We live in a world where we can find out pretty much anything with a few clicks, but that can’t replace the magic of old school books. There’s nothing quite like opening the cover and turning the paper pages. Nonprofit group Little Free Library gets that and is helping keep the love of books alive with neighborhood book exchanges all over the world. They have more than 75,000 libraries in 88 countries so far, but the coolest one has to be one created in Idaho by Sharalee Armitage Howard and her family.
Howard is a librarian, artist, and former bookbinder who saw a better future for the stump of a 110-year-old cottonwood tree in her yard. Instead of digging it up, she envisioned it as the perfect “Little Tree Library.” The tree in her yard had already lived twice as long as the 40 to 50 years a cottonwood tree’s lifespan typically is, so when it started dropping branches, including one on her son’s car, Howard got to work on her Little Tree Library.
The stump of the tree was carved out from the inside and a roof went on top. They added warm interior and exterior lighting to give it a fairytale look and a lovely glass door to protect the books inside. It’s even decorated with tiny books along the border. Anyone can come take a book to read or leave one at one of the prettiest tiny libraries ever.