Mission:
To motivate young children to read by working with children, their parents, and community members to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life.

Background:
As part of a multicultural literacy campaign to build the language skills of children under the age of five, Reading Is Fundamental, a nonprofit organization that specializes in the literacy of children and families, launched Leading to Reading and Semillitas de Aprendizaje in 2007 to provide free educational resources to the parents of young children. Founded in 1966, RIF provides 4.5 million children with 16 million books and literacy resources each year. With support from the U.S. Department of Education, corporations, foundations, community organizations, and individuals, RIF has given away some 300 million books over the years.

Outstanding Web Features:
To appeal to a younger audience, the Leading to Reading site includes interactive Web pages with sound and colorful graphics. The Babies and Toddlers portal for children up to the age of two features stories, nursery rhymes, lullabies, and activities that parents can do with their children. Preschoolers can read or sing along to traditional nursery rhymes, as well as play games, color and draw, or explore facts about featured animals. The click-and-play feature, Riffy and Rita's Playhouse, provides toddlers with an opportunity to interact with online characters. In addition, parents and caregivers can explore book recommendations, various playtime activities, and articles and advice.