Cheerios®, through its Spoonfuls of Stories^® program, is inviting families to start their day with a nutritious breakfast and a brand new book. As part of its ongoing commitment to nurturing the whole child and connecting families by fostering a shared love of reading, Cheerios will once again provide more than six million children’s books, written in both English and Spanish, free inside Cheerios boxes beginning November 3.

Cheerios is also announcing the findings of its national survey that asked moms of children ages two to six about the role reading plays in their daily lives. The survey found that although today’s moms are prioritizing reading—67% read to their child at least once a day—nearly two-thirds (61%) say “busy schedules” prevent them from spending more time reading.

The study also showed that while in middle income neighborhoods the ratio of books per child is 13 to 1, in low-income neighborhoods, the ratio is one age-appropriate book for every 300 children. According to the Cheerios survey, however, roughly four in ten moms do not think there is a drastic disparity between middle and lower-income neighborhoods in the U.S. when it comes to children’s access to books. In an effort to combat this issue, Cheerios will also make a $300,000 donation to First Book, an award-winning national nonprofit that helps get books into the hands of children from low-income families.

Actress and mother of three, Jennie Garth, has joined forces with Spoonfuls of Stories to celebrate the ninth year of the program and to discuss why she feels it is so important to find time to read with her own kids each day.

Since 2001, Cheerios has donated more than $3.5 million to First Book and distributed almost 50 million children’s books inside boxes. To learn more about the program, this year’s in-pack books or to donate to First Book, go to www.spoonfulsofstories.com.