I often find children’s books at my local “Dollar Tree” store or thrift store. I’d be happy to buy books/supplies/candy, and ship them to you if you’ll give me an address.
Aries28 Zoobooks are absolutely fantabulous! My son waits ever month for his new one. So come next month, this first paycheck of the school year is spent already, I will send you a card and the money for a subscription. Raffle it off, reward to someone or just use it at the school, its cool.
Krisfer can’t wait to go book shopping now
erm let me clarify that… a SUBSCRIPTION card from Bear’s newest magazine
betcha were hopin that was credit card:D
Damn! And I was already thinking of ways I could use that credit card! 
Kidding…thanks for the offer of a ZooBook subscription. Hooray!!!
It isn’t a book, but… when my son was in fourth grade he was studying George Washinton Carver, and we took him to the George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, Missouri. While we were visiting there, we learned that the park offers free curricula for teachers. We brought back a fat envelope of teaching material and gave it to his teacher for future use.
That was two years ago, and I imagine they are still have the educational materials there. Try contacting them for a set of materials for the teachers at your school.
I wonder if other national parks/ historic places also have any free curricula for teachers… I’ll do some poking around on the internet later and see if I can find any, if you are interested. Let me know.
I wish I weren’t broke right now; I’d love to send you some books if I could.
Good luck to you— you are doing a wonderful thing.
Oh. My. LORD this sounds like fun! I would dearly love to participate in a program like this, especially for a kid who likes books about animals. And Harry Potter.
Peace,
~mixie*
*Who just moved to a different state and took half a Penske truck of books, two entire bookshelves of which are childrens’ books and juvenile fiction. Also reads said books on an embarrassingly regular basis.
Definitely contact Scholastic. I know that Scholastic in NZ supports a scheme in schools to give books to kids. We get a reduced royalty rate on those books but that’s just fine by us. They’re such a big company, I’d be surprised if they don’t help.
I’d help but the cost of shipping is so prohibitive it’s not practical 
Hey, Aries I know that you are busy with all the twenty thousand different assignments, grant research, scounging for donations and handouts to major corporations and basically most excellent mojo that you’ve generated here from the goodness of your heart, ::::but::::, do the kids at your school/class likeSweet Valley High or Magic Tree House? Can I have an answer in say, the next five seconds? 
Prima Instead of books, you (meaning any furren doper who is so inclined) could send postcards to the class with fascinating tidbits from your neck of the woods. All candy could be sent directly to me. Just a thought.
oooooh, i love the book fairy idea.
count me in as a “would love to send books need an address” person.
what fun!!!
Aries28, I know you said many of the children did not read at their grade level. But there is a book I think it would be cool to send along, and maybe someone could read it to them.
It’s titled Day of the Drones and is told in the first person by a girl who is in her mid-teens or so. It takes place some 500 years from now. The reason I thought of it is because the girl’s homeland is in Africa. And the opening lines are “Because I was the darkest of the children, it was always understood that I would receive the most education and would rise highest in the state.” Thought maybe you kids could identify.
As I said earlier, our library booksale is this weekend. I will look the books over, based on the list you gave. Anything else you can think of before then, add it to this thread. And I did get your email.
Aries, umm…I’m new to this actually talking to Dopers off-board etiquette, but is it ok if I email you? I’ve got an idea for local candy that is linked to something semi-educational.
(BTW: About how many kids are there?)
Aries, put me down as another book doner, either for a one-time drive or the book fairy idea.
My email’s down there. points to email link button
Thanks again to everyone who has responded. I am sorry I am being kinda slow to get back to everyone but my in box has been flooded! (Not that that’s a bad thing!)
I’ll try to answer some of the questions here…
I won’t get my official class list until next week. Last year the school had 4 4th grade classes and I had 20 kids. This year I have been told due to lack of funds they have reduced the 4th grade to only 2 classes so I an anticipating 28-30 kids.
For those who asked, YES, feel free to email me at Aries28kp@hotmail.com with any ideas or suggestions.
I am slowly but surely responding to everyone individually with my mailing address for those interested in sending anything.
I will be posting something here in MPSIMS later today about the Doper Book Fairy idea and/or a Doper Book Drive.
Thanks again to everyone who has taken an interest in these kids and this school. I will keep you updated throughout the year.
Believe me, these kids will appreciate what you are doing. That is one of the things that has really struck me. Last year everytime I did something for them on my own or with the help of some kind hearted co-workers I got thank you cards from these kids. I’m sure their teacher put them up to it but the sentiment expressed in these cards would blow you away.
Anyway, THANK YOU again.
Wooooo, ARies, I gots a package already to send you. And , this is the hard part, a box. ( Me like boxes.)
Scored some **Sweet Valley High Books ** at a library sale today.
Y’know, though, looking at the cover of it, these blonde haired,blue eyed future cheer leaders of America look positively demonic.
Another Woo-hoo here! I just got back from the library booksale. I got several literature type books good for young people, aaaaaaaannd SIXTY Goosebump books. #1 throught #62, lacking only 55 and 56. Now to find a box.
Boxes, plural, actually. I think a single box is going to be unwieldy. Aries28, will you mind two or three boxes, rather than one?
It can be TEN boxes if it gets books to my kids!
THANKS!!
What about blank books/journals so they can write their own stories (without worrying about grades or grammar)? Some of our greatest writers started this way.
Aries, the first box will probably go out on Thursday, possibly Friday. Hope that isn’t too late. It will go bookrate, so it won’t be fast but it will get there.
Aries, now that the hurricane hooplah has died down, I will be sending a box your way. The books are not all in superb condition, nor are they all the very newest, most coveted series- Is that okay, or are you only looking for shiny, new ones?
Also, what kinds of art supplies do your kids need most? I don’t want to send crayons, for example, if you have tons already.