Saturday, March 20, 2010

Gratitude 81

Every Saturday, when I was growing up, on Saturday afternoon, my mother took us to the library. We loved it. We tended towards getting books that were old favourites but my mother was also a collector and there were certain authors that we LOVED and she introduced me to the world of interlibrary loans (which were an exciting thing in the days before online book ordering, etc). I remember one author in particular that we both loved was Noel Streatfield who wrote about children in the arts in Britain during the war years and mom got all of her books for me from somewhere or another. After the library, we got to get a treat at the store (a big deal in those days for us), usually a bag of chips. We would go home with our snacks and cuddle up and read. It was wonderful.

I have wanted Pk to love the library the way that I did and she certainly does. We try and go once a week (usually on Thursdays). I think she loves the mural on the wall and the Thomas train she plays with, as well as the movies and books (while I would like to say that the books are her top draw, I have to be honest and say that she makes a bee-line for the Thomas and Veggietales DVDs). She has favourite authors and is very opinionated about books (the librarian kills herself laughing as I offer book after book and repeatedly am told, "No thank you, mummy"). At the moment, the obsessions are Max and Ruby (Max's Dragon Shirt and Bunny Cakes must come home with us a couple of times a month), Franklin (the soccer one and the one about his baby sister, Harriet), Clifford the Big Red Dog and Eric Hill's Spot books. I love it when I get a classic by Pk and she actually enjoys it (Corduroy was a bit hit last week). Pk loves going and so do I. I feel so lucky that in a town this size, we have a fairly good little library branch with friendly staff, an online computer system (so I can get books from other branches) and fun children's programming.

We went this afternoon and have just gotten home. Pk has just fallen asleep on the couch with her books and I plan to take advantage to start my book. Happy reading!

4 comments:

  1. woo hoo the library!!

    We are addicts (well, I am anyway!)

    We struck gold at Goodwill this week - finding some great books to add to our collection!

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  2. Isn't Goodwill wonderful? Given that I will be on mat leave next year and poor, I have been haunting their weekly sales for children's clothing. I have done really, really well! It's too bad you are so far away - I find that Goodwill shopping is always more fun with a friend.

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  3. I'm also loving Scholastic orders - there is a lot of dreck, but there is also a ton of really good stuff, if you know what you're looking at. We spend a LOT on that. Not to mention all the books I drag home from work and the boxes I get from publishers and the many I buy from bookstores... it's a wonder the house hasn't collapsed from the weight of books alone.

    And may I add - good for you for giving her the love of the library! You know I'll approve that every day of the week.

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  4. I figured that loving a library would be o.k. with you!
    We do Scholastic orders too but I have to admit, I don't get quite as excited as I used to. They have a mix of stuff, that is for sure and sometimes, I see things I must have but I get so busy, I tend to just rush through the order to get it submitted in time.

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