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The Library by Sarah Stewart
ISBN: 0-374-44394-7
Farrar Straus Giroux
With my recent good fortune in acquiring a library job and my recent guest spot on A Novel Source's Sunday Serenade, I've been thinking all about ME lately. (how is this different then any other day?!)
What motivates me, what inspires me, where I came from, where I'm going, yada yada.
Don't worry, I'm not going to get all Dr.Phil on you all.
One of the questions I answered in the Sunday Serenade was Is there a favorite book that you re-read? I initially answered No because, in all honestly, I don't go back and read my favorite novels. But I do re-read a lot of children's picture books. For some reason, in my weird brain, I just didn't think that counted. I read five books with my son every night and we re-read some of my favorites.
One of my favorites is The Library by Sarah Stewart.
This magical little story is about a skinny, red haired girl who falls from the sky. She spends every moment reading; under the covers, while she's walking, at school, doing chores, etc. etc. She grows up and instead of going on dates, she reads. She gets lost one day and buys an old house and fills it with books. She reads on her head, she reads even while cleaning the house, bumping into walls. One day she realizes she can not fit one more book in her house, so she donates all of them to the town. The town library is then created!
This book has such a sweet spot in my heart and I've been thinking of it fondly because of how important libraries are and were to me. So if you have not seen this book or any book by Sarah Stewart, please check her out. Her books are illustrated by her husband David Small.
Some of my favorite lines:
" Elizabeth Brown
Entered the world
Dropping straight down from the sky.
Elizabeth Brown
Entered the world
Skinny, nearsighted, and shy.
She didn't like to play with dolls.
She didn't like to skate.
She learned to read quite early
And at an incredible rate."
"She manufactured library cards
And checked out books to friends,
Then shocked them with her midnight raids
To collect the books again."
"She read about Greek goddesses
While vacuuming the floor.
Attending only to her book,
She'd walk into a door."
"She didn't want a bicycle,
She didn't want silk bows.
She went straight to the courthouse-
"May I have one of those?"
"The form was for donations.
She quickly wrote this line:
I, E.Brown, give to the town
All that was ever mine."
(Sigh) I just love it so.
As much as I support the continuation of bookstores, I will always find peace at libraries and rally for their success as well.
Go to this website and read about Sarah Stewart and read about her stories and love for reading and writing.
www.pippinproperties.com/authill/stewart
Happy Reading to you all, and as always, thanks for stopping by!
red headed book child
13 comments:
Sounds like an adorable book. Thanks for brining it to our attention.
I love that book! Have you read Library Lil? That's another of my favorite kids books about a librarian.
hmmmm, dare i say this sounds like someone familiar?!? another red head we happen to know? who just got her dream job at the library?!?
hurry up and start so we can live vicariously through you! btw, i start my "volunteer" job at the library this wednesday!!! i'm so excited!!!
Oh this sounds so adorable!!! I have to check it out and save it for if I have kids. =)
Aww!! This looks like such a great book! Thanks so much for sharing, I hadn't heard of it before :)
Thanks everyone for commenting on The Library. I am very excited to start my job and tell you all about it!!
Even if you don't have kids, as book lovers, you all would appreciate this book so much!!
O how cute! And she kind of reminds me you :) (in a good way). I love it!
The Library sounds so good! I hadn't heard of it until now! Thanks for the post!
OMG you changed your look, I love the colour,very unique.
I'm going to start the 13th Hour soon which I got due to your recommendation :-)
I adore that book. I mean, a bookish redhead- how could I not? :-)
Congrats on your new job. I'll definitely have to check it out...We always joke that my book collection could become a library ;-)
It's a great book and it's so apropos of you!
I absolutely love this! I haven't heard of it before but I simply must find a copy to read for myself...thank you for shining the light on such a wonderful bookish read! (Ahem...fellow avid reader here...it's right after my heart.) Happy reading!
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