With Thanksgiving on the horizon, I can’t help but count my blessings. As I consider what I am most thankful for this holiday season, my family and friends first come to mind. I’m also grateful to be surrounded by books and fellow bibliophiles every day at the library. I loved to read as a child and often preferred to get lost in the next great book’s adventure over socializing with kids my own age. Today, I recall certain books which made me the reader and the person that I am.
Dr. Seuss, whose books were filled with wit and charm, gave me my first experience with reading. The Junie B. Jones series about a spunky 6-year-old gave me the encouragement me to be unapologetically myself. The Watsons Go To Birmingham was the first book that made me discover the world with new eyes. J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series brought some much needed magic into my life. After immersing myself in these stories, I was hooked. Reading was not just a pastime but a necessity. For these books, and so many more, I am eternally thankful.
This holiday season, I encourage all of you to dig deep and think about the books that have changed your life and made you into the readers and people you are today. Stop by the library’s Welcome Desk and tell us what book you are thankful for. We’ll be sharing staff favorites on our Instagram account throughout the holiday season.
Looking to share some of your favorites and find some new ones? On Dec. 16 at noon, PPL is hosting a Book Flood. Based on the Icelandic tradition, Jolabokaflod, or Yule Book Flood, library staff will share some of their favorite recent book titles, dish out some buzz about upcoming titles and offer advice for finding your next book to read or give as a gift.
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