Utah Boy Surprised With Books After Asking Mail Carrier for Junk Mail to Read

Most 12-year-olds of the 21st century are about that digital life, playing video games, watching TV and, yes, for some, playing outside.

But 12-year-old Matthew Flores likes to read … anything. That’s how his local Sandy, Utah, mail carrier became aware of the boy and his penchant for going through mail that typically no one wants because it was the only reading material available to him, KSL reports.

On Friday, according to KSL, Matthew approached mail carrier Ron Lynch, asking if he could have any junk mail. Lynch, understandably confused, asked the boy why. When Matthew explained that he didn’t have anything else to read, Lynch asked him about going to the library, where there are tons of books. Matthew explained that his family didn’t have a car and he couldn’t afford the bus fare.

Touched by the boy’s zeal for reading, Lynch took to Facebook to ask his friends to send Matthew books.

“At 12 years old, he didn’t want electronics, he didn’t want to sit in front of the TV playing games all day. This kid just wanted to read,” Lynch told KSL Live.

Little did he know, his post would go viral, and the boy would receive books from all over the world, including the United Kingdom, Australia and India. 

“They said, ‘These books are for you,’ and I thought that they were mistaken, but they were for me,” said Matthew, who says he plans to read every book.

“It’s super fun and it’s interesting. And plus, it gets you smarter,” he said.

Matthew now has hundreds of books, with more probably still on the way. However, he is not keeping his newly acquired library to himself. He plans to share the books with other kids as well, and is planning a book drive with Lynch.

Read more at KSL.