Free little library helps build kids’ imaginations

“My grandparents raised me. We lived in an area where you couldn’t go outside very often. So you had to find something to entertain yourself. In my household growing up, it was reading. Every book was a new adventure. I would absorb that place and just get lost in it. That’s what built up my imagination as a child. And it helped me cope with different situations I was in. It still does to this day.

“I’m trying to pass along that love of books to my kids. My husband and I started reading time with them when they were very young. It’s not just fun for them. We enjoy it, too, spending that quality time with them.

“My daughter is 6 now, and she’s just learning how to read. She’s obsessed with books. She reads anything she can get her hands on. My son is 4, and he’s currently into super heroes.

“At home, right outside their bedroom, there’s a bookshelf full of children’s books that they can read daily. And about once a week, we try to come in here so they can be exposed to other books. They love it. You never know what will be here, so it’s a surprise each time. It’s not just fun, goofy books. There are educational books here, too. So it’s helping them to expand their knowledge. Having this close access is absolutely amazing.”

— Betty Rosario (with Rosabella and Elyjah)

Families at Providence Apartments take advantage of the free little library in the property management office. It’s provided through Academic Beginnings for Children as part of an initiative to advance childhood literacy. The organization has placed and is maintaining 10 such libraries in Baytown. Children are encouraged not only to read at the libraries, but also to take a book for enjoyment and learning at home.