'These Are Your Kids On Books': Denver Nonprofit Burning Through Pages Creates Viral Poster

Bloggers and Pinterest users are going crazy over this poster, created by artist Mike Andereck for the volunteer-driven Colorado organization Burning Through Pages.

On its website, the Denver-based group says it "has one goal and one goal only: To inspire a love of reading in today's youth by recommending, donating, and discussing books."

To that end, BTP aims to "buy books, give them away, and take the time to talk about them" through book clubs and conversations between kids and adult volunteers. Current offerings range from "Catch-22" to "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and "The Hunger Games."

Burning Through Pages co-founder Evin Moore told The Huffington Post that the organization began posting black-and-white posters on Facebook in the hope that these images would achieve "meme" status. This poster is the first of a "whole slew" (two more posters have been posted since the first started going viral, and a new one will be posted every week going forward).

Moore added that copies of the posters will be sold from Burning Through Pages's website "within the week."

He says he "emptied out [his] retirement account" to start Burning Through Pages with two friends last year (the group is now funded by donations). He also noted that, to his knowledge, "there's nothing like it anywhere else in the country."

On Monday, Burning Through Pages tweeted acknowledgement of its newfound fame: "We've received so much new attention our volunteer page crashed. This is amazing! ... Thanks all!"

Visit Burning Through Pages's website to volunteer or donate to the cause.

(H/T Galleycat)

Image via Facebook.

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Comments

[Karen D Clawson]

06:56 PM on 05/06/2012

Love it, love them, love their kids! Especially since our (K is for Kids Foundation's) primary volunteers ARE teens, we love BTP's passion! This too is our mission: to arm our kids with books!

[grandma58]

12:09 PM on 05/05/2012

I love this! When my grandson stayed with me he made costumes with sticks, fabric and whatever he could find! He changed things from time to time.

[mskittykat1326]

04:37 PM on 05/03/2012

Well done!

[seektheblueapples]

03:14 PM on 05/03/2012

How wonderful, incredible, and cool! Great design!!! Kudos!

Everyone should check out World Book Night, also, if interested in at least getting some books once a year to hand out.... Lovin' Literacy!

http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/

[Alices Amanita]

02:42 PM on 05/03/2012

That is why I always chose to buy books and role playing card games instead of a playstation...I swear that video games make children lose brain power.

[Tomontherun99]

02:54 PM on 05/03/2012

That's kind of a negative stereotype, I'm 17 and an avid gamer yet I am doing well in my A Levels and read books ranging from American Gods, 1984 to Batman.

[Lalathewonderllama]

03:16 PM on 05/03/2012

Congrats on doing so well in school. If you were my son I'd be quite proud to say so. We have a weekends only rule, and video games are often a family activity in our house. I see nothing wrong with them as long as they aren't interfering in other activities. Sounds like you have a good balance!

[Alices Amanita]

08:02 PM on 05/03/2012

Congrats on that! Seems like you balance it well, then. I assume you do not sit in front of a TV computer all day, though! Good job and keep exercising that brain of yours!

[angelcakesinc]

04:45 PM on 05/06/2012

It depends on the type of games they play and how long they do. There are soooo many games out there that are complex, have vivid stories, require massive amounts of intelligence, creativity, reflexes, hand/eye co-ordination, and strategy to play... and then there are some that are just brain killingly simple minded. Super Mario? Not a lot of brain power going into that. Civilization or Total War? Complex, big, high strategy games. At least, on the tougher difficulties, anyway. The Sims? As simple or complex as you want to make it. Grand Theft Auto? Fun as hell, but not for kids, nor particularly intellectually stimulating. You can find video games that are far more stimulating than anything a book or a card game can give you. You just have to actually look at them and see what they're about, what's required to play them, that sort of thing. I do admit though that many recent video games in the last few years have tended more towards the braindead kind. But older games and some smaller ones from indi companies are still very high quality and intellectually stimulating.

[Sandra Ann]

02:32 PM on 05/03/2012

Hmm. cute poster, not sure what the first figure represents though. As a teacher in a poor school, where 95% of the kids qualify for free breakfast and lunch, I am curious as to where the money this organization raises actually goes. I support reading on all levels and for all ages. It is the ticket to success in our modern society. Just one little thing I noticed. My school doesn't receive any donations of books for our library. Never heard of any of our classrooms getting books, nor our students. Only once, the Lions Club donated dictionaries to our 3rd graders-once. That's it. So, again, where does the money go? How about going down to your local school distric office, asking for a list of the poor schools and actually giving them some books? Or, give some to a teacher for their classroom library? You can get them cheaper at a place like Half Price Books. I've personally spent hundreds of dollars on books over the years for my classroom. They get beat up pretty quick and yes, some go home with sticky fingers. (It's ok, I figure the book is being loved and enjoyed.) I have a 'book hospital' in my room to 'fix up' dying books so they kids can keep using them. Elmer's Clear Glue and packing tape help alot. Then you don't have to worry about 'where the money goes'.

[Shaeley]

02:53 PM on 05/03/2012

Rest assured that all the money raised for this organization goes to getting books for kids. Like Evin said, "buy books, give them away, and take the time to talk about them". It's promoting reading for pleasure in kids and in the end it's a win win because kids are getting books.

This is a new organization and it started in Denver trying to get students, like yours, books to read. We have worked in lower income areas where it was an honor to give kids their first book of their very own. We would love for this idea to spread all over and with the help of articles like these it seems that this is more and more possible.

We appreciate all you do working with kids, promoting reading and extending yourself and your finances to make that happen. This is just one more avenue in which we've made it possible to get kids to fall in love with reading.

Oh, the first figure is a diver.

Thank you for the interest!

[GOODDOC1]

10:53 PM on 05/03/2012

There used to be a program with the Indian Health Service called "Reach Out and Read". The Pediatricians would give the younger children a book geared to their level on each visit. You might want to check with them to see if they still do it. Maybe you could work together. I saw it first at the Kayents IHS Clinic in Kayenta, AZ. You could call them (all I remember is the area code, 928, sorry), or you could check with the Navajo Area Office in Winslow, AZ. It sounds like you could combine forces. Good luck!

[LilBoyBlue]

02:59 PM on 05/03/2012

The first kid is wearing an old-fashioned scuba diving helmet (although it looks an awful lot like something more sinister.)

[Cael]

02:18 PM on 05/03/2012

Being a God fearing person, I am offended by the Satan worshiping Wizard.

Ok just kidding, but you know it will happen, but that is a nice and simple ad.

[Scarlett77]

01:59 PM on 05/03/2012

The ability to read is the best gift we can give our children. It is what gives them the power to dream.

[Trevand]

08:01 AM on 05/06/2012

It gives them command of language and the power to communicate.

[tenaclark]

01:53 PM on 05/03/2012

This is awesome!

[MileHighhvr2011]

01:16 PM on 05/03/2012

I LOVE IT?!?!

[darkwaterz29]

12:04 PM on 05/03/2012

Great message!

[mrfit95]

12:03 PM on 05/03/2012

Awesome! "Oh, the places you can go!" Read, read, read....

[listgirl3]

11:40 AM on 05/03/2012

I love it! Something kids can 'get' that's actually about them :)

[Michael Lassell]

11:39 AM on 05/03/2012

N-I-F-T-Y!

[OhBarryBaby]

11:33 AM on 05/03/2012

What's the crosshairs on the head of the first one? Didn't Sarah Palin get nuked for that?

[listgirl3]

11:38 AM on 05/03/2012

Looks like an old diver suit to me