PORTLAND, Maine (AP) _ Stephen King’s foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to Portland elementary schools.

The Portland Press Herald reports the Portland Education Foundation announced Tuesday that it will receive the grant from The Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation.

Foundation spokeswoman Kate Snyder says gift will benefit the district’s Books and Literacy Resources program. The grant will also help the district add books to its collection that celebrate cultural differences.

Superintendent of Schools Xavier Botana said in a statement that students benefit “from having a variety of reading materials at different levels and genres.”