One of my favorite sections in Anthology is the room where childrens’ books live. As a mother with grown children, my heart strings still tug when I work quietly among the shelves. Titles, cover illustrations and author names jump out at me, with a memory often attached. These go back as far as my childhood; I recall sitting outside the machine shed finishing Charlotte’s Web. E.B. White’s classic tale of Wilbur and Charlotte forever instilled a love of reading in an Illinois farm girl. I still list it as my all-time favorite book. Series like Cherry Ames and Nancy Drew, as well as many classics like Little Women were on my bedside table. Every Christmas I received a book from my parents.

A rebellious youth, I sought novels that spoke to my angst and curiosity, such as S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders and Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous. High school brought a love of poetry and adventure, so my tastes matured to Sylvia Plath and beat artists, such as Jack Kerouac and Ken Kesey. I’ll never forget reading Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner for the first time.

I wander the childrens’ section, smiling over memories of reading Louis Sachar, Jerry Spinelli and John Bellairs to my own children. My time as a school librarian was enriched by the ultimate perk of selecting books for story hour, from timeless picture books for the kindergartners to award winners, like the Westing Game for the older students. Instilling a love for reading in children has always been a passion of mine.

I encourage you to come to the store and take the time to peruse the books for young adults and children. We have a vast collection of both used and new, classic and contemporary titles and authors. Put a book into the hands of a child and spread your love of reading, one book at a time.