Partners for Pearl River County’s Leadership Class is conducting a book drive to provide young children with books.

The children’s book drive began Tuesday and goes through May 1. Children’s books will be collected in Picayune and Poplarville. In Picayune, donations will be collected at PJ’s Coffee House, Coast Electric, Dub Herring, Edward Jones, Magnolia Coffee House, Datastar, Resurrection Life Children’s Center and Picayune Main Street’s Office. In Poplarville the books will be collected at all Poplarville schools, The Railroad Café, Boone’s Pharmacy, Movie Gallery and Apple’s.

New or used children’s books in good condition are requested. Books can be in cloth, hard or soft bound editions. The target age group is children ages one to five, the release states.

The books will benefit Pearl River County’s Head Start programs.

“We’re just trying our best to give these kids something to read,” said Picayune Public Relations Director Jon Myers. “We hope that future Partners’ classes will continue this message and keep the dream of giving a child a book alive.”

Myers said the Pearl River County Leadership Class got the idea during their education day.

More information can be found by calling the Pearl River County Leadership Class at 601-749-4919.