The second annual "The Bronx is Reading" took place Saturday at the Bronx Preparatory High School in Crotona Park.

Bronx poet laureate Haydil Henriquez shared her heartfelt words as she hoped to inspire kids in the borough to pick up more books.

"It's a great honor not only to be here but to be someone who's representing the Bronx, I was someone who was an avid reader as a kid, and I still am," Henriquez said. "It's a great opportunity to share with other young people what the literary arts can do."

"The Bronx Is Reading" sets to promote literacy in the borough by giving free books to children of all ages.

"We didn't really have bookstores in the Bronx growing up, so I got a lot of my books from street vendors. So, I just find that it's really important to encourage reading at home. It's easier to give a kid a free book and say ‘This is how you can start your own library’ versus telling kids ‘You need to go out and buy your books that costs $20,’" explained Saraciea J. Fennell, founder of the Bronx is Reading.

Partnered with the Bronx Preparatory High School and multiple publishing companies, the initiative offers books of different genres, especially featuring authors of color. The event was open to the public and people could pick up whichever and however many books they liked.

"Not a lot of kids have the opportunity to have things like this and get books on demand. It's really good for kids that need books who want to read," said Bronx Preparatory student London Wheeler.