w.h.o.books2020

06/12/2025

Book collection I purchased for the Books & Benches summer event. Every family who attends gets 1 free book to take home from W.H.O. Books.

I picked these book titles with the public library's summer theme: "Color Your World" in mind.

The Art of Miss Chew by Patricia Polacco

My Indigo World: A True Story of the Color Blue by Rosa Chang

Pigskins to Paintbrushes: The story of football-playing artist Ernie Barnes by Don Tate

Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty Illustrated by David Roberts

Magic Trash: A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art by J.H. Shapiro Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Doodleville by Chad Sell

Drawn Together by Minh Lê Illustrated by Dan Santat

The Girl Who Heard the Music: How One Pianist and 85,000 Bottles and Cans Brought New Hope to an Island by Marni Fogelson & Mahani Teave Pictures by Marta Álvarez Miguéns

06/01/2025

Getting ready for summer fun with books!
The Books & Benches collaboration has been a great way to give away new books representing diverse characters, authors, illustrators, and themes.

In order to continue this collaboration and offer free books to every child who attends, please consider donating. ☮️📚❤️

06/23/2024

Had such a great time at the 2nd annual Hudson Pride Fest ! ❤️🧡💛💚

Met and chatted with such lovely humans. Incredibly grateful for the interest and support of our movement.

Gave away at least 100 beautiful books representing diverse characters, authors, illustrators, and stories. ☮️❤️📚

Also raised close to $200 that will all go directly to purchasing more books to share with our community and surrounding areas.
We'd love to continue the mission to share books and rely on donations. If willing, please consider a donation or share our non-profit with others!

06/20/2024

Come see W.H.O. Books this Saturday at Valley Wide Pride Fest! ☮️❤️📚
*Location has changed due to weather*
Hudson WI Pride

06/20/2024

06/15/2024

Added books to this Little Free Library on 9th Street, across from Burton Field.

Titles include:
Stamped (for Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You
By Sonja Cherry-Paul with art by Rachelle Baker

Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson and Sean Qualls

From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun by Jacqueline Woodson

☮️❤️📚

06/14/2024

Stopped at Burton Field recently and added books to this Little Free Library on 10th Street.

Willa loves a good photo opportunity 🌞 and I'm here for it 😁!

Books added:
nibi is water by Joanne Robertson

Front Desk by Kelly Yang
***highly recommend this series! Willa (11 years old) and I have been reading them together 🤍

Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma by Joanna Ho and illustrated by Teresa Martinez

Lunar Phases on Chinese New Year! by Ruth Spiro and illustrated by Irene Chan

☮️❤️📚

06/13/2024

Getting more books in Little Free Libraries.
This sweet LFL is near the corner of 1st Street and St. Croix Street downtown.
Stocked it with:
nibi is water by Joanne Robertson

Shirley Chisholm is a Verb! by Veronica Chambers and illustrated by Rachelle Baker

EllRay Jakes is a Rock Star! by Sally Warner and illustrated by Jamie Harper

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

The 5 O'Clock Band by Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and illustrated by Bryan Collier

☮️❤️📚

05/24/2024

It looks like Mother Nature has other plans for Walk, Roll, & Read tomorrow. ⛈

Sadly, we will have to cancel this event due to the rain and lightening/thunderstorms forecasted for tomorrow morning.

The GOOD NEWS is that the next Walk, Roll, & Read event will be held this summer at Glen Park Open Air Shelter in River Falls.

More information will be coming soon!

05/15/2024

**New Event update**
W.H.O. Books will be joining Way St. Croix Valley next week for their Walk, Roll & Read event! ✌️❤️📚

05/02/2024

This is my 3rd year collaborating with this beautiful event!

If you'd like to donate, all funds go directly to purchasing books that represent diverse authors & illustrators, diverse topics, and diverse characters.

Check out www.whobooks.org/donate

This year's theme is: Adventure begins at your library!
A few titles I've found to share at these events:
📚 A Library by Nikki Giovanni
📚 Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Illustrated by Yas Imamura
📚 Dear Librarian by Lydia M. Sigwarth and Illustrated by Romina Galotta
📚 Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise and Illustrated by Paola Escobar
📚 Nour's Secret Library by Wafa' Tarnowska and Illustrated by Vali Mintzi
📚 Lola at the Library with Mommy! by Anna McQuinn and Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

📖 Celebrate art, nature and reading this summer with BOOKS & BENCHES, June 18–28, FREE and open to the public!

☀️ Gather at the Art Benches, listen to stories, participate in art & nature activities with National Park Service Rangers, and take home free, gently used and new books!

👉 Learn more at artbenchtrail.org

Books & Benches is a project of the Somerset Elementary Family Book Drive in partnership with the Phipps Center for the Arts and local libraries to increase summer reading and promote community art in the St. Croix Valley.