| Title | : | Little Free Library |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1250780624 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781250780621 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 12 |
| Publication | : | First published April 8, 2020 |
| Awards | : | Hugo Award Best Short Story (2021), Locus Award Best Short Story (2021) |
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Little Free Library Reviews
-
*3.5 stars *
Upon setting up her Little Free Library, Meigan develops an unexpected friendship with a mysterious book borrower.
Meigan mounted the post outside her house, complete with shelves, and sheltered from the weather, painting it in pretty colours, and adorning it with pebbles she’d picked from Lake Superior during the summer, and so her ‘Little Free Library’ came into existence with instructions to take a book - return a book.
However, one mystery borrower decides to leave other items of interest instead of a book, until one day, she receives a message from the mystery person, and from then on, things become very strange!
Would love a sequel to this sweet little story.
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little... -
"بمجرد ان تتعلم القراءة ستكون حراً الي الابد"
قصة طريفة عن كيف من الممكن ان تجمع القراءة الشتيتين
متي نبدأ في التخلي عن كتبنا للآخرين؟
هل عندما لا تعجبنا؟
هل عندما تعجبنا و لكن لن نرغب في قرايتها مرارا؟
هل عندما تزدحم مكتبتنا ؟ و هل هذه الجملة مقبولة عند القراء اصلا؟
مكتبات الشارع المجانية لم اراها بعد في مصر؛ شاهدت صور لها؛ و تعاملت معها في الفنادق حيث يترك الاجانب رواياتهم حتي لا تُثقل حقائبهم
القصة تعرض لنا تجرية الكاتبة مع مكتبتها المجانية و كيف جلبت لها رواية سيد الخواتم صديق لم يكن يخطر لهاعلي بال
و اهمية السلاسل في تعليق قلب اي قارئ بتلك الهواية الذهبية:القراءة
و رغم انها هواية الانطوائين الا انها قد تحتمل المشاركة.. فنتعرف علي اصدقاء للعمر كله -
If you can bring me more such books, I will leave you every scrap of gold I can find.
a perfect, adorable, FREE short story. the whole time i was reading it, i was braced for it to slant off into tweetown while still hoping it would be horror, since it is essentially the same set-up as my all-time favorite Amazing Stories episode:
because we're all going through a thing right now and everyone's a little on edge, i'll spill the tone-beans THIS ONE TIME so you know what you're getting into: it is not horror. and it stays on the "good" side of twee—i thought it was charming and i'm an old salty curmudgeon.
however, the story ends on one of those tingly BUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? notes that some of us—the old salty horror-loving curmudgeons of us—will imagine the next beats of in a way involving enough splatter to make y'all gentler folks faint dead away, but it's not our fault—our tastes have taught us all too well that you shouldn't take candy from strangers, or adopt a child or bring an animal into your home or communicate with entities you don't fully understand <--- none of which are true spoilers, but they all live in the same neighborhood of "cautionary tales this story is not teaching."
still and all, it's a fun story and reading it would be a nice and necessary break from watching the news and checking yourself for symptoms of vitamin d deficiency (i.e. DO I HAVE RICKETS?)
get to it, booknerds!!
read it for yourself here:
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little...
come to my blog! -
Hugo and Locus award finalist short story! Free to read online
here at Tor.com. Final review, first posted on
FantasyLiterature.com:
Meigan builds a Little Free Library from a kit, paints and decorates it, sets it up in her front yard, and puts a bunch of her old books in it for neighbors and passers-by to trade and share. All goes well the first day, but on the second someone empties out the Little Free Library box completely. Meigan is rather miffed, but shrugs it off and leaves a handwritten note to them in the box to next time please take just one or two books, or leave a book in return. Rather than books, the unknown person starts leaving unusual presents for Meigan in the box in exchange for the books they take. Then one day Meigan puts a copy of Defending Your Castle in the box, and things start to get really odd.
“Little Free Library” is heartwarming and whimsical, with a bittersweet note. If you’re partial to stories about library and books and the ways they can affect lives, this is an enjoyable tale. It’s set in our world, but with a hint of magic in the wings, just waiting to come onto the main stage.
This short story has one of those open-ended conclusions that really leaves the reader wondering what will happen next, but it’s not clear if Naomi Kritzer has a follow-up story in mind or that’s just the way the story ends. The latter is where I tend to think she’s going to land, but I’d be happy to be proved wrong. In any case it’s fun to imagine what might occur next. I have a few thoughts … -
For "Little Free Library" by Naomi Kritzer, however long this entry lasts.
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little... -
4.5★
Lovely, light short story on the joy of sharing the love of reading.
In the spirit of sharing the gift of reading, this short story is free here
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little...
I would love to have my own Little Free Library but there are already three unofficial ones in my little town. I visit the best one often!
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess... -
Yes, I actually read this twice within two months. Because it is now narrated by my lovely friend Diane. Which a) is pretty cool and b) means that you too can now not only read this story on tor.com (see link further below) but can also listen to it here:
https://www.castofwonders.org/2021/11...
(Bios at around 2:15, the story starts at 5:30)
Original review:
While I enjoyed it, this short story is really just too short.
Meigan sets up a Little Free Library in her front yard and gets into a nice little exchange with what is supposedly one of her neighbors. For every book the mysterious stranger takes they leave not another book but some little piece of art. Later an exchange of short notes begins and then things start to get a little weird.
Clearly a story that speaks to bibliophile people, I found this rather charming and toyed with the idea of building one of those Little Free Libraries myself. Unfortunately both this and the story itself came to an abrupt and disappointing end before anything substantial happened.
Alas. 3 stars ... just.
Can be read for free here:
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little...
2021 Hugo finalist for Best Short Story.________________
2021 Hugo Award Finalists
Best Novel
•
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
•
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
•
Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
•
Network Effect by Martha Wells
•
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
•
The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal
Best Novella
•
Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire
•
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
•
Finna by Nino Cipri
•
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
•
Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi
•
Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey
Best Novelette
•
Burn or the Episodic Life of Sam Wells as a Super by A.T. Greenblatt (
Uncanny Magazine Issue 34: May/June 2020)
•
I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall (Clarkesworld, January 2020)
• The Inaccessibility of Heaven by Aliette de Bodard (
Uncanny Magazine Issue 35: July/August 2020)
•
Monster by Naomi Kritzer (
Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 160)
• The Pill by Meg Elison (from
Big Girl)
•
Two Truths and a Lie by Sarah Pinsker (Tor.com)
Best Short Story
•
Badass Moms in the Zombie Apocalypse by Rae Carson (
Uncanny Magazine Issue 32: January/February 2020)
•
A Guide For Working Breeds by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Made to Order: Robots and Revolution, Solaris)
•
Little Free Library by Naomi Kritzer (Tor. com)
•
The Mermaid Astronaut by Yoon Ha Lee (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, February 2020)
•
Metal Like Blood in the Dark by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine, September/October 2020)
•
Open House on Haunted Hill by John Wiswell (Diabolical Plots 6/15/20)
Best Series
• The Daevabad Trilogy by
S.A. Chakraborty
• The Interdependency by
John Scalzi
• The Lady Astronaut Universe by
Mary Robinette Kowal
• The Murderbot Diaries by
Martha Wells
• October Daye by
Seanan McGuire
• The Poppy War by
R.F. Kuang
Best Graphic Story or Comic
•
Die, Vol. 2: Split the Party, written by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans, letters by Clayton Cowles
•
Ghost-Spider, Vol. 1: Dog Days Are Over, written by Seanan McGuire, art by Takeshi Miyazawa and Rosi Kämpe
•
Invisible Kingdom, Vol. 2: Edge of Everything, written by G. Willow Wilson, art by Christian Ward
•
Monstress, Vol. 5: Warchild, written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda
•
Once & Future, Vol. 1: The King is Undead, written by Kieron Gillen, iIllustrated by Dan Mora, colored by Tamra Bonvillain, lettered by Ed Dukeshire
•
Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, written by Octavia Butler, adapted by Damian Duffy, illustrated by John Jennings -
This is a cute and charming story about a quite unexpected connection formed through a front yard ‘little free library’. The best part of it was the overdrive my imagination went in trying to picture what happens next.
Short and sweet. 3.5 stars.
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little...
———————
My Hugo and Nebula Awards Reading Project 2021:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... -
"We have begun constructing a ballista, in secret. Please send me more books."
Yes, you do want to read it. -
Charming and whimisical. Another fairy tale for bibliophiles. If you've ever given out books and like to imagine they'll be enjoyed and of use, this story is for you.
-
Short story about a woman setting a
Little Free Library and an interesting borrower. I got enthralled by the story while reading it.
But... What happen next?
too short :(
Here in
Tor -
This was a cool little story about one of those boxes called Little Free Libraries where you take a book but, ideally, leave another one in its stead.
Meighan builds such a library box and puts it outside her house. Then, one day, someone starts taking books and leaving trinkets for her. Eventually, some notes are also exchanged and something tells "the librarian" that this is not just a creative joke/game by a neighbor.
Nothing exceptional and the ending was indeed a little frustrating (indeed, the story would have profited from having a bit more flesh on its bones so to speak), but the story was definitely intriguing - and not just because of the nods to great authors such as Terry Pratchett though that helped of course. ;)
You can read the story for free here:
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little... -
I read this because of
Tadiana’s review and link.
This short story takes something that seems pretty normal and boring by now -- there are a good number of little free libraries scattered across my town, and they're well-used, with good turnover in the books available -- and turns it into a mystery.
The events start off seeming a bit fluffy (an apparently eccentric neighbor is taking books but leaving handicrafts and notes), but take on a dark aspect by the end of the story. And I admire the "uh, what now?" open ending.
This is a quick, gripping read and definitely worth checking out. -
Little front yard libraries have popped up throughout the United States and they are a joy to behold. Given my huge book collection, I have never taken or exchanged any books but have instead admired the craftsmanship involved. Some folks really get involved with the presentation and/or the specific items.
So it’s an optimal time for a fantastical
Tor short story from Naomi Kritzer to bring these embassies of goodwill to light.
Meigan is a Little Free Librarian, having built her book hutch from a kit. The thrill it brings her to see books taken or added makes her feel part of her new neighborhood. But one day she wakes to find every single book is gone with none added in return. She leaves a polite note to explain how it works and starts getting daily gifts in return. A hand-carved whistle. A metal snake figurine. A bird’s feather of unknown origin. A safety pin.
Notes have also appeared for Meigan asking for more adventures of Frodo the Hobbit. When she supplies the full LOTR series, more notes follow, explaining the need to avenge the reader’s “queen”. My word, what has Meigan gotten herself into and who, exactly, is this reader?
This short story simply isn’t long enough although it obeys the rule of leaving me asking for more. More! I want to know what happens to the final gift for Meigan and what her future adventures will be. More! More! More!
“Dear Naomi Kritzer, please write a complete novel concerning Meigan’s Little Free Library. I would be ever so grateful. Thank you.” There, that should do it.
Book Season = Spring (keep the eggs warm) -
Oops! I thought I had already reviewed this one! I read this lovely little story because I had been asked to narrate it for The Cast of Wonders podcast (Escape Artists). It’s a sweet little story of a woman who builds and lovingly decorates a Little Free Library (TM), stocks it with books and starts corresponding with one of its patrons. But it quickly becomes clear that this is not your average patron. The story ends rather abruptly and without resolution, but I kind of like that about it. It leaves everything to your imagination.
It had been nominated for the Hugo Award.
The show is about 25 minutes long with an extended plug for a new book right at the very start. Don’t get discouraged, just carry on or skip to the 2’15” mark to hear our bios and then the story:
https://www.castofwonders.org/2021/11... -
12 pages
Sweet book about a woman who makes a "small" library similar to that of a window box outside her door. A mysterious person begins to use this library. Who is it?
A totally feel good book, as someone wrote below. -
This makes me want to build a little free library in my town which doesn't even have a single bookstore.
Also this has Lord of the Rings. -
I have a Little Free Library that my husband and children made for a birthday present. I love it more than I have any right to. Over the last year especially, working from home because of Covid, I have watched many, many people use it.
There is an elderly couple that agonizes over one book each, every single week, so much so that I called out the window that I would gladly find what they wanted and leave it for next week. They repaid me with a bag of oranges from their tree.
A lot of small children walk with their parents and look forward to trading one book for another when they pass my house. I also have an aviary and a parrot and they often call, from the Library, "Elsie, Elise come out!" They sometimes walk up to the window of my home office to show me a Star Wars book they are leaving because they know I love them.
In other words, there is a small community around my Little Free Library and I feel like its steward. This story touched me in a very personal way because of that. -
Once again, delightfully charming. Definitely keeping an eye out for more of Naomi Kritzer's work!
-
This was a pretty good read about a girl named Meigan who created a little free book library and her correspondence with a mysterious book borrower who she befriends. Check this fantasy short story out here at this link and enjoy!
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little... -
Cute.
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little... -
4,5 / 5
Nominada tanto a los premios Hugo como Locus, Naomi Kritzer construye una preciosa historia sobre un concepto como las bibliotecas gratuitas, que resulta tan ajeno a nosotros, pero cuya cultura tiene largo recorrido en otros países. El relato, disponible de forma gratuita en Tor y traducido al castellano por Marcheto en la revista Supersonic nº16, cuenta como Meigan decide montar su nido de libros particular, lo que la lleva a desarrollar una amistad inesperada con un desconocido que le deja extraños objetos a cambio de sus libros. Una historia sobre libros y portales mágicos a otros mundos repleta de referencias literarias y cierto aire conmovedor, pero que deja un final abierto con muchas ganas de saber que pasará después. Ojalá Naomi se anime a continuar esta historia. -
This was such a fun magical and mysterious tale! I really enjoyed it and I love the creativity of the author to write a fantasy story surrounding a Little Free Library (which are just the most awesome things, though sadly I would love to see more English books or children's book in the ones I visit). I loved the items she got and the ending had me delighted. I am quite curious and would definitely like another story!
-
I LOVED this Tor.com short about a mysterious book borrower and the even more mysterious gifts left in exchange.
Highly recommended!
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little... -
Wonderful short story.
I want a sequel!
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little... -
3.5 Charming as all get-out, the kind of story that reminds me of how fantasy made me feel as a kid: like just around the corner something strange and amazing might await.
-
Meigan moves into a small neighbourhood where she is happy to discover a little free library just a couple steps away from her house. Having left no space on her bookshelves, she decides to put some of her old books there, to give them the opportunity to find a new home and be loved.
One day, she finds all of the books she had put there the night before, missing, which is against the library's rules. And the next time she goes there, she finds a carved wistle along with an apology note and the request to add more books.
She is immediatel intrigued by the prospect of developing a connection to one of the neighbours through the power of books, so she keeps adding new titles. And she receives more small gifts and notes.
Until one day, she receives news about an upcoming war and a 'thank you' note for her help...
My thoughts.
As a bookworm who loves traveling to imaginary worlds through reading, the story about a small library being a portal to another world, sounds fascinating to me.
You could say that
Little Free Library tries to pay homage to libraries, to reading and to books themselves, and I think that, if you take into consideration what it is, it does it quite decently.
My only, let's say complain, is that this story, even though it is very easy and quick to read, it's also very small and it is over before any real development or action takes place. But I still think there is potential to
Naomi Kritzer 's writing.
If you made it so far, congratulations!
'Til next time, take care :) :) :) -
OK SO I NEED THIS TO BE A FULL-LENGTH NOVEL
Also, this was coincidentally the second
Naomi Kritzer short story I've read this week, and I really liked both of them. (The other was called "The Thing About Ghost Stories," where an academic folklorist collecting ghost stories comes to terms with her mother’s gradual decline due to Alzheimer’s.)
In other words, I need to give her longer works a try ASAP!! -
Story link:
https://www.tor.com/2020/04/08/little...
Clever short story about just what it says, and really, you don't need to know anything more. But it comes to an abrupt, unsatisfying ending! Weak 3 stars. A little disappointing, from one of my favorite new writers. -
A lovely short story that was in fact too short but I enjoyed it all the same. It has a mysterious and eerie feel to it. Now, all I can think of is what happens when the egg hatches and when would the egg hatch? Years, months, weeks or days!
I need more.
4 stars
