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Like Laura, Melissa Hart found refuge, safety, and a sense of freedom in books that was missing in her childhood. She and Laura connected because of a shared love of books and the idea that \u201cbooks make me feel rich.\u201d\xa0 \xa0 Laura reached out to Melissa after reading an essay Melissa submitted to\xa0Real Simple\xa0magazine about building a\xa0Little Free Library\xa0in her yard in Oregon. Laura has always loved seeing them, and sometimes longs for one of her own, so when she saw an opportunity to connect with someone who had built one, a great conversation was soon in the works!\xa0 \xa0 As the conversation flows, Melissa introduces the idea of Bibliotherapy \u2013 using books in an intentional way for connection, recognition, healing, and understanding. She first learned of the concept in an independent bookstore that arranged its books by topic rather than author, so readers could quickly find stories that resonated with their personal experiences and allowed them to feel seen, heard, understood.\xa0 \xa0 Melissa decided to try it in a more intense way when her adopted daughter was struggling in school. She had experienced significant loss in her young life and was not settling in at school, so Melissa rearranged her life to be able to home school with a curriculum built around literature.\xa0 \xa0 Then one day, she saw a Little Free Library in a park and was mesmerized! Loving the generosity of it \u2013 \u201cTake a book! Leave a book!\u201d \u2013 she knew she wanted one of her own. So, as a family, they built one, using old windows from their house, and placed it in their yard.\xa0 \xa0 \u201cIt\u2019s always a great surprise,\u201d she explained. \u201cYou never know what you\u2019ll find in it\u2026\u201d As people are taking and leaving new books and magazines frequently. It\u2019s become yet another connection and bonding opportunity for their close-knit neighborhood. And Melissa has even come to planning her daily runs to ensure she passes other neighborhood libraries, often using it as an opportunity to exchange books from one to another, ensuring an ongoing mix and variety in what\u2019s available.\xa0 \xa0 As for Melissa\u2019s daughter, Bibliotherapy has proven to be a powerful healing tool\u2026 Perhaps it\u2019s something you might find solace and healing in, as well.\xa0 \xa0 Listen in as Melissa and Laura discuss the power of books and share some of their favorites, then share your thoughts:\xa0 Melissa\xa0On Facebook Melissa Online Instagram and Twitter @WildMelissaHart \xa0 Melissa\u2019s Bio Melissa Hart is Contributing Editor at\xa0The Writer Magazine\xa0and author of\xa0Better with Books: 500 Diverse Novels to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens\xa0(Sasquatch, 2019), plus the award-winning middle-grade novel\xa0Avenging the Owl\xa0(Sky Pony, 2016). Her essays have appeared in\xa0Real Simple, Woman's Day, Spirituality & Health, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, Working Mother, and numerous other publications. She lives in Oregon with her husband and daughter, five chickens, three cats, and one very patient terrier.\xa0