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A walk along Rawhide Trail now comes with a story.
Families, library supporters and city officials gathered recently to celebrate the official unveiling of the Farmers Branch Manske Library's new StoryWalk, a permanent outdoor literacy installation that encourages children and adults to read together while enjoying one of the city's most popular trails.
The StoryWalk features 20 display stations installed along the trail, allowing visitors to read a children's book one page at a time as they walk. Each panel includes text in English and Spanish, along with a Braille overlay produced by Envision Dallas, making the experience accessible to more members of the community.
The project was funded through a $7,800 Texas Reads 2026 grant from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, written by former library director Heather Fuller. According to Parks Director Robert Diaz, the grant covered the entire project, while city parks staff completed the installation.
The first featured title is Señorita Mariposa by Ben Gundersheimer, also known as Mister G, with illustrations by Marcos Almada Rivero. The bilingual picture book follows the migration of monarch butterflies from Canada through the United States to Mexico, fitting the trail's outdoor setting.
District 2 Council Member Tina Bennett-Burton said the StoryWalk reflects Farmers Branch's commitment to bringing families together while making reading accessible to everyone.
"We just love our kids. We really do," Bennett-Burton said.
She also noted the importance of designing the project so more residents can participate, regardless of age or ability.
Among those attending the unveiling was Farmers Branch Library Board member Lee Alvoid, a retired Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District educator and former reading specialist.
"That's really neat. The whole thing is really neat," Alvoid said. "I'm an old reading specialist."
The StoryWalk adds another interactive feature to Rawhide Trail while extending the library beyond its walls, encouraging families to combine reading, exercise and time outdoors. Once visitors finish one book, library staff will periodically replace it with a new title, giving residents a reason to return throughout the year.
The library is also preparing to expand its digital learning resources through Brainfuse, an online platform that will provide live tutoring, homework assistance, college preparation and job-search resources to library cardholders.
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