LeapFrog Donates $2 Million in Books to Support Early Literacy

EMERYVILLE, Calif., April 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:LF), the leader in educational entertainment, announced today that it will donate $2 million in books to schools across America as a result of LeapFrog's "Read 20 Minutes A Day" campaign in support of early literacy. Throughout the month of March, consumers visited LeapFrog's Facebook page and participated in the pledge to read 20 minutes a day with their child which can boost academic success. Due to the success of the campaign, LeapFrog will donate more than 150,000 books to America's schools through a partnership with We Give Books.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090219/LFLOGO)

"Learning to read is a critical skill and reading is one of the cornerstones of literacy and future academic success," said Dr. Jody Sheman LeVos, manager of LeapFrog's Learning Team. "The statistics are staggering – in the U.S., more than 20 percent of adults read at or below the fifth grade level* – and as a leader in learn-to-read solutions, LeapFrog understands the responsibility to provide children with a strong foundation for the future. LeapFrog is proud to support this cause by donating $2 million in books and partnering with We Give Books to ensure they are delivered to classrooms in need across America."

We Give Books, the digital literacy initiative from the Pearson Foundation and the Penguin Group, gives everyone access to a free digital library of children's books. Everytime someone reads a book at Wegivebooks.org, the Pearson Foundation donates a book to a child in need. In conjunction with LeapFrog's Read 20 Minutes a Day campaign, during the month of March schools across the country read more than 150,000 books online as part of We Give Books' annual Read for My School campaign. Select schools will receive a special Reading Celebration where the books they earned, by reading online, will be delivered by the We Give Books ReadMobile, a fully loaded mobile reading and activity bus.

"LeapFrog is an ideal partner for We Give Books as the company has been helping millions of children learn to read for more than 18 years," Pearson Foundation President and CEO Mark Nieker. "Together, we are dedicated to empowering a lifelong love of reading among youth, and generous donations like LeapFrog's further support our efforts to inspire families to incorporate reading into their family activities at an early age." 

For more information, visit www.leapfrog.com and wegivebooks.org.

About LeapFrog
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is the leader in educational entertainment for children. LeapFrog's award-winning product portfolio helps millions of children achieve their potential by delivering best-in-class curriculum through engaging content, fun multimedia learning platforms and toys.  The Learning Path, LeapFrog's proprietary online destination for parents and extended family, provides personalized feedback on a child's learning progress and offers product recommendations to enhance each child's learning experience. Through the power of play, LeapFrog's products and curriculum help children of all ages prepare for school and life success.  LeapFrog's products are available in more than 45 countries and have been used by teachers in more than 100,000 U.S. classrooms.  LeapFrog is based in Emeryville, California, and was founded in 1995 by a father who revolutionized technology-based learning solutions to help his child learn how to read. Come see the learning at www.leapfrog.com.  

TM & © 2012 LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.

About We Give Books
We Give Books is a philanthropic program from the Penguin Group and the Pearson Foundation that helps children become lifelong readers and givers. Together, the Penguin Group and the Pearson Foundation support literacy through programs that engage entire communities. Working around the world through programs like Booktime and Jumpstart's Read for the Record, Penguin and the Pearson Foundation have touched millions of lives in thousands of communities. To learn more about the We Give Books program and its nonprofit literacy partners, go to www.wegivebooks.org.

SOURCE LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.