I love this beautiful statue that is in front of the Bob Hertzfeld Memorial Library in Saline County, Arkansas. It was donated by Joyce and Jim Faulkner who wanted to instill a love of reading in young people.
It makes me smile that the little boy has fallen asleep, as the girl continues to read. That's pretty typical, I think most girls love to read more than boys! I love how they kicked off their shoes to get comfortable and are barefoot.
When I saw this statue outside the library I was flooded with wonderful childhood memories of books and libraries. Reading has always been such a large part of my life. I've loved to read from a very young age when Dick and Jane were the characters in my first reader!! I remember getting books as birthday and Christmas presents. I still have a few of my first Little Golden Books and my Nancy Drew books. We couldn't afford a lot of books in our home so we depended on the bookmobile to bring new and exciting library books for us to read. In the late 50's we lived just across the street from the bookmobile stop, a small grocery store called "The Food Basket." I can still remember the excitement as we watched for it to arrive...as we held Mom's hand and crossed the street to climb aboard.
color postcard
I still remember what it looked like inside. The smell of many books in one small place was wonderful. I remember the joy of finding books to check-out for a month. Books I would read over and over again.
Now I go to the library near my home, I still love the smell of books, and I still love to read. But, I miss the excitement of the bookmobile arriving!
Now I go to the library near my home, I still love the smell of books, and I still love to read. But, I miss the excitement of the bookmobile arriving!
"The more you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."
Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"
Cathy,
ReplyDeleteYour post brings back a lot of good library memories for me, too! Once I checked out a huge stack of books, and didn't hardly read any of them... but it was like my eyes were bigger than my reading desires. Last Saturday I was at our library, checking out a big stack of books, and remembering my childhood experience. This time I know I'll read or at least browse through all of them. Thanks for the walk down memory lane!
Oh, yes for me too. Every two weeks my dad and I went to our local library to replenish our book stash. I have always loved reading - I would read the encyclopedias if there was nothing else available - I read while doing my chores! Thanks goodness for our library system!
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful statue --it really does capture the joy of reading! I am a bookworm too...grew up on Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Anne of Green Gables, and Little Women (all strong,competent girls!) I belong to two book groups and am always reading one or two books. What are you reading now?
ReplyDeleteThe statue is really adorable, the kicked off shoes is the best part. I was lucky enough to have the library within bicycle distance, and I loved hiding in my room and reading for hours and hours and hours. Great story Cathy really enjoyed the trip down memory lane.
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