Where It All Began
Before there was Charlie's Bookshelf, there was storytime. Pictured: Charlie as a baby during one of many storytimes.
Where It All Began
Every night, Melissa read to her son Charlie. Three books minimum. Five if he asked for more.
By the time Charlie turned five, the love for stories hadn't slowed down. The books, though, had taken over everything.
She wanted a better way. Books they chose that arrived ready to be loved, stayed as long as they needed to, and moved on when the next adventure was calling — with the ones Charlie couldn't let go of staying on his forever shelf.
She looked for that service. It didn't exist. So she built it.
Welcome to Charlie's Bookshelf.
Charlie is 7 now. When his mom read him this page, he had two things to add: “The love for reading is still there” and “You're never too old for reading.” We couldn't agree more.
The story behind
Charlie's Bookshelf Teddy
Our founder's son, Charlie, had one request from the start.
He had a small teddy he carried everywhere and he wanted every child to have one as well. So every first box includes a welcome teddy — a small companion to keep.
From time to time, members may discover a small surprise tucked into their box — a quiet nod to the joy of shared reading.