Books

Books. I fell in love with books in third grade. I remember walking home from school reading The Hundred Dresses. I just couldn't put it down.  I needed to know how it ended.  It was during this time that my Dad took me to the library for the first time. I remember the librarian recommending Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, but I don't remember actually reading it.

It wasn't until fourth grade that I met Nancy Drew in a literary sense of the word. I couldn't read the series fast enough. I loved Nancy. I loved her bravery, her intelligence, her cool car and her cute boyfriend Ned. I so wanted to be Nancy until the day I realized a few years later that I was kind of a chicken at heart. It was a sad day when the reality hit me that I would never be Nancy.

But my love for reading had been ignited. I read biographies, historical fiction,teen romances, Steven King novels, racy adult romances, and a host of self-help books along the way.  In fact there was a book that I checked out from the Hampton-Illinois library at least a dozen times during my early teen years. It was called A New You.  I faithfully read it time and time again hoping that some miracle transformation might take place.

My love of books spread to my love of libraries and later book stores. As a beginner driver my Dad used to let me drive to the library every Saturday. Without fail, every time I left the parking lot and took a right turn onto Illinois Ave.I would run over the curb. I remember returning to that library years later hoping to to find my old favorite, but it was no longer on the shelves. I guess I must have helped wear it out.