The Novel Neighbor bookstore created our nonprofit, the Noble Neighbor, in 2019 to bring free books and author visits to systemically underserved schools and students across the St. Louis region. The Noble Neighbor’s mission is deeply rooted in educational equity: we believe ALL kids deserve access to books and the love of reading, no matter the income level of their families. With support from our donors and community, the Noble Neighbor gave 3,548 kids a free book during the 2021-22 school year, and we connected those kids with 16 different authors!
Our Mission
The Noble Neighbor brings books and the authors who wrote them to underserved St. Louis area schools to empower kids and promote equity in education—because all children deserve access to knowledge and inspiration!
Our Story
The Novel Neighbor bookstore began bringing authors to St. Louis area schools in 2015 and saw firsthand how meeting an author inspires a love of reading in kids and encourages kids’ own writing and creative expression!
Yet to many publishers, author visits only make economic sense when students can afford to buy books. This means that authors are often sent to schools that have greater access to resources.
When Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor came to St. Louis to promote her middle grade book, The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor, the Novel Neighbor secured a donation from a loyal customer so that copies of the book could be donated to a systemically underserved school. We did the same with Jason Reynolds, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature; Sylvia Acevedo, CEO of the Girl Scouts of America and former NASA scientist; and award-winning author/illustrator Christian Robinson. Our efforts grew organically from there.
The Noble Neighbor was created in early summer 2019, the Board of Directors was assembled, and non-profit 501(c)(3) status was secured in fall 2019. Our mission is simple and powerful: bring free books and the authors who wrote them to underserved schools across St. Louis—because access to books and literacy shouldn’t be limited by a family’s or school’s economic status.
With the help of supporters and community members, we held a kick-off event at the bookstore and hosted a sold-out Kid Lit trivia fundraiser in early 2020 to get the Noble Neighbor up and running! We were even featured in the Town and Style St. Louis weekly newspaper.
We had author events scheduled for the spring of 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic began. We quickly recalibrated, offering virtual visits and books to students who were learning virtually. In the 2020-21school year, we provided nearly 1,800 kids a new book and connected them with 14 authors in virtual school visits.
With the support of our donors, we have continued to grow and expand from there! We hosted our second Kid Lit Trivia event and gave 3,548 kids a new book during the 2021-22 school year. We also hosted 16 virtual author events, including with Nic Stone, Jordan Ifueko, Kwame Mbalia, Zetta Elliott, Doyin Richards, Kelly Yang, and Julian Randall.
As we continue to grow, we look forward to connecting more kids with more books and authors!
Rudine Sims Bishop’s Research:
A guiding principle for The Noble Neighbor
“Windows and Mirrors and Sliding Glass Doors: Ensuring Students See Themselves and Others in Literature.”
Dr. Bishop explains, “When there are enough books available that can act as both mirrors and windows for all our children, they will see we can celebrate both our differences and our similarities.”
Christina Soontornvat
Author“When children meet the author responsible for their favorite stories, they realize authors are human, too. This powerful experience demystifies the publishing process and helps children realize their own writing and stories matter just as much as the books sitting on their library shelves.”