Monday, March 5, 2001

I Can Certainly Identify With This!

My aunts often give books as gifts, and my shelves are peppered with books which they have given me. They are not the only source of my extensive collection, however. I get books from a large variety of sources. The greatest majority have come from the Great American Book Sale, Scholastic Book Club, and my grade school book swap which my mom instituted. I am consistently overwhelmed by the number of books I have, despite the 14 shelves I have in my room and the shelves which cover the hallway. I could think of few books more appropriate for me, then, than this one which was given to me by my aunts in eighth grade.

The Library is the delightful story of Elizabeth Brown, a red-haired, near-sighted, awkward woman who ate, slept and breathed books. Written by Sarah Stewart, it uses simple verse to tell the tale of the girl who grew up reading books with a flashlight under the covers, went to college with a trunk full of books, and eventually packed so many books into the house she lived in that she did not have room for one more.

Each page contains no more than six lines of rhymed verse and is mostly taken up by a whimsical illustration by David Small. The repetition in the writing adds to the accessibility of this book for small children. A delight for all ages, it is especially geared towards this age group as it encourages them to embrace the joy of reading, think about ways that they can engage in philanthropic pursuits by sharing the things they love, and take advantage of that noble institution known as the library.

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