Every Great Story Has Another Chapter
There’s something magical about bedtime stories.
Long before children can read the words themselves, they begin reading the expressions on the faces of the people who love them. They snuggle a little closer. They giggle at the funny parts. They ask for “just one more page.” And for a few precious minutes, the world slows down enough for imaginations to take over.
But bedtime feels different when your child is staying in a hospital or when your family is calling a Ronald McDonald House home.
Instead of ending the day in a familiar bedroom, parents often find themselves reading stories beside hospital beds or in temporary rooms hundreds of miles from home. The uncertainty doesn’t disappear when the lights go out, but for a few beautiful minutes, a story can replace fear with laughter, anxiety with hope, and loneliness with togetherness.
That’s why Brayden’s Books exists.
Back in March, more than 100 incredible volunteers gathered at our Book Bash to pack, sticker, sort, and ship thousands of brand-new children’s books to Ronald McDonald Houses and children’s hospitals across the country. Families from Cincinnati to Alaska, Hawaii, and everywhere in between received stories intentionally chosen to inspire courage, kindness, imagination, humor, and friendship for children with medical complexity and the people who love them most.
But we never intended March to be the final chapter.
Every day, new families walk through the doors of Ronald McDonald Houses. New children are admitted to children’s hospitals. New parents begin journeys they never imagined taking. That’s why Brayden’s Books was never designed to be a one-time delivery. It was built on a promise that we would continue showing up, one story at a time.
This summer, we’re honored to continue that promise by delivering boxes of Finnegan the Football to Ronald McDonald Houses across the United States. Co-written by Trey Hendrickson and John Otten and beautifully illustrated by Ruthie Hopper, Finnegan reminds children that being different isn’t something to overcome. It’s exactly what makes each of us perfect, special, and good.
We believe the very best Books About Friendship don’t simply tell a story. They create one.
Somewhere tonight, a tired parent will open Finnegan the Football after one of the hardest days their family has ever experienced. A sibling may laugh at one of Ruthie’s illustrations. A child may ask to hear the funny football voices one more time before falling asleep. And for a few precious minutes, the conversation won’t be about medications, scans, or tomorrow’s procedure. It will simply be about friendship, courage, and believing that different can be extraordinary.
Those moments matter.
They remind children they are so much more than their diagnosis. They remind parents they aren’t carrying this journey alone. They remind families that hope doesn’t always arrive in life-changing breakthroughs. Sometimes it arrives tucked between the pages of a children’s book.
Behind every delivery is a community that believes stories still have the power to change lives. Family foundations continue investing in Brayden’s Books because they believe every child deserves encouragement. Hundreds of volunteers have packed books, organized inventory, prepared shipments, and helped us reach families across the country. Students have discovered meaningful Teen Volunteer Opportunities through our Book Bashes and Brave Workshop, while many adults have generously used Volunteer Time Off to help place stories into the hands of children who need them most.
Today, Brayden’s Books reaches more than 150 Ronald McDonald Houses, children’s hospitals, and family-serving organizations nationwide, and we’re still turning pages.
A story may only take fifteen minutes to read.
The courage it inspires can last a lifetime.
That’s why we’ll keep turning the page.
