Author Chris Camillo and First Book Partner to Bring Books to Kids in Need

DALLAS, Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the launch of his new book LAUGHING AT WALL STREET author Chris Camillo, in partnership with nonprofit organization First Book, has committed to provide 4,000 new books for children in need during the week of November 8-14.

Forty-two percent of children in the United States — more than 30 million — live in low-income households.  Most of these children have no age-appropriate books at home, and the classrooms and programs they attend are woefully under-resourced.  First Book connects book publishers and community organizations to provide these children with access to new books.

Americans bought over 750 million books in 2010.  Inspired by the success of TOMS One for One™ movement, which has provided shoes to over 1 million children in need, author Camillo commented "Just imagine the impact that First Book could have on illiteracy if widely embraced by authors and the publishing community."

"Chris is absolutely right about the impact that the lack of books has on kids from low-income families," said Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book. "Getting brand-new books to call their own makes a real difference in these kids' lives. Which is why we're delighted that Chris and his readers are stepping up to help us provide thousands of brand-new books for children in need across the country."

LAUGHING AT WALL STREET (St. Martin's Press; November 8, 2011), is an entertaining, story-driven, and jargon-free book that explains how you don't need large sums of money to achieve extraordinary wealth. Instead, by simply learning to identify game-changing information hidden in everyday life – while watching TV, reading tabloids, working at the office, shopping at the mall, eating out at restaurants, or driving the carpool to soccer practice – the book teaches readers how to outsmart even Wall Street's brightest.

"For any investor, the single most important measurement of success is one's Return on Investment," Camillo said of his partnership with First Book.  "While I have experienced my share investing successes, there is no greater Return on Investment than that that which would come from ending illiteracy." 

More about LAUGHING AT WALL STREET author Chris Camillo

Chris Camillo is not a stockbroker, financial analyst, or hedge fund manager. And yet in early 2007, in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, he invested $20,000 in the stock market, and grew it to just over $2 million.

For more information on Chris and the book, please visit www.LaughingAtWallStreet.com, or follow on Twitter at @ChrisCamillo and #laughingatwallstreet, or on Facebook at Laughing at Wall Street.

About First Book

First Book has distributed more than 85 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income families throughout the United States and Canada.  By making new, high-quality books available on an ongoing basis, First Book is transforming the lives of children in need and the elevating the quality of education.

For more information, please visit www.FirstBook.org or follow their latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Chris Camillo