More bookcases, please

We are a family of readers.

Well, my little one isn’t reading independently, but she’s as into books as the rest of us. We have a large collection of books and we are always needing more bookcases. Usually couples balance each other out — one is a saver, one is a spender, etc. But both my husband and I are avid book dragons. We hoard books like gold and jewels, even if we have not read the books (yet.) My Christmas lists are mostly books (after the decaf coffee and rooibos teas) and I have a glorious pink bookshelf in my office that I admire constantly. I love the rechargeable wall sconces!

Visits to the local libraries (yes, we go to more than one) are a weekly thing, and if you have not looked at the events your local bookland has to offer, you should check it out (pun intended). They have fun plans for kids of all ages, and even reading challenges for adults too. Summer reading is a big deal, and did you know that Pizza Hut still does the Book-It program?

I use Goodreads to keep track of my books, and I spend summers reading what my kids curate for me, which most recently has been the entire Warriors series. They are about groups of wild cats, and even though they are written for youth readers, they have started a lot of conversations with my son about loyalty, honesty, confidence, duty, and how to deal with conflict. It’s fun each morning when he asks me what happened in the book last night, and we can bond over these stories. I say if you liked Harry Potter, you’ll find the clans to be like the Hogwarts houses, and the personalities just as diverse. Each 6-book set is a story arc, and they continue through generations of cats. The format has been followed by one of the many writers of the team for the very popular Wings of Fire books.

Reading is a part of my Daily Refrain — I end each day by reading a few chapters of my book, sometimes with a hot mug of tea or a glass of wine. It’s a nice way to end the day after all my work is done. I prefer reading to watching TV, so unless it’s a show with singing and dancing (I miss Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist), I am unlikely to watch it! And sorry, I’m not an audiobook person. Maybe it’s because I’m a book dragon, but I need to have my trophies on my shelf and I like the feel of the paper in my hand.

I hope you are reading a great book, and if not, get thee to the library and borrow something for free. Cheers!