Hi, I’m Laura 👋🏻
Owner and creator of Wandering Bookstall!

I grew up in a border town called Laredo. We were a low-income household and I attended a Title I public school with parents who did not speak English during my early childhood. Books became an escape into a magical world for me. I loved reading, but access to books was limited, and I don’t remember owning a single book of my own as a child. Being ESL meant my parents couldn’t fully share in the stories I loved most. As I grew older, that disconnect affected my interest in reading. Those experiences stayed with me and eventually sparked an obsession with building a home filled with books for my own children.

I worked as an ER nurse for five years. One of the things that career taught me was how much I love learning. Medicine constantly pushes you to stay curious, problem solve, ask questions, and understand how the world and human body work. I left nursing to stay home and homeschool my children. During that season of life, our family spent more time exploring together. From hiking trails and museum visits to earning Junior Ranger badges, trying hands-on science activities, and discovering new places, we kept finding ways to make learning feel exciting and meaningful.

When our family moved to Waxahachie, I loved seeing how connected and supportive the community was. As I searched for a way to continue helping support my family while staying home with my children, I had an idea. A children’s bookstore built around three simple missions:

• Affordable books for every family
• Bilingual books that help children and parents connect through stories
• STEAM gifts and activities designed for curious minds

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I wanted a place where stories could inspire exploration, creativity, and connection. A place where learning feels magical and hands-on. A place where families can discover a new favorite book alongside a science kit, craft activity, cultural experience, or imaginative treasure that sparks curiosity beyond the page. My background also inspired my hope to eventually offer science, health science, S.T.E.A.M activities and classes for children in our community.

Although we love giving away books through little libraries and our summer reading programs, my childhood experiences also created a deep desire to give children the joy and dignity of the bookstore experience itself. We want families to walk into our store knowing they can browse comfortably and discover books under $5.

At its heart, Wandering Bookstall is about connection: between children and books, families and learning, imagination and exploration.

Thank you for being part of this adventure ❤️