The world beyond your door...

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“Read for fun, 

read for information,

 read in order to 

understand yourself 

and other people 

with quite different ideas. 

Learn about 
the world beyond your door. 

Learn to be compassionate 

and grow in wisdom. 

Books can help us in all these ways.” 

~ Katherine Paterson

I couldn't say it better myself. I read for all of these reasons... and I hope that you do, too! :)

Travel with me...

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I know a way to open doors
and find adventure, tears and pleasure
where witches whisper,
frogs are men
and pirates on wild shores
call us to join a quest for untold treasure.
There
what we find depends on where we look.
A thousand worlds, or more, await us.
Travel with me,
come,
we'll go by the book.

~ Karla Kuskin

I love to travel and visit new places. However, I don't often have the money to physically travel around the country -- or the world. Luckily, I can travel by book whenever I feel like it! Through reading I can travel to the most remote places on the globe. I can even travel to other worlds, other universes. How about you? Do you like to "go by the book"?

A library book...

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"If I was a book, 

I would like to be a library book, 

so I would be taken home 

by all different sorts of kids."

~ Cornelia Funke

I have to agree with Funke. I can't imagine a happier book than a library book loved by a wide variety of children -- and adults! What kind of book would you like to be?

Utopia

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"Literature is my utopia." 

~ Helen Keller

Mine, too. Just give me some good books and a comfy place to sit and I will be in heaven. :)

What to do...

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"Wear the old coat 

and buy the new book." 

~ Austin Phelps

I received some money for Christmas from my parents -- a very generous amount -- and am trying to decide what to buy with it. Right now all I that have on my "to buy" list are books! There is little else that will provide so much pleasure....

Nope.

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"I cannot live without books."

 ~ Thomas Jefferson

Nope, I can't do it. Wouldn't want to try. Would you?

An entire world...

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"To read a book 

is to hold 

an entire world 

in the palm of your hand." 

~ Arthur Schopenhauer

I love this idea of a book as a world. How many worlds have you held in your hands this year?

Books fall open...

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Books fall open, you fall in,

delighted where you've never been.

Hear voices not once heard before,

reach world through world, 

through door on door;

find unexpected keys to things,

locked up beyond imaginings….

True books will venture, dare you out,

whisper secrets, maybe shout,

across the gloom to you in need,

who hanker for a book to read.

~ David McCord

It's only recently that I finally found this poem and read all of the lines I'm sharing here today. (I'm not sure that this is McCord's entire poem, however -- it seems to be only a part of it.) But I've known the first line of this poem for many, many years. I used to have a set of book plate stickers (now all lovingly stuck into the front covers of my favorite books) with an illustration from Mary Engelbreit and the quote "Books fall open, you fall in...." on them. I love falling into books! How about you?

Someplace to go...

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"Reading gives us 

someplace to go 

when we have to stay 

where we are." 

~ Mason Cooley

One of the things I love about reading is its ability to transport me to other towns, other countries, and other worlds -- while never actually leaving the comfort of my own home. (I love to travel in real life, as well. I just don't often have the means to do so.) What places have you enjoyed visiting through books? 

A discount ticket...

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"Reading 

is a discount ticket 

to everywhere." 

~ Mary Schmich

That is one of the things that I love about reading -- books transport us to different lands and different times, giving us insight into different people. We can travel around our world -- or other worlds -- by turning a page. And all it costs is a few dollars... or one library card!

So lasting...

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"No entertainment 

is so cheap as reading, 

nor any pleasure so lasting."  

~ Mary Wortley Montagu

I agree with every word of this quote! How about you?

Readers are lucky...

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"Readers are lucky --

they will never be bored or lonely." 

~ Natalie Babbitt

This quote rings true to me -- there is always a book to read or reread, to keep me entertained or to keep me company. :) Do you agree with Ms. Babbitt's words? Why or why not?

No books left...

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“All of us can think of a book... 

that we hope none of our children 

or any other children 

have taken off the shelf. 

But if I have the right

 to remove that book from the shelf - 

that work I abhor - 

then you also have exactly the same right 

and so does everyone else. 

And then we have 

no books left on the shelf for any of us.” 

~ Katherine Paterson

I believe that parents should pay attention to the books that their children are reading and discuss them with their children. If there is a book a parent disapproves of, I believe that parent has the right to restrict his or her own children's access to it, particularly when they are young. 

However, I also believe that no parent (or anyone else, for that matter) has the right to say which books other children can or cannot read. Things that I might find offensive, others may not -- and vice versa. As Paterson says, if we each got rid of the books we don't like, there would soon be no books left. And what a sad, sad day that would be.

It's Banned Books Week!

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  American Library Association

In case you don't know, Banned Books Week is an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read. This special week begins today, Sept. 27th, and goes through Saturday, Oct. 3rd.

The American Library Association says the following about the event on their website:

"By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. [...] While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read."

Later this week I will share a post about a few of the books that people have tried to restrict access to in recent years. In the meantime, I hope you will celebrate this week with me by reading a banned or challenged book! 

P. S. Need ideas for a book to read? Check out this link to Frequently Challenged Books. In addition, here are links to my previous posts about banned books:

Banned Books Week 2011: Picture Books

Banned Books Week 2011: Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction

Banned Books Week 2012: Picture Books

Banned Books Week 2012: Middle Grade Books

Banned Books Week 2012: Young Adult Books

Stories for Library Lovers

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If you have read many of my previous posts, it should come as no surprise that I LOVE libraries. Libraries are among my very favorite places to spend time in! I visit our local library at least once a week. I love the (relative) quiet, the smell of the books, the access to computers, printers, and other technology, the bright colors of the children's section (actually, our whole library is brightly colored!), and, of course, the rows and rows of books in every room.

While wandering around the children's section recently, I discovered a group of engaging books about libraries. Some of the books are silly and fictional. Others share true stories of real libraries, in this country and around the world. Do you love libraries, too?  If so, this post is for you. (And if not, the following books just might spark your interest!)

Picture books:

Wild About Books,

written by Judy Sierra

and illustrated by Marc Brown, 2004

Librarian Molly McGrew accidentally drives the bookmobile to the zoo. Before long, all of the animals are reading -- and even writing their own books!

This is a cute story, told in rhyme. I especially liked the haiku poems that the bugs in the insect zoo write, along with the stinging reviews from the scorpion! The fun illustrations complement the humorous story well.

***

The Librarian of Basra:
A True Story from Iraq,
written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter, 2005

Alia Muhammad Baker is a librarian in Basra, Iraq. In 2003, war came to Basra. Alia asked the governor for permission to move the books (which were "more precious to her than mountains of gold") from the library to a safer place. He refused, but Alia moved them anyway. Just a few days later, a fire burned the library to the ground....

I don't know much about libraries in other countries and hadn't heard of this story before reading the book. I found it interesting. Winter presents the facts in a way that is easy to understand. She also shares Alia's perspective, her thoughts and hopes for the books she loves. Winter's colorful illustrations help to tell Alia's story and depict the war without being too frightening for children. 

***

Biblioburro:
A True Story from Columbia,
written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter, 2010

This book is based on the true story of Luis Soriana, an avid reader who lives in northern Colombia. One day he decided to share his large collection of books with the people in isolated villages high up in the hills where books are scarce. He built special crates for the books that could be carried by his two burros, creating his very own Biblioburro -- or Burro Library.

Through her vibrant pictures and poetic narrative, Winter provides readers with a small slice of life in Colombia. I found the book a delight to read!

***

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise:
How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children,
written by Jan Pinborough
and illustrated by Debby Atwell, 2013

When Annie Carroll Moore was young, "many people thought a girl should stay indoors and do quiet things such as sewing and embroidery. But Annie thought otherwise." This is the tale of a woman who "thought otherwise" about many different things and wasn't afraid to fight for what she felt was right. Soon after libraries began hiring women as librarians, Miss Moore went to school to become one. Unlike many others in her field, she believed that libraries should be for children, too, not just for adults. She helped to create children's sections in all 36 branches of the New York Public Library and later went on to design (and then run) the Central Children's Room at Fifth Avenue and Forty-Second Street. Her work influenced other libraries around the country and around the world to create inviting spaces for children.

I was unaware of the history of children's libraries before reading this book. I learned a lot! I like how Pinborough brings this history to life with intriguing details and alluring text. Atwell's folk-art style pictures pair nicely with the story. This was my favorite of the picture books in this post.

***

"L" is for Library,
written by Sonya Terry
and illustrated by Nicole Wong, 2006

From "Dewey Decimal System" to "nonfiction" to "thesaurus", this book offers a different library-related word for each letter of the alphabet.

While I'm not a fan of the rhymes of the text (some seem a bit forced to me), I found that Wong's detailed, charming illustrations outweigh those parts, making this a book worth sharing with you.

***

Librarian on the Roof!:
A True Story,
written by M. G. King
and illustrated by Stephen Gilpin, 2010

This book is based on the true story of RoseAleta Laurell, a dedicated librarian who camped out on the roof of the Dr. Eugene Clark Library (the oldest library in Texas) for a week, in order to raise awareness and funds for its children's section. Town officials did not approve of her stunt, and Laurell endured some wet, scary weather up on the roof, but in just seven days, the town raised almost $40,000 for the library -- twice Laurell's original goal!

King's entertaining writing combined with Gilpin's amusing cartoon-like illustrations make this a fun book for children and adults alike.

***

Middle grade fiction:

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library,
written by Chris Grabenstein, 2013

Imagine a modern day Willy Wonka creating a library instead of a chocolate factory. It would be the best library ever, right? It would be Mr. Lemoncello's library. For the past 12 years, Alexandria, Ohio has been without a public library. Now the man behind Mr. Lemoncello's Imagination Factory (a company with the best board games, puzzles, and video games) is opening a library in the town. He picks twelve 12-year-olds (who write the best essays on "Why I'm Excited About the New Public Library") for a special library lock-in. There are games and prizes, plus the biggest competition of them all -- whoever can figure out how to escape from the library without using the front door or the fire exits (using only what's in the library to find their way out) will win the best prize of all, becoming a paid spokesperson for the Imagination Factory.

I loved this book and count it as one of my favorite middle grade novels of all time! It hooked me from the very beginning and kept me interested to the very end. It made me laugh out loud in several spots. I had fun figuring out the various clues to the games and I appreciated all the references to other books that appear throughout the story. While reading it, I knew that my son Ben would love it, too. I gave it to him when I finished, and, sure enough, he couldn't put it down. Between the two of us, we give this book four big thumbs up!

***

Have you read any of the books mentioned above? If so, what did you think of them? What are your favorite books about libraries?

A friend

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"A good book on your shelf 

is a friend that turns its back on you 

and remains a friend."  

~ Author Unknown

Three cheers for all those friends sitting on shelves, just waiting to be opened and read! :)

Like being home again...

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"Some books are so familiar 

that reading them is 

like being home again."

~ Louisa May Alcott

These words ring true for me. While I always love diving into a new book -- meeting new characters, learning new things, going on new adventures -- I also enjoy reading my favorite books over again. There's something so cozy and comforting about rereading a well-loved book. 

And then there are those books that I know I've never read before, yet they feel so familiar. I open the book and slip right into the story. As Alcott says, it's just like being home again.

Which books feel like home to you?

Book-learning

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An excerpt:

[...] he was treated more or less as an equal by his parents, who sensibly thought it a very fair division of labour that they should supply the practical knowledge and he the book-learning. They knew that book-learning often came in useful at a pinch, in spite of what their neighbours said. What the Boy chiefly dabbled in was natural history and fairy tales, and he just took them as they came, in a sandwichy sort of way, without making any distinctions; and really his course of reading strikes one as rather sensible.

~ from The Reluctant Dragon,

written by Kenneth Grahame, 1898

Book-learning is useful -- and not just in a pinch!  I like Grahame's description of the Boy reading in "a sandwichy sort of way", and agree that reading natural history and fairy tales does seem sensible. :) What do you think?

The days weren't long enough...

"What she was finding also was how 

one book led to another, 

doors kept opening wherever she turned 

and the days weren't long enough 

for the reading she wanted to do." 

~ Alan Bennett,

from The Uncommon Reader

The days are never long enough for all the reading I want to do, either. Do you feel the same way?

This BookWyrm is Back

My daughter took this photo for me, Aug. 2015

Hello there.  Again.

It's been awhile.

In fact, it's been almost two years since I last shared a post here.  I wish I had a good excuse for disappearing from this blog, but I really don't have one.  When I posted my previous entry, an excerpt from Alice in Wonderland, at the beginning of November in 2013, I was not planning for it to be my last one.  In fact, I had already started writing up several entries to post later in the month.  But then I got busy with life and put this blog on hold.

Not surprisingly, the longer I went without posting anything new, the easier it was for me to continue doing nothing with Blue Sky, Big Dreams and the harder it became for me to break out of that "do-nothing" mode. And I didn't have that problem only with this blog. The same thing happened with my other writing; I've done very little of it over the past two years.

I've missed writing, though.  I've missed working on my stories and my poetry.  I've also missed this blog and the opportunity it gives me to share poems, quotes, words, and books with all of you every day. That's why I'm back! :)

I finally managed to break free from my writing inertia this week and have several posts already lined up for you this month.  I am determined to keep at it.  And I'm hoping that writing here will help launch me back into writing my poems and stories again.  Wish me luck!

It's true that there's been a dearth of writing in my life over the last two years, but time has not stood still and a lot of other things have happened along the way. My kiddos have continued to grow, for one thing. (Imagine that!)

My daughter Emmalie graduated from high school last year and went away to college in the fall. (I'm pretty sure that transition was much harder on me than it was on her!) We've all loved having her back this summer -- I can't believe that it's almost time for her to return to school again.

My son Nick will be a junior in high school this year.  It is unfathomable to me that he'll be headed to college in just two short years.  He started his first paying job this summer, doing an internship with a local forest preserve.  In addition to that, he's been volunteering weekly at another forest preserve and also Brookfield Zoo.  He's been one busy boy!

My youngest, Ben, will be ten next month.  He starts a new school this year and I'm hoping he will love it!  When I last worked on this blog, I was still reading to Ben every night before bed.  He's since become a voracious reader himself (my little BookWyrm!), constantly working his way through big stacks of books all on his own.

As for me, I've still been reading a lot. (Thank goodness that hasn't changed!) I recently joined the Goodreads website and have been busy recording all the books I've read this year, over 60 so far. (They've mostly been adult fiction, but I've also read my fair share of middle-grade and young adult fiction, as well. I will be sharing those books with you in the weeks to come.)

For most of the time that I've been "missing in action", I've had some problems with my right shoulder and biceps.  Last month I had surgery on both.  (And, yes, I'm right-handed. That certainly *has* been a factor when it comes to my lack of writing.)  Now I'm busy with physical therapy and trying to get my arm/shoulder back to normal.  I still have a long way to go, but at least now I can type with both hands again and also use my right hand to write with a pen or a pencil. (Believe me, that's a big deal!)

For those of you who are new to this blog, welcome! (To learn more about Blue Sky, Big Dreams and my philosophy behind it, please check out this post and this one.)

And for those of you who have been here before, welcome back.  I appreciate all of your past support and am so glad that you are willing to come back now that I'm giving this blog another try.

Happy Reading, one and all! :)

P.S. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I would LOVE to hear your comments on this or any other post!  This blog is even more fun for me when I can have a two-way conversation with my readers. :) So please, don't hesitate to write comments -- whether you agree with something I've written or not. I will be happy to hear from you!