March is here, and so is the madness! Lead to Read KC has tipped off a bracket-style book competition to raise awareness about the need for free, high-interest books for children’s home libraries, while celebrating some awesome local authors.
Each Monday in March, we’ll share the Book Battle 2026 bracket on our social media channels. Voting has already begun below!
Feeling inspired to donate a few favorites? Scroll down to find shopping links that will ship your selections directly to Lead to Read KC, making it easy to turn book buzz into real impact.
Vote Now!
Pick one book for each matchup and come back each week to advance your favorite title(s) to the final championship!
Donate Your Favorites
Use the Rainy Day Books or Amazon links below to have your donations sent directly to Lead to Read KC! Alternatively, donate money to amplify our book budget! All donations support our Reading Is Everywhere program.
Want to do more? Share our posts on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to encourage your friends and family to vote or donate!
%
of families in under-resourced neighborhoods have no children's books
Note: My Beads and Me is currently only available on Amazon.
View the Week's Matchups
Explore the Titles
Get Involved
We need you! There are so many ways to be part of the solution to our community’s literacy crisis. Choose to give your time or resources to Lead to Read KC.