Home | 100Books Initiative

40,000+ English books read by children

About

What is 100Books initiative?

The 100Books initiative aims to empower primary school children in government and rural private schools to read their first 100 books in English. This program is specifically designed to cater to their needs, improving English literacy skills and fostering a love for reading. Best of all, it is provided to the children completely free of cost

What is the goal of 100Books initiative?

The 100Books initiative is founded upon the belief that 'A child who can read well will thrive in life.' Its primary objective is to instill the habit of reading and enhance English reading skills among children.

Upon completing the journey of reading 100 English books, a child achieves the following milestones: (1) the development of proficient English reading skills, (2) the ability to independently read age-appropriate books, (3) a heightened interest in exploring the next set of books, (4) the acquisition of an enriched vocabulary consisting of 2000 words, and (5) the capability to comprehend and engage with various books.

What is the need of 100Books initiative in India?

Alarmingly, over 100 million children enrolled in classes 1 to 5 lack exposure to reading books beyond their textbooks and do not develop basic English reading skills.

What is the structure followed in 100Books?

The 100Books program utilizes a collection of 100 leveled books, each tailored to a child's reading skill. Starting from Book 1 as a beginner reader, they progress towards Book 100 as an advanced reader. These carefully selected books are designed to resonate with the child's everyday surroundings, and they are authored by renowned Indian and international writers.

Each book in the program features underlined vocabulary words with definitions, along with corresponding pictures located at the end of the book. This approach aids in vocabulary development and enhances the child's comprehension of the text.

The 100Books program also incorporates a dedicated app that facilitates the development of vocabulary and comprehension skills. The app includes a set of smart vocabulary flashcards for each book, utilizing various engaging techniques to make learning enjoyable.

Additionally, the books contain a series of comprehension questions. After reading a book, the child is encouraged to answer these questions, assessing their understanding of the material.

To track progress, each child maintains a reading log. As a reward for each book completed, the child is awarded a sticker, and upon reaching significant milestones in book reading, they receive a certificate of achievement.

schools COMMUNITIES

Chichuraganapalli
Govt. Primary School

School Impact
- 3000+ Books read
- 50 Students
- 50 Certificates
- 3 years
AY22-23 Impact
- 1000+ books,
- 25 students
- 25 certificates

get involved

Volunteers

All you need is basic English reading skill and passion to help child read a book. Commit 2Hr per week of your time from the comfort of your home or at a school.

Join leaders like

Ms Meena, Ms Poonam, Mr. Hari, Ms Mallika, Ms Meera, Ms Lithika, Ms Venkatalamma, Ms Sridevi, Ms Jaanya, Ms Chandhna and many more across the globe.

Educators

Introduce 100Books reading program in your school.

Join leaders like

Ms Prabha, Ms Bhuvaneshwari, Ms Geetha, Mr.Rajappa, Ms Jayashree HM and teachers of Govt Primary Schools

DONATE

Make a Difference.

Sponsor or FUNDRAISE for the 100 Books Program AT ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS

The cost for the 100Books program during a school year is 60,000 INR*. This financial support would enable 20 children to read 1000 English books during the academic year.

*Indian donors have the option to make a tax deductible donation.

TO ALL OUR DONORS, WE THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR CAUSE

UPDATES

2025 : Year in Perspective

As we welcome 2026, we wish all volunteers, coordinators, donors and supporters a happy, healthy and fulfilling new year.

The end of the year gives us a chance to look back with gratitude. 2025 has been a meaningful year for the 100Books Initiative. Since we began in 2017, children have read over 40,000 English books, reaching more than 800 children across 20 government primary schools and communities—completely free of cost.

This year, we were happy to welcome three new schools into the 100Books program:

Kothapalli Govt Primary School – Rural Tamil Nadu
Jalihal Govt Upper Primary School – Rural Karnataka
22 Bhavan Primary School – Rural Madhya Pradesh

2025 Key Highlights

250+ children read English Books Weekly
13,000+ English books read across 14 schools and communities
400+ certificates were awarded for progress in English reading levels

The greatest reward for us is seeing children grow in confidence and happiness with every book they read. Stories like Sahana, who topped her district in the 10th-grade exam, and Kamal, who is competing at the state level in athletics, remind us why this work matters.

None of this would be possible without the dedication of our coordinators, volunteers, donors, and well-wishers. Thank you for your constant support and belief in the power of reading.