With only two days left of their book drive, Viking Bank and Page Ahead are asking you to give the gift of literacy.

Viking Bank, Ballard's very own community bank, is collecting new books to be donated to Page Ahead, a Ballard non-profit with a mission to promote literacy and to give children new books.

"We serve 55,000 at-risk kids per year. About a third of which live in King County," said Susan Dibble, Executive Director of Page Ahead.

Dibble said Page Ahead hands out 164,000 new books to kids each year. She said the kids get to pick which book they want and take it home with them to start their own library.

"Ownership is important because many of these kids come from a home where there are no books in the house," Dibble said.

The book becomes like a prized possession for these kids to be read and re-read time and again.

"It's important for kids, especially when they're young, to have someone who will read with them. Studies have proven that access to books and reading aloud to children are essential to developing language and reading skills," Dibble said.

Dibble said the book drive was initial by Greg Swanson from Viking Bank and that "it's a neat idea because people can by the books at Secret Garden, another local business, and donate them at Viking Bank."

The Ballard Chamber of Commerce recently sent out a request to its members to support the book drive.

"If you're like me, reading is one of my greatest joys and it was very much encouraged by my parents and grandparents, who were also avid readers," wrote Beth Williamson Miller, Executive Director of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce. "Being a good reader is so important in life and this group is working to make sure more children are motivated readers."

According to Page Ahead, book ownership created that motivation.

One of the thousands of children served by Page Ahead is a young boy named Robert who wrote in a Thank You letter to Page Ahead, "I love my book. I love to learn! I have 1 book at my house. I wish I had 1 hundred more books! I love getting books! I love school!"

Viking Bank will be collecting new books in their Ballard branch until Thursday, Dec 23 and a list of suggested books is available on the homepage of the Chamber's website