Meet the Founder
Started by a student. Built by a community.
Hi! I'm a high school sophomore, and the idea for Book Trails came from something very personal — my grandfather's love of reading and walking.
The library isn't close enough to be part of his everyday route, so I started wondering: what if finding your next book could happen along the walk you were already taking? That question turned into Book Trails.
What started with one box has now grown to 15+ hand-painted book boxes across six Bay Area cities, thanks to families, hosts, donors, volunteers, and community partners who believed in the idea and helped carry it forward.
Book Trails is still very much a community effort. My parents and family contribute volunteer hours alongside me — helping with painting, preparing boxes, transportation, installations, book collection, and ongoing maintenance. A lot of what keeps Book Trails moving happens behind the scenes.
What began with one student-led project and one neighborhood box has grown into 15+ hand-painted boxes across six Bay Area cities — each inspired by art, folk traditions, and landscapes from around the world, bringing a little of the world along your walk.
Watching neighbors stop, discover a new read, donate books, volunteer, and ask to bring Book Trails into their own communities has been the coolest part of building this.
We're still just getting started — one box, one neighborhood, and one community at a time.
