Dylan Bencosme opened the door to a hunter green box, reached inside and found treasure: a book entitled “Wellspring of Magic.”
Written by Jan Fields, it’s about six girls who open a secret door to adventure.
Which is kind of what
happens when Dylan opens the door to the Little Free Library in Picnic Park West.
The 6-year-old has discovered books by Dr. Seuss and another about a lion in the collection that users donate to and others borrow from, at no charge.
“I love to read about animals,” Dylan said on Oct. 23.
His mother Zidalia Bencosme loves that her son is a reader.
She called the Little Free Library near the playground in the park, at 15151 Montrose Rd., a “great” initiative for kids.
“After they have finished playing, they can grab a book, and they know they have to bring it back when they are finished,” Bencosme said.
The charming library is one of Miami Lakes’ longtime, best kept secrets.
Dottie Wix, a Miami Lakes resident of three decades and a member of the town’s Elderly Affairs Committee, said residents have been donating their books for years to the Mary Collins Community Center.
At some point, someone built the Little Free Library that stands on a post in the park, Wix said.
“The elderly residents who take part in the classes at the center would bring their books from home and put them inside,” she said.
The Little Free Library has a couple of advantages over the public library: readers can take a book home, return it and pick up another title without having to check out, or to be mindful of a due date or fines.
And then there is the element of surprise. One never knows what special stories might be found inside.
Recently, the town council and especially Councilman Jeffrey Rodriguez adopted the Little Free Library to promote reading.
“Thank you for being the champion for literacy in our community,” said Councilman Carlos Alvarez told Rodriguez in a video the council posted on Facebook.