Have you ever driven past a box that someone has made on their front lawn that is full of books? As the summer starts I am looking for unique things to do in my local communities that don’t necessarily cost a lot of money. I drove past a little library today and decided to stop.

On other days in the hustle and bustle of life I probably wouldn’t have stopped. But today it was summer vacation, so I did. I actually got out of my car and lifted the latch of the little library and perused the books. Inside was a wide selection of books, from preschool reads, to YA, and adult fiction. I was impressed to see that there was even some non fiction and a magazine, in this particular little library.

I then got the itch and wanted to find more. As I was driving up and down the streets of the town I was in I began to find more. The next one I found was the similar replica of the house that stood behind it. The detail and attention to the wood working was amazing. The little house that was created was an incredible match to the stone home behind it.

Some were more simplistic and decorated to the home owners aesthetic. This is for sure a fun way of giving back to the community through literature, by offering free books to the public. Some had signs ‘take a book, leave a book’, while others actually had a tag. Little Free Library.org was one of the tags that was on one of the little libraries that I discovered. Upon further research, this is a non profit out of Minnesota. Their mission is to increase access to books for readers of all ages and backgrounds, and to spread the love of reading.

As an Early Childhood Educator, this really sparked my interest because I recognize the importance of reading. Each year I get the opportunity to educate children and have them develop the love of reading. This is such a privilege. I value the importance of students having the foundational elements early on to develop the skills necessary to learn to read.

If you get the opportunity to go on a hunt for a local little library; I encourage you to do so. Maybe you will find a great book! Happy reading!