This article first appeared in California Reader, Volume 57, Number 3, Fall 2024.
“Hurry up! She’s got new books!” the circle of children shouted as I sat in their midst on a Monday morning in early spring. Those finishing their morning routine
scurried to join their classmates and they all eagerly leaned forward, anticipating the gifts in the bag at my feet. For inside the bag, the children knew, were the results of my latest forage at the local library. When a bag appeared (usually every other week; sometimes more often), fresh and interesting books, often titles requested by the children themselves, would be available in our library and so the chorus of voices began:
“Did you get more Dogman books? We only have five!”
“What about Bad Kitty? I love those!
“Did you find any more books by Patrice Barton? She
draws such good pictures.”
As I pulled each book from the bag, squeals arose from students followed by the inevitable questions and comments:
“Can I have that book for my book collection?”
“I’m checking that book out!”
“Can I read it first?”
To each remark, I’d say with a smile, “Perhaps. Let’s put it in the library first so you can all read it.” (Sometimes, though, a book did go straight to the child who had
requested it!)
Next came ideas on where to place the book in the library.
“It should go in Great Authors!”
“Or Great Characters!”
“That’s a Minh Lê book!”
“Virginia Loh-Hagan—remember when she came to our school!”
“Oh, that bug book should go in Insects!”
In the beginning of the school year, I had to encourage those suggestions. Now, my role was to explore and extend their thinking. “Hmm…why do you think that would be a good spot for this book?”
Our library was firmly established. A gift, indeed!
