The Book Hogg

01/06/2026

I’ve just found a lovely surprise in our little library today.

To the mysterious “Phantom Poet of Olde Worset Lane” thank you. It genuinely made me smile.

One of the things I love most about this little library is the unexpected kindness it brings.

Your poem has earned a place in The Book Hogg archive (my office wall) and a special place in our hearts📚❤️

Whether this is a one-off appearance or the beginning of a literary mystery, thank you for bringing a little extra magic to The Book Hogg, our readers will appreciate it 🩷📚🦔

Little Free Library

27/05/2026

🎨📚 CALLING ALL YOUNG BOOK LOVERS! 📚🎨

This school holiday, we would love your help to make The Book Hogg even more magical ✨

We’re inviting children (and grown-ups too if they’d like!) to paint book-themed stones and place them underneath our Little Free Library box for everyone to enjoy.

You could paint:
📖 Favourite book characters
🌟 Quotes about reading
🐛 Bookworms & magical creatures
📚 Tiny books or library designs
🎨 Anything inspired by stories and imagination!

Over the holidays, we hope to create a colourful little space filled with creativity from our community ❤️

If you take part, please feel free to share photos and tag us, we would absolutely love to see your creations!

26/05/2026

📕

Inspired by the bicentenary of local chemist John Walker and his accidental invention of the friction match 🧪✨, Preston Park Young Producers present Strike Up a Story 📚🔥
📍 Taking place at Preston Park Museum (museum pass required)
📅 Saturday 30 May, 1–4pm
This blind book-picking event celebrates the thrill of unexpected finds 🎁📖. Each mystery book is wrapped – no covers, no spoilers! 🤫
Here’s how it works:
📚 Donate a book you’ve loved
💬 Leave a clue to spark the next reader’s adventure
🎁 Take home a mystery book from the shelf

Curiosity. Starts Here.

23/05/2026

We are well stocked for your bank holiday weekend reads in the sun ☀️
Why not have a walk out and choose your next book today?

20/05/2026

After reading through the full list of 2026 Todd H. Bol Award winners, we realised something incredibly special…

The Book Hogg was the ONLY winner outside of the USA 🇬🇧❤️

To have a little community book box from Hartlepool recognised on an international stage alongside incredible projects across America is honestly surreal.

Out of a worldwide Little Free Library network spanning 128 countries and more than 200,000 libraries, our little box in Hartlepool was chosen as a global award winner 🥹

What started as one simple idea to share books and kindness has now become internationally recognised — and that recognition belongs to our whole community.

Hartlepool on the world stage again ❤️🌍

You can find out more about LFL here 👇🏽

Little Free Library’s late founder, Todd H. Bol, believed strongly in the power of individuals (and especially Little Free Library stewards) to change the world through acts of kindness. We… Continue reading Todd H. Bol Awards for Outstanding Achievement

19/05/2026

We are absolutely overwhelmed to share that The Book Hogg has won a 2026 Todd H. Bol Award for Outstanding Achievement from Little Free Library - an international award named after the founder of the worldwide Little Free Library movement ❤️📚

What started as one small book box in Hartlepool has now helped inspire the creation of 11 more book-sharing boxes across our town - one in every ward. To think that a simple idea built around kindness, community and access to books has grown into something recognised internationally honestly means the world.

As a single mum of two boys, I’ve always believed that small acts of kindness really can make a difference. Seeing authors donate signed books, families visit daily, and our local community embrace reading the way they have has been so special.

Thank you to everyone who has donated books, shared posts, visited the box, encouraged the idea, and helped make The Book Hogg what it is today. This award belongs to Hartlepool just as much as it does to me ❤️

From small seeds mighty oak trees grow 🌳📚

Little Free Library

15/05/2026

From puppies and friendship for our younger readers, to a gripping thriller for the grown-ups… there’s something for everyone waiting in the box! 🐶💛🐺

Perfect weather for a little walk, a book swap, and finding your next read. As always, take a book, leave a book, or simply enjoy the magic of sharing stories with the community 💫

12/05/2026

What an awesome door step delivery for our book box, thank you Lauren Work and your family ❤️ they’ll be greatly appreciated by their new readers 📚

Can you spot your next read? I’ll be using them to top up over the coming weeks!

11/05/2026

⚔️📚 Book Spotlight: Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen 📚⚔️

Step into a dark and dangerous fantasy world filled with ancient wolves, powerful magic, deadly secrets, and fierce destiny. Dire Bound follows a gripping journey where loyalty is tested, enemies lurk in the shadows, and survival may come at a terrible cost.

With rich world-building, strong characters, and a story packed with tension, action, and intrigue, this is perfect for readers who love immersive fantasy with a darker edge. If you enjoy tales of power struggles, mythical creatures, and slow-burning mystery, this one deserves a place on your reading list.

Have you read it yet? Let us know what you thought if you borrow it from The Book Hogg! 🐷📖

10/05/2026

It’s been a perfect weekend for walking! We’ve loved chatting to people walking out to exchange their books and get their steps in!

In the box now -

The Glass Room

Step into a world of secrets, lies, and deadly consequences in The Glass Room by bestselling crime author Ann Cleeves. When a woman is found murdered after attending a self-help group in Northumberland, Detective Vera Stanhope is called in to untangle the truth behind a web of hidden pasts and uneasy friendships.

As Vera digs deeper, she discovers that everyone in the group has something to hide — and someone is willing to kill to keep those secrets buried. Atmospheric, gripping, and full of twists, this is a brilliant mystery that keeps you guessing until the very last page.

Perfect for fans of clever crime fiction, strong female detectives, and slow-burning suspense.