As part of the iconic brand’s 90th birthday celebrations, eighteen Little Book Stops will be installed in the North West including one on Liverpool’s Waterfront! 

Penguin Books has today announced the locations of their Little Book Stops across the North West, which will be installed throughout September. This follows over 2000 submissions, from Shetland to Cornwall, from members of the public for a community book sharing box in their local area.

The 90 Little Book Stops campaign forms part of the brand’s ongoing 90th birthday celebrations, and is run in partnership with Little Free Library, the US-based non-profit that has overseen the installation of more than 200,000 neighbourhood book exchange boxes globally since 2009. 

A local steward has been appointed to maintain each Little Book Stop, which will run on a ‘give a book, take a book’ concept and promote community-led book sharing.  The Little Book Stops initiative is designed to celebrate individuals across the UK who champion reading, support more people to easily access books, and help book lovers to find their next read.

The Little Book Stop itself features a bespoke Penguin design and has been installed with an initial curation of children’s and adult books, specially selected to celebrate 90 years of Penguin publishing. These include: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox & The Horse by Charlie Mackesey, Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo, Look Up! by Nathan Bryon & Dapo Adeola and The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson.  

Book Stop Locations in the North West*

  • Friends of Bedford Park, Birkdale, Southport, PR8 4JE: Since the village library closed in the early 2010s, the Little Book Stop steward in Birkdale feels the ‘spontaneous aspect of reading has been lost.’ They’ve chosen to bring a Little Book Stop to Bedford Park – a volunteer run greenspace which is being restored, including reinstating a bowling grown, pitching green and boules pit. The Little Book Stop will build on the  nformal book swap that currently runs from the rangers hut but it is only open temporarily.
  • Banks, Brampton, CA8 2JH : The Little Book Stop will be hosted on the village green, on the famous Hadrian’s Wall Path which 10,000 people visit annually. The steward hopes it will create a local meeting place that goes a small way to making people feel less lonely and isolated.
  • Heald Green, Stockport, SK8 3NR: The steward hopes that their Little Book Stop ‘would be a quiet revolution for our area.’
  • The Emily Davison Centre, Accrington, BB5 0DW  
  • Oyez Arts, Altrincham WA14 1PF 
  • Arnside, Carnforth LA5 0EJ 
  • Barrow BID, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 1HZ 
  • Oldham, OL8 4JB 
  • Magenta Living, Birkenhead, Liverpool, CH41 7DZ  
  • Liverpool BID Company, Liverpool, L3 1DG  
  • Liverpool, L8 7ST 
  • Grindleton, Clitheroe, BB7 4QE  
  • Duddon, CW6 0EL 
  • Manchester, M46 0GA  
  • Barton, Preston, PR3 5AS 
  • YMCA, Manchester, M16 8PJ  
  • Keasden, Lancaster, LA2 8DS  
  • Aldingham Parish Council, Newbiggin, Ulverston LA12 0RH 

* Potential media opportunities can be arranged on discussion.

Rebecca Sinclair, Chief Brand Officer at Penguin Books, said:

“We were delighted to have received so many applications for 90 Little Book Stops– it was difficult to select the final locations. Books and reading are a great way to build connections and create communities, and the sheer amount of interest we received shows just how much people are looking for this. We’re excited to see the impact the Little Book Stops have on the local communities selected”. 

Daniel Gumnit, Chief Executive Officer at Little Free Library, said:

“It’s a privilege to join Penguin Books in celebrating their 90th anniversary by introducing 90 Little Book Stop boxes across the UK. At Little Free Library, we believe stories belong to everyone. These new book-sharing boxes will spark curiosity, bring neighbors together, and make books more accessible in the communities where they’re needed most. We’re honored to welcome these new locations into our worldwide network.”   

Bill Addy from the Liverpool BID Company said:

“We are so delighted to be hosting a Little Book Shop and it will be such a colourful and popular addition to the city. Our famous waterfront is such a beautiful spot to spend some time, to daydream and enjoy the best of Liverpool so it’s an ideal place for it. It’s part of our remit to animate the city centre and we’re confident that a community book sharing project will inspire curiosity and bring people together as they share their favourite books”. 

90 Little Book Stops across the UK  

The location of the 90 Little Books Stops have been carefully selected following an open application process and span every region across the UK, from rural locations to inner cities. A full list will be revealed throughout September via this link:

https://www.penguin.co.uk/discover/campaigns/90-little-book-stops

Some notable Book Stops are below. Potential media opportunities can be arranged on discussion. 

  • Ferryside, Carmarthenshire – Ferryside lifeboat: This Little Book Stop will be supported by the independent lifeboat service which has been running in Ferryside since 1835 and is staffed entirely by volunteers.
  • Isle of Iona, Inner Hebrides – Iona Village Hall Community Trust – A village hall on Isle of Iona which is a ferry ride and long car journey from the nearest library. In 6th century of Columba’s time, manuscripts were penned and illustrated on Iona then carried by monks to Ireland and elsewhere, showing the Island’s long literary history. The Little Book Stop will be looked after by a retired librarian.  
  • John O’Groats, Caithness – John O’Groats Development Trust – The Little Book Stop will be hosted at the John O’Groats sign on tip of north coast. The nearest library is 17 miles away. This is an increasingly busy tourist spot since introduction of North Coast 500 driving route.  
  • Walls Shetland Island, Sally Huband – This Little Book Stop will be hosted in a Penguin author’s private garden, opposite the pier which takes people to the remote island of Foula. Sally won the Highland Book Prize for her novel which is partially based on Foula. The nearest library is 25 miles away and a library van visits once a month. 
  • Worthing South East, Friends of Homefield Park, Homefield Park: 15 volunteers help look after Homefield Park and are developing a small community sensory garden called The Haven. Located next to Worthing Hospital, it is hoped the Little Book Stop is a positive addition to creating a calm and restful place where patients and families can take a moment for themselves.
  • Shrewsbury Town Football Club, Shrewsbury, West Midlands: Shrewsbury Town Foundation, part of Shrewsbury Town Football Club, have applied for a Little Book Stop to celebrate Reuben – a young adult with Down’s Syndrome who has been volunteering across the foundation’s programmes since 2017. He has just opened a second-hand bookshop in a nearby town, and so this Little Book Stop aims to honour his love of books which he enjoys sharing with others.
  • Belfast City Council, Belfast: This Little Book Stop will support the collaboration between Belfast City Council and Friends of the Field that aims to bring a climate friendly community garden to Belfast’s Botanic Gardens. They hope their Little Book Stop will demonstrate what a local sharing economy can look like and plan to run year-round events for young people so the Little Book Stop inspires the next generation of readers to enjoy nature and books together.

About Penguin Books 

 Since 1935, Penguin Books has been at the heart of the stories and ideas that shape the world around us. 

 Our journey started with a simple, but controversial idea. That quality literature should cost no more than “a ten-pack of cigarettes”. Despite scepticism from publishers and booksellers, our founder, Allen Lane, was proved right. Within a year, three million Penguins had made it to readers’ shelves. 

 From the first ten paperbacks with their iconic triband design, to the bedtime stories, cookbooks, classics and thrillers you enjoy today, our authors and books have always been there in the moment, defining culture and helping us make sense of the world. 

 Throughout the decades, we have connected people to books they love and treasure, books that spark ideas and spark joy, and books that fuel laughter and arguments. From wars and the welfare state, through punk and psychedelia, to free speech and fantasy, Penguin has been a companion across countless movements, trends and tastes for generations of readers. 

 We’re celebrating our 90th birthday and our mission remains the same. Penguin makes books for everyone. Because a book can change anyone. 

  

About Little Free Library 

 Little Free Library® (LFL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that builds community, inspires readers and expands book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book-sharing boxes. There are more than 200,000 registered Little Free Libraries worldwide in all 50 United States, in 128 countries and on all seven continents. Through them, over 400 million books have been shared since 2009. LFL received the 2020 World Literacy Award as well as honors from the Library of Congress, National Book Foundation and others. The organization grants Little Free Libraries full of books to underserved areas through its Impact Library and Indigenous Library programs and champions diverse books through its Read in Color initiative. To learn more, visit LittleFreeLibrary.org.