About Little Modern Reader
Little Modern Reader is the online bookstore helping families build home libraries sustainably, affordably and conveniently. We specialise in preloved children's books that are carefully selected and in excellent condition - giving beloved stories a second life.
Our mission is simple: extend the shelf life of children's books and make it easy, convenient and planet-friendly for families to nurture a love of reading in their children.
Why Shop With Us
When you buy from Little Modern Reader, you are:
- Saving quality books from landfill
- Reducing your carbon footprint by choosing exisiting resources
- Saving money
- Supporting not-for-profit organisations that benefit the wider community
- Participating in a circular economy
- Supporting a small, female-founded independent bookstore
Giving Back
We proudly donate 10% of our sales to Australian Refugee Volunteers (ARV), a Sydney-based not-for-profit organisation offering monthly excursions for children and teens from refugee or asylum seeker backgrounds. Their work creates opportunities, confidence, and connection for young people in our community.
Sustainably Driven
From sourcing to shopping, sustainability as at the heart of what we do. We reuse eco-friendly packaging - recycled cardboard, paper and mailers sealed with recyclable tape. Every order is packed with care and with the lifecycle of the package in mind.
We're here to redefine secondhand: offering beautiful, thoughtfully chosen books on a convenient platform that makes sustainable shopping effortless.
Meet the Founder
Hi, I'm Emily, founder of Little Modern Reader.
Like so many others, Little Modern Reader’s story began during the first lockdown in Sydney in 2020. As a mum to a young, avid reader, I struggled to keep up with her love of books when libraries and op shops were closed. While we tried to support as many independent bookstores as we could, buying new quickly added up. I also felt uneasy about the waste it created — and knew many parents weren’t in a position to constantly buy new either.
A New Approach to Secondhand Books
I decided it was time to reinvent the secondhand buying experience for families like mine — modern, sustainable, and affordable. By sourcing beautiful children’s books in excellent condition, I set out to make secondhand shopping online as easy and reliable as buying new, while also creating a meaningful way for people to donate books and keep stories in circulation.
And just like that, Little Modern Reader was born.
I’ve always been the kind of person who can’t leave a bookshop without something in hand. I grew up in Melbourne after moving from Hong Kong at age five, learning to read quickly and skipping straight into chapter books — which meant I missed many picture book classics the first time around.
Before becoming a mum, I worked in the world of art and Chinese antiquities in London and New York, a field that taught me the beauty of secondhand objects and the stories they hold. Even in that world, it was always the stories that drew me in; books have been my first love for as long as I can remember.
Starting Little Modern Reader has allowed me to bring together that lifelong love of stories with my passion for sustainability and community in a way that feels truly meaningful.
Extending the Life of Stories
Today, Little Modern Reader helps families source books sustainably, extend the life of beloved stories, and discover out-of-print gems — all while contributing to a circular economy that allows more children to access and enjoy beautiful books.
Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you find a book (or two!) you love.
Emily x