'A living library’: Charlotte author works to encourage students to love reading

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte author is encouraging students to love reading and become their own libraries.

Author of The LiLi Ley, Kristi Cruise created the series of books to encourage readers to fall in love with reading. After finishing the first book, written for ages 4 to 14, readers become “LiLi’s," which is short for Living Libraries.

“We are pleased to launch the second edition of “The LiLi Key,” particularly during a time when traditional schooling has shifted to home, online and hybrid models,” Cruise said.

Students receive a LiLi Key necklace to encourage them to “unlock their reading powers.” Cruise said getting students involved with reading has been especially important right now, and that the program is helping children become more interested in books.

“They are reading, on average, 50% more per day. So the reading frequency is up 50% because they are identifying with being a living library,” she said.

Starting in September, the organization announced it was on a mission to donate books to those who can’t afford them. A bilingual version of the book has also been released in Spanish.

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Cox Media Group