New storybook trail in Brooksville

Collaboration combines Maine’s outdoors and youth literacy

Sept. 22, 2026

By Jessi Hardy

Ella Barlett, 6, of Brooklin, explores the new Storybook Trail with her mom, Harlie Burke. Photo courtesy of Harlie Burke.

BROOKSVILLE - Connecting residents with the outdoors while celebrating community resources, Blue Hill Heritage Trust has recently partnered with the Brooksville Free Public Library to launch the Meadow Brook-Mill Stream Storybook Trail, combining books with nature.

“We are thrilled to have Brooksville Free Public Library as a collaborator on this project. The partnership is really simple and brings together what both organizations do best,” Harlie Burke, administrative and development coordinator of Blue Hill Heritage Trust, said. 

Under the partnership, the library will choose a book and the trust will install the story along the one-third-mile trail for visitors to read as they walk.

“Libraries are such amazing community resources. With our Storybook Trails, we wanted to find a way to combine the love of reading with being outdoors,” Burke said. “We hope that people can get out on a trail, explore nature, enjoy a story, and then be inspired to visit and support their local library.”

The first featured book is On Wings of Words: The Extraordinary Life of Emily Dickinson by Jennifer Berne. The book allows readers of all ages to immerse themselves in poetry and history while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors.

Stephanie Carter, director of the Brooksville Free Public Library, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration. 

“Harlie reached out to me… and asked me if I was interested in doing it. And we got very excited and were like, absolutely, because we love hiking and we've done some of the other storybook trails,” Carter said.

Carter selected On Wings of Words in part because of how the story connects to the environment. 

“She ties her work to nature, which I thought was really great for the trail,” Carter said.

Because Berne regularly visits the area, the book reflects a deep familiarity with local natural beauty. Looking at the illustrations, Carter said, it makes her feel at home and has a “good warm vibe to it.”

Designed with inclusivity in mind, the Meadow Brook-Mill Stream Storybook Trail is ideal for young children and is wheelchair- and stroller-friendly. 

Children who complete the trail can stop by the Brooksville Free Public Library to collect a small completion prize.

The Storybook Trail runs through September and is located at 836 Bagaduce Road in Brooksville.