The Book Nook- A little corner of learning, growing, inspiration & fun!

It’s time for another inspiring area of my blog (with a little story below for you) that has helped me to “live inspired” for well- my whole life actually!  Books and libraries are a huge part of who I am and I wanted to have a place on my website for us to share in the books that make us laugh, learn, grow, enjoy, feel entertained, get inspired, or maybe just cope with all of life’s ups and downs.  This cozy little corner of my blog can be located as a tab on my main website page and is called “The Book Nook”.  I will be sharing a wide variety of books and inspiring snippets with you, and please by all means, if you have read any of the books I am talking about -feel free to start a discussion about them.  Also -please do suggest books you love for my other readers (and myself) to read!

I have loved reading since I was a child.  In fact I sort of feel like I grew up in a library! 🙂  From the time I was very small , my mom took us kids to the library on a weekly (and sometimes more than that) basis.  We moved a lot in my growing up years, and it didn’t matter where we lived-one of the first places she found was the local library.  Some of the libraries in the bigger cities had really cool children’s programs that she would get us involved in.  Some of the small libraries had really neat kids areas with cozy cushions to sit on to read, fun displays and maybe even paintings or colorful works of art painted on glass windows. Actually, this is why I wanted to use the name “The Book Nook” on my blog.  I was always the girl who was cozied up with a stack of books in one of those cool little hidden corners of the kids section at the library.

This is Mom reading to our girl scout troop. The hand graphic with finger is pointing to my younger self.  I am the blonde girl in the red.

Mom was resourceful (she was my girl scout troop leader when I was in elementary school) and even if we were on a tight budget, she knew that most library stuff was free entertainment.  We would use our library cards to check out movies even!-specifically Shelly Duvall’s Fairytale Theater.  Does anyone remember that?  You could usually rent movies free, participate in any free entertainment the library had going on, use computers free, and of course check out books for free.

I was an avid reader as a child (thanks to Mom) and so usually Mom had a stack of fun picture books to read us for bedtime stories (as we grew older the books became longer “chapter books” with less pictures) and then I had my own little stack for private reading time.  There was a lot of reading going on in our home! Books being read after school, at bedtime, reading the most myself in the summer-outdoors in some cozy spot where I could be alone and let my imagination run. Then from like 6th grade on I would sometimes take books to school and read them when I got a chance.

What books do I remember Mom reading us at bedtime?

Us kids liked books that were silly or had funny pictures.

• Amelia Bedelia books were an absolute favorite! –  The way she took everything so literally and did such crazy stuff!
• Then there was this story of funny little people with tall hats.  One of the books was called Rosie and the Rustlers by Roy Gerrard.  Roy Gerrard has several books with the funniest artwork, so if you have children you should check those out!
• Another favorite was the author Harry Allard, who wrote 2 different book series that we used to read.  One was the series about Miss Nelson ( who is a school teacher).  Miss Nelson is Missing!  was a favorite.
• Beatrix Potter books.  The Tale of Peter Rabbit , The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, and the Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher were my favorites.
• Aldo Peanut Butter– You know I can’t even remember much about this book except that it is about a boy and maybe a dog haha.  I think the boy may have been named Aldo peanut butter. It was a library rental and for some reason of all the books mom read this title stuck in my head.  I can even remember exactly where we were when she was reading it to us.
• Judy Blume Books – I remember the ones about a little boy who was referred to as “Fudge” and the one called Freckle Juice.

There were many more that we owned which she read to us, but these are some of the library rentals I remember.

When I got to the age where I could read “chapter” books by myself my favorites were :

• Ramona Quimby by Beverly Cleary– any of the Ramona books!
• The Babysitter’s Club Series (which inspired me to start my own babysitter “club” at age 11-my first job 🙂 )
• Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Books for me are memories.  Memories of simpler times.  Cozy times.  A mother and her 2 children and a pile of books.  Snuggling.  Love.  Laughter. Giggles.

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A child growing up and reading books in her favorite “secret” places where time stands still and nothing else matters.  Learning. Dreaming. A whole new world of wonders and possibilities revealed to her with the turning of each page.  Ideas.  Inspiration. Book fairs and libraries-the feeling of new books and old books-each exciting in their own way.  Wanting to be a writer myself someday. Writing my first little stories and poems.

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A teenager. Reading poetry and romance novels.  Daydreaming about boys, first love and the excitement and turmoil that this phase of life brings.  Doodling in notebooks.  Writing more. Poetry.  Reading and writing and learning my way through life and love.

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An adult now.  Less time to read.  Still loves books though.  New technology allows me to read my daily devotions (and the bible) on my “smart phone”.  No Kindle for me though.  I draw the line with bookish technology at bible apps and devotionals. 🙂  I cling to old fashioned times where real books were all that existed and in my “modern day rebellion”, I decide this is the only way to go.  Technology is cool, but nothing replaces a physical book.  Crisp new book I just got in the mail.  I open the pages.  There is nothing like that new book smell! (except maybe that antique book smell-would you believe I even like the smell of musty books?) Buying books on pre-order to keep on top of new books that come out from my favorite series (this is the part of technology I do not resist).  Book Clubs.  Book discussions with other “bookish” friends.  Still learning.  Still growing.  Still getting ideas.  Still a dreamer. Still inspired.  Still ness.  Me time 🙂 !

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So there you have it!  ( A special thanks to my parents and especially my Mom, who gave me a love of books which resulted in a love of writing – these things matter so much. ) I would love love love to hear about your story of books.  So please have some fun with me and answer 1 or more of these questions either in the comments section on my website or at our We Live Inspired Facebook page (Click HERE to like the page and interact that way).  If you are an email subscriber who doesn’t wish to comment here you can reply to me via email if wish.

Ok here are the questions for you to answer:

1. What books were your favorites as a child (either books you read to yourself or bedtime stories that were read to you)?
2. Any memories of a parent or grandparent reading to you that you wish to share?
3. What are your favorite books as an adult?
4. What book are you currently reading?

linked @ MercyInk, A Pause on the Path, Lessons from Ivy, Teach Me Tuesdays, Deep Roots at Home,

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