What We Do
Teen Lit Boxes, Teen Lit Centers, and Teen Literacy Events across Los Angeles.
Teen Lit Boxes
Since the Covid-19 crisis began, there has been a demand for books now more than ever. Though our in-person events have been put on hold, we started an exciting new programming initiative called Lit Boxes. Our Lit Boxes are filled with high-interest books and literacy materials, and are being delivered to foster care, homeless, and low-income service organizations. They are our Lit Centers in a box, which means they are peer-driven and interactive! Every box is carefully curated for each individual site so no two boxes are alike. Our Lit Boxes remove the barriers to reading so that even the most reluctant reader picks up a book.
Learn more by contacting us.
Teen Lit Centers
Our Lit Centers are housed at facilities and schools that serve foster care, homeless, and low-income teens. They are equipped with literacy materials and a complete giveaway library. We utilize trained peer facilitators to maintain these centers so they remain relevant and accessible to the teens we serve. As always, we give books with a “no strings attached” policy. Because our goal is to get books into the community, kids are welcome to return and exchange books from the collection, share them with peers in their neighborhood, or keep them for themselves.
Teen Literacy Events
While currently on hold due to Covid-19, we look forward to when our Literacy Events will resume. The Book Truck holds Literacy Events throughout Los Angeles and every year, we give thousands of books to teens in underserved communities. We bring our truck to events at high schools and teen service organizations all over the city. The Book Truck also plans special visits to larger youth resource fairs such as YALLWEST Book Festival and United Friends of the Children’s College Within Reach. Our Literacy Events are staffed by trained teen volunteers who come from all across LA, including from the communities we serve.
If you are interested in inviting The Book Truck to your school or organization’s event, apply online.
What our teens are saying.
“I think reading is important because it expands our minds and gives us a new perspective on life. It also helps us forget about our problems and have a good educational experience.”
-Ishmael
“It helps me imagine things that take me out of reality. Read to Dream.”
-Desiree
“Reading is important because it’s another world you can escape to. I read so that I can stay away from drugs.”
-Savanah
So happy we got to provide books to former foster youth with Extraordinary Families before the holidays!!
#thebooktruck #bookstagram #losangeles
Excited to keep Poly PAAL students busy with wonderful books over the holiday break! Happy holidays and happy reading everyone! Another thanks to @lbcommunityfdn !
#reading #thebooktruck #happyholidays
Dropping off books to youth @linchousing for the holidays!! Thanks to the amazing @lbcommunityfdn !
#thebooktruck #bookstagram #reading
Thank you for another amazing Readathon! Your participation and donations go a long way in helping us bring books and literacy to the incredible teens we serve!
#thebooktruck #bookstagram #reading
Six lucky readers have a chance to win one of these amazing prizes!!! 3 prize packs from @outofprint and 3 @owlcrate boxes 😍😍😍 HUGE thank you to @outofprint and @owlcrate for being such incredible partners in sponsoring these prizes for the last 5 years!! Drawings at the top of every hour during the READ-A-THON, 10am-3pm this Sunday! 📚
#thebooktruck #readathon #bookstagram
Happy Giving Tuesday! Help us spread literacy to underserved teens in LA County by donating through the link in our bio!
#thebooktruck #givingtuesday #nonprofit
We had a great time collaborating with Long Beach Blast on an event for their students at Reid High!! Sending a big THANK YOU to the Long Beach Community Foundation for making this possible!
#thebooktruck #bookstagram
It’s the perfect time of year for some spooky scary reads. Happy Halloween to all our readers! 🎃 📚
#thebooktruck #halloween #bookstagram
Getting books ready for an upcoming event with Long Beach Blast thanks to LBCF!!! 📚
#thebooktruck #longbeach #bookstagram
Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage month with us by checking out these amazing authors!!
#nationalhispanicheritagemonth #hispanicheritagemonth #thebooktruck
Getting ready for another at-home book sort! Thank you to our awesome volunteers!!!!
#thebooktruck #bookstagram
Had a great time at UCLA Volunteer Day 2021!!
#thebooktruck #bookstagram #bookdrive
Prepping boxes for the teens visiting H. Claude Hudson Comprehensive Health Center in downtown LA!! Most requested genres - fantasy and otherworld romance 🐉 🖤
#thebooktruck #bookstagram #readersofinstagram
Getting ready to load the truck with some page-turning Fantasy books!
#fantasybooks #thebooktruck #october
One of our favorite series on the truck right now!
#bookstagram #reading #yanovels
Happy Labor Day weekend! What are you reading?
#thebooktruck #labordayweekend #bookstagram
Take a peek inside The Book Truck’s HQ at The LBCF Nonprofit Center!!! @lbcommunityfdn
#thebooktruck #bookstagram
Looking to find your favorite/s genres? Start Here!
#thebooktruck #bookstagram #bibliophile
Check out @writersforrights ! They publish a literary magazine and the most recent issue focuses on literacy. They have been amazingly generous in partnering with us for a book drive. Sending a big thank you for their efforts to get the word out!!!
#thebooktruck #bookstagram
Here's a throwback to one our Literacy Events 📚❤ We miss seeing everyone in person, but we're excited that our Lit Boxes are still getting books to teens who need them!
#thebooktruck #literacy #bookstagram
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