How this site works
Written for a 10-year-old and their grown-up. The short version is the whole version.
Do I need an account?
No, and you can't make one. There are no accounts on this site at all except the two that Austin and her dad use to add books. Nothing here asks you to sign up, log in, or give an email address.
What do you collect about me?
Almost nothing, and nothing that could point back at you. We count things like “someone opened this book page” and “someone searched for a book we don't have”. We don't store your IP address, we don't store what browser you use, and there is no ID following you from page to page.
Are there cookies?
No tracking cookies and no ad tech of any kind. If you save your library for the Libby links, that is stored in your own browser and never sent to us — clear your browser and it's gone, and we never had it.
Are there ads?
No. There never will be. The site is paid for by Austin's dad, and the only money it could ever make is a small share when someone buys a book through the Bookshop.org link. That's marked every time it appears, and the library link is always listed first.
Who reads the books you suggest to me?
Austin does. Every book on this site is one she finished herself. Nothing here is picked by an algorithm, and nothing is here because someone paid for it.
What happens if I suggest a book?
A person reads it — every time, before anything appears on the site. Suggestions aren't posted automatically, your name isn't attached to anything, and the form doesn't ask who you are. The only thing that can come of it is that Austin reads the book.
Can I message Austin?
No, and that's on purpose. The suggestion form is the only way to send anything, it only takes a book, and it goes to her dad's queue.
Something here is wrong. Who do I tell?
Email hello@austinsbooknook.com. That reaches her dad, not her. Corrections, takedown requests, and “my kid should not be reading that” all go to the same place and get a real answer.