FIRST: What is a Little Free Library (LFL)?

You may have seen large birdhouse type boxes filled with books scattered throuout your city.  Often a flag or sign is posted nearby reading TAKE A BOOK, LEAVE A BOOK.  These are Little Free Libraries, part of the LFL network.

      The LFL organization, a 501c not for profit, began in Wisconsin.  They have grown into an International Organization, making books accessible and encouraging reading.

     My LFL was built during Covid.  With libraries closed we new books weren’t available to our neighbors.

     Since its installation it has become a community hub.  We have books for all ages and interests.  Children sit on our reading bench thumbing through picture books.  Families walk in the evenings with adults and children choosing their next read.  And neighbors leave books they have read, sharing them with the community.

 

 

---

Now back to what I found in my Little Free Library:

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

I love a book that opens my eyes to issues around me, but delivers the message in a non-preachy, enlightening way.  A dose of education mixed in with my entertainment keeps me turning pages and loosing track of time.  The Language of Flowers drew me in with descriptive flowing writing.  It captured me with empathy for the main character, and has stayed with me long after turning the last page.

 

The foster care system is built on the premise of providing warm loving homes. Being a product of the foster system I can attest that it often does work as planned.   But many of the children in this system are not nearly as  fortunate as I was.  Great difficulties are often encountered.  Then when the magic age of 18 arrives, often those in foster care “time out”, requiring them to abruptly leave the system.

 

The Language of Flowers opens your eyes to this issue with a glimpse into the life of Victoria Jones.  As a foster child, living in 32 different homes, she carries emotional scars. We watch her grow into an adult, finding work in a flower shop, but see how her childhood impacts her life, present and future.

This book was a 2011 best seller and the authors debut novel.  I highly recommend it, but be sure you have nothing planned before starting it.  You won’t be able to put it down.