Where do our books come from?

If we had a nickel for every time someone asked us where we get our books from, we’d be rich! Just kidding. But seriously, people have many opinions on the subject: some suggest we accept more donated, used books from the United States, while others just want to make sure we don’t order all our books on Amazon (rest easy - we don’t!). So, for all of you who are curious about where our books come from and why we chose this model, here’s the answer!

New, engaging books that found a home in José Ángel Ulloa Elementary School in February, 2025.

The answer is simple: our goal isn’t just to send books to Honduras. It’s to fill Honduran schools and classrooms with meaningful, high-quality stories that children will read and love for years to come.

While some of our books come from the U.S. and have been translated into Spanish, we work hard to source titles from various alliances with publishers, other nonprofits, or directly through a Honduran book importer who helps us bring in books from Spain and Latin America, including Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, giving students access to diverse and culturally relevant stories.

We’re also proud to support a growing number of Honduran authors. Honduran authors are creating stories that reflect local life and experiences. Representation is important; the more Honduran readers we inspire today with books from their culture, the more Honduran authors we’ll see tomorrow!

Here’s a new Honduran title that we added to our collection in 2025! It is a compilation of stories about nature and daily life here in Honduras.

Another question we hear often is why we prioritize sourcing new books. The lifetime of a book is limited: pages wear, bindings weaken, and tropical humidity takes its toll. By starting with new books, we can make sure they last as long as possible in our school libraries. Plus, there’s a special kind of pride and excitement for students and teachers when they open their brand-new books for the first time.

Buying books in bulk also makes a huge difference. When we purchase multiple copies of selected titles, our team can register, organize, and distribute books much faster and with more intentionality than sorting through a variety of single titles. This also helps us track the quantities of books we have at specific reading levels and the diversity of our book collection. Furthermore, we get incredible discounts, often at least 50% off, meaning each donated dollar goes further.

Finally, bulk purchasing allows us to consolidate shipping. Instead of sending a few boxes here and there, we pack several thousand books into giant boxes and ship them together twice a year from our St. Louis location to our office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. It takes 3-4 weeks for the books to arrive. This efficiency keeps our costs low and ensures that every dollar stretches toward getting more books into the hands of eager readers.

In short, we create libraries with thoughtfulness and intention to make them last. By sourcing new, relevant, and affordable titles in bulk, we maximize every donation and create a foundation for a stronger reading culture in Honduras.