A woman’s kind gesture after discovering that all the children’s books had been taken from the local free library has left the internet fighting back tears.
Jessica Upham, a preschool teacher from West Babylon, New York, takes a walk each morning and always passes the free library, a wooden box filled with books for all ages that local residents can take from and donate to.
It’s a wonderful idea to encourage people to read something new without paying a dime, as Upham, 49, told Newsweek that it’s “a popular spot for the kids.” Unfortunately, during one morning stroll, she noticed a sign saying that “someone took all the kids’ books” and there were none left.
This broke Upham’s heart, and she hated the thought of it being empty. She didn’t hesitate to come to the rescue by going back home and stocking up on some books she had lying around and replenishing the front-yard library with them.
The local front yard library that Jessica Upham passes on her morning walk. The note explained that someone had taken all the children’s books and there were none left.
@itshippychick / TikTok
“I felt bad for our little neighbors who might have been looking forward to picking a book to read and finding it empty,” she said. “I’m a preschool teacher and I rotate my classroom library, so I had many spare books at home.
“I always pass that little library, and it makes me smile. It made me feel so good to help out. I tell my students all the time that doing good deeds feels good too.”
Upham posted a video of the moment she restocked the free library on TikTok (@itshippychick) and the clip instantly went viral. It has already gained more than 918,500 views and over 47,700 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
Social media users have hailed Upham for her generous act, but she says it was only a small deed on her part that could make a world of difference to somebody else.
“A gesture doesn’t have to be big to make a difference. I didn’t rescue a cat from a tree or put out a fire, I just shared a little kindness. When more people share a little, it goes a long way,” Upham continued.
When Upham posted the video on TikTok, she certainly wasn’t expecting such an overwhelming reaction, but she’s been delighted by the response so far. Many people are fascinated by the selection of books she donated, with some recalling them from their own childhood memories.
Now, after seeing the impact that a small gesture can have, Upham hopes it will encourage others to carry out a small act of kindness when they can. She said it “wasn’t some huge thing” for her, it was simply “a nice thing.”
She told Newsweek: “I had a pretty big reaction to one book in particular that a few people said that was their favorite childhood book, it was one of the word window books from [author Jane Belk] Moncure. It feels amazing that people are responding to the video, and I hope it will inspire others to do something nice too.”
The viral video has already gained over 470 comments on TikTok, as people praised Upham for her generosity.
One comment reads: “You’re such a kind and lovely person.”
Another TikToker wrote: “These are awesome things for the neighborhoods. Wish people would respect it and leave them alone.”
“I like to think that some excited kids came by and told all their friends,” one person added.
While another commenter responded: “This is what community looks like. We all have the power to impact our communities.”
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