Epilogue Books Chocolates Brews is offering free queer literature for young adult and middle grade readers through a carousel of books called Reading Rainbows.
The idea was inspired by the Pay It Forward Program and Savoy Book Shop & Cafe’s Queer Little Free Library. One of the goals of the carousel is to knock down barriers, such as cost or an unsafe environment, that prevent queer youth from accessing queer literature.
Gaby Iori, the Epilogue events coordinator, said the books are pre-purchased and donated by the shop's customers.
“We really try to focus on uplifting, marginalized voices,” Iori said. “I hope that the store is a safe space for queer youth to come in and feel seen — see books that make them feel seen.”
Customers can contribute books to the carousel in store by letting a bookseller know a book they're purchasing is for Reading Rainbows. When checking out online, they can write a request to donate the book.
“I actually just recently used some of the donations to put up one of the books that I really enjoyed up on there,” Sylvie Moon, a bookseller at the store, said. “It's been great. Just the idea that it's even here."
If a customer doesn't have a specific book they want to donate, they can choose either paperback or hardcover, and a bookseller will choose one for them.
“I think that having stories like that normalized and making it feel like it's an okay thing to be gay or is an okay thing to be queer is really important and helps a lot of people on their journeys to becoming who they are,” Sarah McElroy, a UNC student and customer at Epilogue, said.
Reading Rainbows also provides an option for those who feel uncomfortable or unsafe picking out a book on their own.
