. If you are interested in supporting our efforts, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Los Angeles Times Community Fund as we strive to expand literacy resources for families.

Monika Khare
Director, Public Affairs