I have always enjoyed reading and wanted to pass my love of books on to my grandchildren. So, one of our favorite things to do together is a trip to the library – something we have enjoyed doing since they were very young. I’m sure the trips were made even more fun for them because they included a stop at the nearby candy store, where they could each pick out a fabulous, handmade chocolate.
When he was little, my youngest grandson, Noah, loved the Froggy series by Jonathan London – Froggy Learns to Swim, Froggy Goes to the Doctor, Froggy Plays Soccer (the list goes on and on). He would walk out of the library with his arms loaded with the Froggy books. I read them to him over and over – and over and over again. He knew them so well, he could say the words along with me before he learned to read. There was quite a lesson learned, however, when Noah decided to add some of his own artwork to the beloved Froggy books he checked out … we had to go to the library and pay for the damages.
My oldest grandson, Brennan, enjoys reading many children’s book series: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Divergent and The Hunger Games. I was a little concerned when he was reading The Hunger Games, so I read them, too (making sure it was age-appropriate), even though he had assured me that many kids in his class were reading them and the teacher had approved. This turned into a bonding experience for us, especially when The Hunger Games movies came out. We’d make it a special day and see the movie together, and then have lunch. We would talk about the differences between the book and the movie and whether the characters in the movie looked how we imagined they would. I was always impressed when Brennan would point out something that wasn’t portrayed in the movie the way it was in the book. We are looking forward to the final movie of the series, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, which will be in the theaters this fall.
Mack, my middle grandson, doesn’t enjoy reading as much as the other two, but he enjoyed some of the other activities going on at the local library and would usually choose a video or two to watch. My granddaughter, Gianna, shares my love of books. She lives in a different state, but every time she visits, she asks me to take her to the library, which she leaves with her arms loaded with books and a big smile on her face. She finds a comfy spot on my couch, grabs some snacks, and reads all day long.
Genesee County residents are fortunate to have several wonderful community libraries, especially in the digital world we live in today. A library isn’t just about books; there are digital book collections for any age to enjoy. There are videos to watch. They offer writing clubs, book clubs, children’s events, book-signings and presentations. There is a wide range of literature and videos to choose from that you can read and watch for free! People read for many different reasons – to learn, to escape to a magical place, to stretch their imagination or to be inspired. I read for all of those reasons, but mostly because – I just love to read.
