Now a freshman at Presentation High School, the Willow Glen teen doesn't need to be nudged into reading any more. It has become a hobby.

So much in fact, that she recently collected and donated more than 1,000 children's books to the Santa Clara County Childrens Shelter on Union Avenue.

"Children's shelters always need more books," the 14-year-old says. "It's a source of entertainment and it helps with writing and spelling."

The project was part of Danielle's efforts to earn her Girl Scout Silver Award--its second highest honor--next spring.

A member of South Valley Girl Scout Troop 1395 for the past five years, the teen has worked on various community service group projects. But the book drive was the first project she had to come up with, coordinate and complete on her own.

The requirements for the silver award also stipulate that the girls involve the community in their project and that they engage in 40 hours of community service.

Each of the 10 girls in her troop, Danielle says, worked on a different project. One gave karate lessons to underprivileged children, another made cooling neckties for soldiers in Iraq.

Danielle worked on her book drive from February through September. She started by asking friends and family for donations. Then throughout the summer, she volunteered at the Willow Glen library once a week, where she often set up bookstands where patrons could donate.

Eventually, children's books, from board books to teen literature, filled her family's home. When a count in September revealed that Danielle had exceeded her goal of 1,000 books, she decided it was time to donate.

So with the help of her mother, Jeanne Eige, she loaded up the family's SUV and drove to the shelter.

The best part, Danielle says, was when she saw the excitement on the face of Victoria Callaghan, the senior counselor at the facility.

"I felt happy because I was doing something for other people," she says.

The facility currently houses 50 children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned, Callaghan says. They range in age from 2 to 17, including some teen mothers who stay at one of the shelter's six cottages while waiting for a foster family or relatives to take them in.

Danielle's book donation was distributed among the cottages as well as used for the on-site school, Callaghan says.

The counselor was particularly pleased with the number of books for teen boys. This will help significantly, she says. The shelter recently established a reading night for older boys to improve their reading skills by reading aloud.

"(The donation) gives them a big selection to choose from," Callaghan says.

Eige, who's been a co-leader of her daughter's troop for the past four years, says she's watched Danielle's commitment to her project with pride.

A former Girl Scout, Eige says, scouting is an invaluable experience, from appreciation for female bonding to leadership skills to giving back to the community.

"At this age girls are so self-centered," she says. "It's a good thing to think about others."

Eige believes the Girl Scouts is a great way for her to stay in tune with her daughter's teenage world.

"I like doing stuff with Danielle," Eige says. "It's fun to watch them, be with them and enable them."