Spread the Literary Love
Whether through conversation or reading to a class of kids, there are many ways to share books.
By Susan Swagler
Reading, I think, is all about sharing.
The author shares a story or an idea. We talk about these things
over dinners, in the grocery lines and at the ball fields, sharing what
we’ve read with each other. Smalltalk is never a problem for readers.
Some of my favorite times in this world were spent reading to my children. Now that they’re older, we share books through discussions.
Books like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which my youngest recently discovered. This book happens to be one we all can share in a much larger way; Tom Sawyer is the book that communities all over Alabama are sharing during our first-ever statewide Big Read campaign. It’s happening right now, and there are, quite literally, hundreds of ways to participate. (There’s even fence painting!) Go to alabamareads.org for details and scheduled events near you—wherever you are.
I get a lot of books, and I give most away when I’ve read and written about them. I have a couple books on my living room coffee table waiting for Ericka next time she delivers our pizza. Last time she was here, she told me that she’s been reading my book columns for years.
I’ve picked out a few titles just for her. Do I know exactly what her taste is in books? Nope, not really. But I’ll share good books—well written and worth reading. So far, Ericka’s stack includes A Soft Place to Land by Susan Rebecca White, Mudbound by Hillary Jordan and the strictly fun Miss Julia Delivers the Goods by Ann B. Ross. I think it’ll work out.
I happen to be in a book group that likes to share, too, and not just with each other. After hearing that Minor Community School and North Highland Elementary School both had 20-child-long waiting lists for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, our book group sent them some copies.We figured we’d shorten these waits—at least by a little bit.
I’m putting together a box of books to send to PieLab in Greensboro, down in the Black Belt. When we were there recently, having pie and talking to people we don’t know at the big, indoor picnic table (doing just what the PieLab people hope we’d do), I noticed a few shelves of books for borrowing. Most were not newly published. I’m sending them an infusion of new works for sharing. (If you don’t know about PieLab, go to mmm.pielab.org and see what I’m talking about.Yes, mmm as in, mmm, that pie is good!)
I’m forever (and happily!) sharing reading advice with anyone who asks. One of the people I met that day at PieLab asked me, “What’s your column about?” Good things, I said. Good books and good reading-related things. Why waste time on the negative? I’d much rather tell people about books that are worth their time. Books like Secret Son by Laila Lalami or Rogues Gallery: The Secret History of the Moguls and the Money That Made the Metropolitan Museum by Michael Gross. Also worth sharing: Robert Goolrick’s bestselling debut novel, A Reliable Wife, and anything by Julia Alvarez, but perhaps especially In the Time of the Butterflies, which was a NEA Big Read selection elsewhere in the country.
It really is all about sharing. And now, here are a few easy ways you can share, too.
The Literacy Council is teaming up with Better Basics, the Junior League of Birmingham and the Children’s Literacy Guild of Alabama for Birmingham Reads. This multi-part program will distribute books to low-income children while raising awareness of child and adult literacy services.
Part of this effort includes Birmingham’s Biggest Book Drive, which is set for April 1 to 15.You can drop off books at all Books-a- Million stores and at all Alabama Power offices. Prior to that (as in right now), drop off books at the Better Basics office in Homewood (200 Beacon Parkway West).
Then there’s a shared reading event on April 14 between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.Volunteers are still needed to read to children in kindergarten through fifth-grade classes at all 37 Birmingham City elementary schools. Share your love of reading, help foster that very same thing in a youngster and make sure that each child gets a book to take home and keep.Your participation will make a difference.
If you’re interested in reading to the kids during Birmingham Reads, contact Lauri Rogers with Better Basics at volcoord@betterbasics.org or Debra Des Vignes at The Literacy Council at (205) 326- 1925. For more information about these organizations, go to betterbasics.org or literacy-council.org.
