It was really just a room in our school. It had big windows on two sides and shelves on the other two. The shelves were low so people less than 4 feet could reach them easily. It was called “The Little Library" to differentiate it from the big library where all the older kids went. In the middle of the room were three round tables with small chairs tucked around them. This is where we sat to read our books. You could go in there anytime you had free time, before school, if you came early, after school if your mother was late picking you up. Or, after lunch, during recess, etc. It was a hideout, a shelter, a sanctuary.
One day I was in the library during lunch. I had found a wonderful book. It had a battered orange cover and the illustrations were all in black and white silhouettes. It was called
The Railway Children. Suddenly the door opened and Miss Harper, my Third Grade teacher, looked in.
“There you are!” We were looking all over for you.” She came over to see what I was reading and her expression softened. “Oh, that was one of my favorite books,” she said. And she showed me how to sign the book out so I could take it home with me.
All the way home I kept wondering: Why would Miss Harper have wanted to read a children’s book?
Robin Hathaway
What a charming post!! My first library was a book mobil that came to our three room school house every two week. The classes took turns in climbing into the bus that was loaded floor to ceiling with books. I'll never forget how exciting it was to walk up those steps not knowing what book would be waiting for me.
ReplyDeleteRobin, I hope there will always be REAL children's books. I can't see a child falling in love, as you did with a real book, if all they can do is download an e-version on a mini-Ereader. Yikes!
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