I don’t remember when I first fell in love with books. But book memories sprinkle my growing up years.
Traipsing down to the children’s room in the lower level of the library with my mom and sisters. I tried to be quiet but our Jellies always sounded so loud as they slapped down those gray steps.
Reading as many books as I could find one summer in order to win a local reading contest – that was the year we lived in the apartments on Brimfield Drive and, to be honest, reading was safer than playing outside! No joke.
Discovering Tolkien in Dorothy’s book room next door – an illustrated Hobbit! Our new neighbor, Dorothy, was a 4th grade teacher and I thought it was heavenly that she had boxes and boxes of books. I think that was the summer I had her books more often than she did!
Beverly Cleary. Judy Blume. E. B. White. Laura Ingalls Wilder. A.A. Milne. These were the authors that brought other times and places to life for me. Their books expanded my vision beyond my little world. They helped me imagine impossible things like a mouse riding a motorcycle or a pig befriending a spider.
Then there was the year Mrs. Moore introduced us to Madeline L’Engle
With this abiding love for books, is it any surprise, then, that a book series brought me to Jesus? A passing recommendation by another neighbor led me to Sugar Creek Gang Books
So, I guess you could say that books changed my life.
They still do… shaping me in profound ways.
If you’ll let me, I’d like to take some time this week to talk more about books. So, check back throughout the week for more musings on books and some practical tips for exploring them in your own life.
All’s grace,
Q4U: Now, here’s a question for you to answer. (Feel free to answer in the comments below or over on our Facebook page. Either way, I’d love to just hear from you.) Do you consider yourself a “reader”? Why or why not? Do you have any great connections with books over the years?
I’ll say Roald Dahl’s “Matilda” simply because every now and then I still catch myself staring at tangible objects in a room wishing I can move them with my mind. Hah!
Books do have a powerful impact on people. Especially those with great imaginations!
Great post, Shannon!
That’s so fun Hannah! Matilda is one of Madison’s faves
Love this post…makes me feel VERY much connected to ya!
(Though I never read the Sugar Creek Gang).
Books absolutely have been used by God to change my life.
Last night I pulled a huge stack off the shelves from around the house to give our kiddos some options for reading this summer…going to let them choose which ones this morning and I’ve decided that instead of my intended reading, I’m going to reread some of those favorites from my childhood
So it’ll likely be a summer of The Cricket in Times Square, The Westing House Game, Caddie Woodlawn, The Secret Garden, The Trumpet of the Swan, A Wrinkle in Time…
I do believe I see a favorite Metaxas book in the background there!
I have to say as a child I loved to read and my mom took my sister and I to the library every week to get our books. I loved every minute of that. But from middle school to college I did NOT like to read. I was the go outside and run and play sports. Even for school reading I did just enough to get by. Of course I did a lot of reading in college but it was more like anatomy books and that really wasn’t that fun.
I have come into a new stage with reading where I genuinely love it. It is weird to me and a whole new thing. But I now do consider myself a “reader” and I finally get what “readers” were talking about all those years.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying reading again, Kendall! I think it’s hard to grow if we’re not reading. What a fun new stage for you – and me (because now we can have book chats).
I would LOVE a book chat!