Preschool teacher noticed someone took all books from ‘free library’—her response is rekindling kindness

We often don’t have control over mishaps and unfortunate scenarios. However, we have some freedom to respond to these situations in a way that heals, helps or offers hope. A preschool teacher, Jessica Upham (@itshippychick), offered her bit of light through her action after learning that kids’ books from a free library were all taken away. The woman was disheartened to see the shelf empty with a note on it and decided to do what she could to help ease the situation. Her response has people applauding her immensely and has become a generous reminder to be the positive light you hope to find. 

The preschool teacher enjoys her time with students and has documented them in her videos. Like any other teacher, apart from teaching subjects, her job also involves imparting values to kids to shape them into better human beings. This can’t be done without having those qualities in oneself first and Upham exhibited them beautifully. She revealed that she was on a walk in her neighborhood and came across the free library shelf. The facility standing on the sidewalk was intended for kids to pick books without a price, so they had no barriers when it came to learning and exploring. 

According to Newsweek, neighbors had come together and donated the books for the kids in the area to have access to. It was a “popular spot” for kids to collect and spend their time gaining knowledge and widening their imagination. Unfortunately, on one of the days that Upham passed by the box, she noticed that there was a note inside the shelf that read, “Sorry, last night someone took all the kids’ books. Will replenish soon.” As soon as Upham learned of the situation, she decided to help in the best way she could. "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.

The woman added that as a preschool teacher, she keeps rotating her classroom library and has spare books with her. She went back home and got a bag full of kids’ books and restocked the shelves. The video captured the preschool teacher stocking up on books about animals, storybooks and more. “Because they’re nice enough to do this,” she said as she added the books one at a time. “That’s a start,” Upham noted, having filled up nearly half the shelf. This simple act became a great way to teach her students to be kind and generous. "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,” she explained.

The woman has since received much praise for her simple act. @chickenwiingbr said, “I like to think that some excited kids came by and told all their friends.” @o0.voidvibes0o added, “I love that you did this.” It pushed her to learn something important. "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 said. She added that she hopes that her simple kindness will inspire others to do their best in little scenarios.

You can follow Jessica Upham (@itshippychick) on TikTok for more content on kindness.