Read All About It!
My name is Carol, and I am a bookaholic. I guess if you have to be addicted to something, books aren't so bad. I blame my mother. Don't we all blame our mothers for every little thing? My mom made me love books. Thanks, Mom!
When I was really young, Mom read to me. Then I took over, and took off! I just couldn't stop. It felt powerful to me, to be able to read anything and everything I wanted. The more I read, the more I wanted to read.
So I did. By the time I was 8 or 9 years old, I was reading Dickens, Twain, Hawthorne, Steinbeck and Michener. No, I didn't understand every word, but I kept on reading until I did. I got to know the school and city librarians personally, and they didn't mind answering the endless questions of a silly little girl obsessed with books.
When the William Allen White awards list came out every year, I was the first to line up and read them all. Same thing for the Newbery Awards. I kept a box in my closet with the ribbons and certificates I won for reading the entire list, year after year.
I was a restless kid. No, they didn't call it ADHD back then. I was a good student, but I always wanted to move. Books helped me travel without moving. I grew up in Derby, but in my mind, I had lived all over the world. I had a good group of friends, but no one understood me the way books did. Okay, that's a little weird...but heartfelt.
If you're looking for some good Christmas gift ideas, how about a book? Here are my picks:
For the little ones: get any title or the whole set of Dr. Seuss and Curious George books. I still love to read them!
For young readers: Start them off right with the Berenstain Bears chapter books or the Junie B. Jones books by Barbara Park.
For 11-14 year-olds: For girls, "Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl." This book changed my life. Enough said. At this age, some boys aren't really into books. Bring them back to the couch with "Brute" by Mike Klaassen, Kansas author. His books are an exciting ride.
For teens: I have given the Christian Chiller series by Kathryn Mackel as gifts. Also, "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory or any Amy Tan book.
For adults: I highly recommend "Feisty Family Values" by B.D. Tharp, Wichita author. "Holidays on Ice" and "Santaland Diaries" by David Sedaris, or "I Was Told There'd be Cake" by Sloane Crosley are great books.
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Female in Motion Exercise Update: I did three aerobic workouts. It was all migraines, all the time last week. Ugh!
***
Notable Quote:
"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves."--Anna Quindlen, "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991
When I was really young, Mom read to me. Then I took over, and took off! I just couldn't stop. It felt powerful to me, to be able to read anything and everything I wanted. The more I read, the more I wanted to read.
So I did. By the time I was 8 or 9 years old, I was reading Dickens, Twain, Hawthorne, Steinbeck and Michener. No, I didn't understand every word, but I kept on reading until I did. I got to know the school and city librarians personally, and they didn't mind answering the endless questions of a silly little girl obsessed with books.
When the William Allen White awards list came out every year, I was the first to line up and read them all. Same thing for the Newbery Awards. I kept a box in my closet with the ribbons and certificates I won for reading the entire list, year after year.
I was a restless kid. No, they didn't call it ADHD back then. I was a good student, but I always wanted to move. Books helped me travel without moving. I grew up in Derby, but in my mind, I had lived all over the world. I had a good group of friends, but no one understood me the way books did. Okay, that's a little weird...but heartfelt.
If you're looking for some good Christmas gift ideas, how about a book? Here are my picks:
For the little ones: get any title or the whole set of Dr. Seuss and Curious George books. I still love to read them!
For young readers: Start them off right with the Berenstain Bears chapter books or the Junie B. Jones books by Barbara Park.
For 11-14 year-olds: For girls, "Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl." This book changed my life. Enough said. At this age, some boys aren't really into books. Bring them back to the couch with "Brute" by Mike Klaassen, Kansas author. His books are an exciting ride.
For teens: I have given the Christian Chiller series by Kathryn Mackel as gifts. Also, "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory or any Amy Tan book.
For adults: I highly recommend "Feisty Family Values" by B.D. Tharp, Wichita author. "Holidays on Ice" and "Santaland Diaries" by David Sedaris, or "I Was Told There'd be Cake" by Sloane Crosley are great books.
***
Female in Motion Exercise Update: I did three aerobic workouts. It was all migraines, all the time last week. Ugh!
***
Notable Quote:
"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves."--Anna Quindlen, "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991
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