September Reflections: I Love Books!

I love books! What a delight it is to find an unfamiliar bookstore and have the time to browse for awhile.  On several occasions I've been fortunate to come across a treasured book from my childhood or one that just "speaks to me" as only a book-lover can understand.  My earliest recollection of enjoying books was as a  pre-schooler, in my pj's with my sisters, sitting on our bed while mama read from Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories or Famous Fairy Tales.  With visions of "The Elves and the Shoemaker" or "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" in our minds, my sisters and I always had plenty to whisper about after the lights were turned off. 

In third grade I was given the greatest gift - my own library card.  While my friends asked for tassels on their bike's handlebars, I only wanted a basket so I could carry books. I thought the librarian had the best job in the world - being able to flip through all the cards, stamping due dates on every one's books, reading when no one was at her desk... I envied her life more than I could say.  At home I read to anyone who would listen; this usually being a combination of my stuffed animals and dolls.  When my sisters complained that I was making too much noise, I climbed up into the tree house, put down blankets and pillows, got a few snacks and spent the afternoon.

Do you want to make a hum-drum afternoon more exciting? Head to the library! Tired of bedtime being a battle of the wills? Start a little earlier, curl up with one of the fascinating finds you checked out at the library and curl up on your child's bed with him/her.  Tucking them in is far easier when they've listened to "Once upon a time in a land far away...".

This month we're reviewing books about books! And libraries! What happens when a bookmobile goes to the zoo? And have you ever wondered what all those books in the library feel like that don't get checked out? Get your library card and before you know it, you'll be reading "happily ever after"!

Mary Byrne Kline