As a long-time advocate of kids, diversity, and literacy, Eifrig Publishing has enabled dozens of children’s titles to come to life. The guiding motto of Penny Eifrig’s business has been to create books that are good for our kids, good for our environment, and good for our communities since its creation in 2006.

 

Wanting to create a unique and innovative way to get kids excited about reading while making quality books accessible, Penny had many ideas swirling in her mind.

Then one morning, it all came to her, Her new plan was to enhance the already-existing book vending machines by filling them with diverse books and a fun way for readers to “earn books.” At that moment, The Golden Ticket to Literacy was born. The ideas and parameters for this innovative program came fast and furious, and she spent months doing research, curating authors, and creating a website.

 

 As a result, As a result, she did a total revamp of her non-profit, Random Acts of Reading (RoAR), which she had founded in 2015, with a continued mission of promoting literacy, creativity, writing, and activism for kids. was created with a mission statement of promoting literacy, creativity, writing, and activism for kids.

 

RoAR also provides exciting literacy promotion for indie authors, organizes free meet-the-author events for schools and community groups, and offers free books to students–all wrapped up on a book vending machine that excites kids to get reading!

Random Acts of Reading (RoAR) is committed to promoting literacy confidence for all children by providing exciting and equitable access to quality diverse books, authors, and opportunities to proudly share their own writing and ideas, through an innovative literacy program built around book vending machines.

 

 

 

Golden Ticket to Literacy Project is a unique project to equitably promote literacy and excitement for learning in elementary schools, all wrapped up in book vending machines filled with quality, diverse books, and reading and writing programs. These beautiful and diverse books are categorized in three ways, Emerging Readers, Early Fluency, and Fluent Readers, to ensure that a child is able to select a book that is appropriate to their reading level.

 

 

 

How Does The Book Vending Machine Work?

 

 

 

Students can earn tokens to use to “buy” a selection of diverse and inclusive books from their school’s book vending machine in a variety of ways. They can get tokens for exhibiting positive behavior, when they achieve learning goals, when it’s their birthday, or however the school chooses. Kids are celebrated as they select a book to take home, and, as an extra layer of fun, they also have a chance of discovering a golden ticket inside its pages.

 

 

 

Upon discovery of the golden ticket, the student will present it to the teacher/administrator, who will scan the QR code on the ticket to reveal a special message from the author.

 

 

The finder gets the honor of keeping the special golden ticket, but the entire school “wins” the meet-the-author event, and at the event, all of the students receive a free copy of the book prior to the event. If the book is not appropriate for older or younger readers, they can take part in the event but will get a book at the next event.

 

 

The unveiling of the very first RoAR Book Vending Machine occurred on February 3, 2023, at the Centre Hall Elementary School in Centre County, PA, and it was a huge success. 

 

 

Parents, teachers, authors, and students applauded as the mysterious green wrapping was torn away to reveal a customized vending machine full of BOOKS!

 

 

 

 

THANK YOU, Penny, for all of your hard work!

Administrators or principals who want to add this program to their school can reach Penny Eifrig at penny@randomactsofreading.org. Indie authors and publishers who would like their book to be considered can also reach out using the same email.

 

Learn more about Eifrig Publishing and Random Acts of Reading by visiting their website or following them on Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

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Eight-year-old Sissy loves her life. She loves her toys, her Big house, and her Big backyard. But when her parents decide they are going to “live Tiny,” the thought of parting with some of her belongings and living in a Little house on wheels doesn’t sound so good. 

 

 

But as her family’s new adventure unfolds, Sissy begins to understand that “stuff is just stuff” and living in a Tiny House is filled with the possibility of Big adventures!

 

 

 

 

Filled with “gentle lessons” about conservancy, minimalism, recycling, repurposing, and generosity, this diverse hardcover book shows us what is possible when families choose experiences over “stuff.”

 

 

Inspired by the tiny house trend and written from a child’s perspective, this vibrant tiny house book will help the next generation understand and apply green lifestyle choices like downsizing, decluttering, living tiny, repurposing, and nomadic travel.

 

 

As someone who works in the children’s book industry, co-author Becky Flansburg was also keenly aware of the outcry by parents, teachers, and librarians for books that allowed young readers to “see themselves” in the pages of the books they read. This could mean an Asian child scuba diving, a disabled child competing in the Olympics, or a biracial child living with her family in a tiny house.

 

 

 

 

Co-author, B.A. Norgarrd also had a vision of creating a vibrant picture book that entertained and enchanted readers, but also one that worked to start conversations and encourage families to re-evaluate clutter and overly busy lives in favor of simplicity and freedom especially if it helps them be kinder to Mother Nature.

 

 

Sissy Goes Tiny is available on Amazon and in the Audrey Press Bookstore.As a result, she did a total revamp of her non-profit, Random Acts of Reading (RoAR), which she had founded in 2015, with a continued mission of promoting literacy, creativity, writing, and activism for kids. was created with a mission statement of promoting literacy, creativity, writing, and activism for kids.