BANGOR, Maine (AP) A program that gets books to Maine schoolchildren said it is adding two dozen new schools in the coming academic year.

Dirigo Reads seeks to get a book to every Maine first-grader each month during the school year by 2025. The campaign said the addition of 24 new schools will bring the total number of participating schools to 50 for the 2021-22 school year.

The campaign gave out more than 8,000 books last year. Karen Cashman, co-founder of Dirigo Reads, said the group is “excited to continue seeing this program grow thanks to the enthusiasm of the schools, teachers, kids, parents, and the partners involved with this program.”

Communities participating in the program are located all over the state, including in Indian Island, Auburn, Bowdoinham and dozens of other locations. United Way of Eastern Maine supports the Dirigo Reads program.