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
Got some incredible @elockhartbooks for our Lit Boxes. Everyone loves a great, twisty thriller!!
#thebooktruck #bookstagram #wewereliars
We just received hundreds of the AFTER series from the wonderful @annatodd thanks to @bookwormglobal !!! Can't wait to start putting them in Lit Boxes!!!
#thebooktruck #bookstagram #afterwecollided
We want to start the new year by sending a big THANK YOU to the Book Truck’s fairy godmother, the wonderful @cornelia.funke.official !!! Our teens love the Reckless series as well as Pan’s Labyrinth!! Wishing everyone a year of great books!
#happynewyear #bookstagram
Delivered Lit Boxes for students at Poly PAAL, another great dropout recovery high school. Happy Holidays and Happy Reading to all!!!
#thebooktruck #happyholidays #bookstagram
Brought Lit Boxes for foster teens at the amazing @wayfinderfamily !
#thebooktruck #literacy #bookstagram
Bringing Lit Boxes to two great dropout recovery high schools, Beach and Reid High.
#literacymatters #thebooktruck #bookstagram
Our readers came through with flying colors for our 4th Annual Read-a-thon!! Thank you to all who donated, fundraised, and participated! It was our most successful Read-a-Thon yet and we couldn’t have done it without you.
#thebooktruck #readathon #bookstagram
HUGE thank you to the amazing businesses who have continued to support our Read-a-thon by donating AMAZING prizes for some of our lucky readers!!
@outofprint @frostbeardmpls @owlcrate @cbwchildrensbooks - We can’t thank you enough!!
Prize drawings will be at the top of every hour from 10am-3pm on Saturday 12/6.
#thebooktruck #readathon #bookstagram
This Giving Tuesday, please support literacy for homeless, foster care, and underserved teens and donate to our annual read-a-thon. Link in bio.
#thebooktruck #bookstagram #nationalgivingtuesday #literacymatters
It’s time for our annual read-a-thon! It's been a tough year for the teens we serve, and we are so proud that we have been able to continue bringing books and literacy materials to homeless, foster care, and low-income teens throughout LA county. Please help us support these teens by donating. See link in our bio.
#thebooktruck #readathon2020 #bookstagram
Here’s to all the books that transport us!
#readyplayerone #thebooktruck #nonprofit
Here’s to all the scary books we love. Happy Halloween!
#thebooktruck #halloween #spooky
One of our favorite series on the truck!
#scythe #neilschusterman #thebooktruck
Comics are in huge demand!! We cannot thank @bnwcomics and their customers enough for the amazing comic book drives! ❤️
#thebooktruck #comics #nonprofit
Hoping to learn more this week in honor of Indigenous People’s Day? Check out these titles!
#indigenouspeoplesday #indegenouslivesmatter #thebooktruck
Huge thank you to Councilmember @mikeboninla for connecting us with the Mar Vista Gardens Jack and Cindy Jones Youth Center - operated by the Boys and Girls Club. Excited to drop off Lit Boxes for their teens!! Books from this drop also went to our long time partner @safeplaceforyouth serving homeless youth in Venice.
“Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.” -Laurie Halse Anderson
#bannedbooksweek #bookstagram #thebooktruck
The Belles series by @brownbookworm is a favorite on the Truck! “Hard to stop reading!” “If you like Uglies by Scott Westerfield, you'll love this!”
#thebooktruck #thebelles #bookstagram
Amazing book drive by @nlyminc Mid Valley Chapter!!! Over 550 brand new books directly from our wishlist!! These will have an incredible impact. Can’t wait to get them into our next round of Lit Boxes!
#thebooktruck #bookstagram #nationalleagueofyoungmen
So great to continue working with the amazing college access and success program @determinedtosucceedla !
#thebooktruck #teenliteracy