How do memories transform creativity and imagination? For artist and poet Kate Greenaway, childhood memories created a swirl of color, shapes, scents, and textures. As if she’d seen them an hour before, the color of a flower or the shape of a bonnet stayed sharp in her mind. She turned the colors and shapes into her unique vision of art—a place where apple trees bloom and invite us to step inside a world where it is forever spring. Critics—including well-intentioned friends—o

What is a great way to share our love of reading? In January, it's National Shelfie Day. Celebrate by taking a photo of your favorite bookshelf and sharing it online. You can see the Library Shelfie I took below. According to Holiday Smart, National Shelfie Day began in 2014, launched by the New York Public Library. This year, it's observed on January 27th, 2021. What I'll Never Know Have you ever browsed in a used bookstore and wondered about an inscription? I still remember

The Possibilities of a Handwritten Name My sister was born almost three years ahead of me. When we were children, that age difference meant my sister enjoyed many privileges before I did. And then the day came when my sister was handed her first library card. She took her pile of books, wrapped in her arms, up to the library desk. She could check them out in her own name. It was exciting and important. I had to experience that for myself! Seeing the yearning in my eyes, I sti

When L. M. Montgomery published Anne's House of Dreams in 1917, she was far from home. Like all her books, Anne's House of Dreams is infused with the author's love for a small island. A place of winding red roads and a wealth of lighthouses, Prince Edward Island is described so lyrically in Montgomery's writing that I feel her deep connection and love of place along with her. When she wrote this entry in her journal on June 1, 1909, she had no way of knowing she'd be leaving

Who hasn’t dreamed of reading in a lighthouse tower? With the world looking so different right now, lighthouses are a reminder of what abides and endures—faith, generosity, illumination and caring. It's a poignant theme for National Library Week this year. And, it sounds wonderful to climb the stairs to read in a lighthouse tower—a place surrounded by the freedom of sky and ocean. A way to enjoy traveling to a different place. With most library doors closed, the updated NLW

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. — Cicero Lush gardens and books are delights that never grow old. The Roman statesman and philosopher, Cicero, lived between 106 and 43 BC. Yet, his quote is just as fresh and appropriate on the first day of spring in 2021. When walking into a spring garden full of bold red tulips and enchanting yellow daffodils, bringing a carefully selected book to read is a must. As the days grow longer, imagine reading in o

I've finally put together a list of New Year's resolutions I know I can keep in 2021: Book fans already know this of course, but reading has been proven to have many benefits. So, even though my four New Year's resolutions above are a bit "focused," they can also lead to a better 2021. Here are five ways reading will help you have an emotionally-balanced, physically healthy—and entertaining—New Year : #BooksandReading Ready to put these five reading benefits into action? Look

For those who love reading, the busy December holidays can be a challenge. However, book lovers always find a few minutes to open the pages of an old favorite or find a new book. Short stories. A classic novella. Charming letters from Father Christmas. Here are six favorites (plus one) with shorter passages to dip into throughout the beautiful December rush: A Merry Christmas and Other Christmas Stories by Louisa May Alcott Book Description: Like her character Jo in Little Wo

Autumn on Prince Edward Island My husband and I started out married life in an apartment near the University of California, Berkeley. When I began working in the library there, I would just happen to walk along Telegraph Avenue on my way home. Lining that street is a bibliophile's dream: a different bookstore with practically every step. I wandered into one of the bookshops and discovered a volume called the The Anne of Green Gables Treasury of Days, edited by Carolyn Strom C

My husband and I can never resist a sign that says “library book sale.” On an autumn afternoon filled with brilliant colors and summer-like temperatures, we followed the sign, wondering what books we might find this time. Peter and I walked into a small library in Burlington, Washington. Recently built, it is graced with high ceilings and sunlight streaming in through large windows. We had a good feeling as we headed to the book sale area. After the volunteers greeted us, we

One of the most expensive books in the world began its life in the little home Elizabeth Glover established on Crooked Lane, Massachusetts Bay Colony. Elizabeth became British America's first book publisher in 1640. Her place in history began in England, on the day her husband resigned from his pastorate in Surrey. Joseph Glover, the son of wealthy London merchants, had decided, with Elizabeth, to make a radical change. Choosing to undertake the danger-filled voyage to Amer

"Still round the corner there may wait, A new road or a secret gate." —J. R. R. Tolkien Question: What do these baby raccoons have in common with author J. R. R. Tolkien? Answer: Curiosity. And, for Tolkien, that curiosity sometimes led to disappointment...at first. Along the way, though, unexpected new roads and secret gates gave Tolkien his own fascinating path to travel. The following is my tribute to J. R. R. Tolkien as we celebrate Hobbit Day during the month of Septembe

I first heard about Bookcrossing.com from my Scottish reading friend, Allison M. She writes in her blog about releasing three books "into the wild" on her holiday to Poland recently. I had never heard of Bookcrossing before, but love the way Allison describes it. It seems like such a serendipitous way to share books and follow the new path they take. I learned that Bookcrossing allows readers to register any book they please and then leave it on a park bench, a café table or

What can the height of a table tell you? Walking into a special children's library of long ago, a small table could tell you a surprising story. At the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, the Children's Building housed a garden playground on the roof, a wondrous collection of toys from different lands, and a library filled with treasures. And, in that welcoming library, low tables stood at the best height for children to use. Scattered across the tables were bright, current

Close to five thousand miles—across an ocean and the third largest continent—that's how far the book in my hands had traveled. On a rainy spring day, I'd just started browsing in a used bookstore, looking as always for an unexpected treasure. I saw a familiar author and reached for the book. What I discovered, however, was more than I imagined. When I opened the cover, I found an inscription left by, almost certainly, the first owner of the book: G. A. Ives. And, I found that

Have you heard this beautiful song, a favorite of mine, performed by teacher and musician Earl Grant? As the lyrics unfold, the singer contrasts his feelings of love with things that must come to an end. A rainbow, a river and a highway all have a stopping point. The one thing in the song that resembles love? A story. Earl Grant At first, a story seems to be one of the experiences that will end—when the last page is turned, there's nothing more to be told. But the next words

Discovering Narnian Treasure I walked in the fragrance of a hundred Christmas trees. On my way to the mailbox, living, sun-warmed cedars lined the path and dropped their needles, creating the scent of the holidays with each step I took. Everyday journeys have become an adventure since I moved to a Pacific Northwest forest. On this particular afternoon, I discovered a key when I opened my mailbox. What package had arrived? I bent to insert the key in the parcel locker. The spa

Please welcome Mary Elizabeth Brown, our guest blogger today. Mary is a musician and writer who is currently working on an historical novel. In a small bookshop, Mary once discovered a story that came to have deep personal meaning to her as she faced a difficult challenge. Please read on to see Mary's story... The allegorical book, Hinds' Feet on High Places, rocked my world during my first semester at Multnomah University. I had spent my previous year of high school on home

I'm pleased to welcome my first guest blogger, Susan Monk Kannard. Susan has extensive experience as a Reading Specialist and has taught college and graduate-level courses throughout her career. She ventured to Alaska to teach multi-grades in Ketchikan. And in Silverton, Colorado, Susan taught grades 2-8 in a one-room schoolhouse. Susan Monk Kannard Join Susan as she shares the story of how a community and one special book helped change the life of one of her students: Meet J

The heady scents of wisteria mixed with orange blossoms in spring... When I opened my window as a child, these are the fragrances that greeted me. We called our home merely "The Place." An orange grove sent out its fragrance just beyond my bedroom window. In the stillness of morning, On summer mornings, I ran outside to pick an orange, ripe and sweet, right off the tree. As I held it in my hand, I could feel the warmth of the sun on it. Even as the city crowded around my chil