The latest episode features Sidney Keys III, 15-year-old founder and CEO of Books n Bros, a reading club and mentorship program aiming to cultivate a love of reading in African American male youth
Children start learning to read at an early age, but not everyone maintains the habit throughout their lifetime. Sidney Keys III is a 15-year-old who is working to change that. Keys not only loves to read himself, but also wants to spark a love of reading in other kids—as he explains in Cartoon Network’s latest monthly installment of its “Drawn To” series, which features inspirational stories from real-life kids having fun and sharing common interests such as spending time with family and helping out in their communities. All “Drawn To” episodes are available on CN, the CN App, and across the network’s social platforms.
Sidney’s story, “Drawn to Making It Happen,” debuted Saturday, Feb. 6, in celebration of Black History Month. The budding entrepreneur discusses how he founded Books n Bros when he was just 10 years old.
“When my mom and I went to my first African American children’s bookstore, I picked up a book, started reading and just couldn’t put it down,” Sidney explains. Knowing that literacy among Black male youth can be disproportionately low as they get older, Sidney launched Books n Bros as a book subscription service focused on promoting literacy among all boys ages 7 to 13 (he’s since expanded the age range to 16). The books that Sidney selects each month champion Black storytelling, inclusion and relatable stories for kids. The club also hosts monthly discussion groups and even mentoring by adult “Big Bros” to inspire the youngsters to keep it going. Parents tell him their sons’ reading scores and even behavior have improved since joining Books n Bros.
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