The Library - A not so odd place that I really love

Since I was a little girl I have loved going to the library. Reading in general is a full contact sport for me. I can't sit for more than about a minute without having words to rest my eyes on. I read constantly, at work, at home, in bed, at the doctor's office, you name, I probably read there.

I am sure it's related to the fact that my mother was a librarian at the Chetco Community Library when I was a little girl. I spent a lot of time there before I started school and later when I was getting too old for a babysitter, I would go there after school until my mother was finished with work.

I don't remember how old I was but I remember the moment I learned to read. At some point, the combination's of the letters started aligning themselves into words, opening doors I never imagined.

One of the first books I remember reading is Flicka, Ricka and Dicka. There were several in the series and I read them over and over. Next came Cowboy Sam. After that, nothing would stop me. I read Stone Soup, every Baba Yaga story I could find, The Midnight Kitchen, Where the Wild Things Are among many. I devoured books.

Soon, I discovered that books without pictures and smaller print had the same words as the picture books and the stories were more interesting. At that point, The Happy Hollisters, the Laura Ingalls Wilder stories, The Box Car Children, Mr. Poppers Penguins, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, The Mixed Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and so on.

Eventually, I graduated to Trixie Belden (who I liked better than Nancy Drew, although it didn't stop me from reading the entire Nancy Drew and Hardy boys series), Judy Blume titles, and Where the Red Fern Grows among others.

Somewhere along the line, I also became a voracious re-reader of books. I still pick up books and re-read them for the 2nd, 4th and 17th time. I think part of this is because I read so fast that I miss parts of the stories and re-reading them I pick up the details I missed the first time through, and part of it is that I love a good story and if a book is good, I will re-read it just to enjoy a well-written story again.

My father could never understand why I would re-read everything, but my mother completely understood. She once told me that re-reading a book was like finding a lost friend. She was right. Of all the things I could have inherited from my mother, I think this understanding is one of the things I appreciate the most.

My mother doesn't read anymore as a result of the advancement of Parkinson's disease. I hope she remembers all of the good stories and friends rediscovered she found during her reading years.

Right now I am reading Isabelle Allende's "Portrait in Sepia" (thanks for the loan Nancy). Recently completed the Twilight series and am eagerly awaiting the next installment in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. (I know Judi, but I can't help myself, the story is completly compelling and I love the excrutiating detail - although I don't catch a lot of it until about the 3rd read.)

I just signed into Shelfari for the first time and am populating my books read. Because of the volume, it will take me a while to get it caught up. If you want to review my list, visit http://www.shelfari.com/o1514569231 and I invite you to participate. I would love to see what you are reading too.