Reading remains a lifelong love

In this issue, we will explore the rich history of children’s literature, which has given birth to generations of lifelong readers, myself included.

Growing up, my favorite book was Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” Published in 1865, the beloved, fantastical tale had already been delighting children for more than a century, and now I was its latest fan. My father gave me a copy of “The Book of Knowledge,” a compendium of children’s stories, factoids, and DIY craft projects, published in the early 20th century. Included in that volume was a serialized version of Carroll’s story, along with its sequel, “Through the Looking Glass.” I can still feel the slick, yellowed pages in my hands and the musty smell that arose from the book as I flipped through its pages.

The story included all of the original illustrations from John Tenniel, so I was able to see Carroll’s characters with my own eyes. Even if the illustrations hadn’t been included, my developing imagination – only strengthened from a love of reading – could have easily brought them to life in my young mind.

That was early in elementary school. As I grew older, it became apparent that society valued children who loved reading and gave them ample opportunity to do so. My school, like countless others across the country, hosted book fairs that I looked forward to with giddiness. Those colorful, paper Scholastic book order forms allowed me to buy books from my desk (a lot of my weekly allowance went to those, actually). Pizza Hut gave you a personal pan pizza for reading a certain number of books. And, in fourth grade, my teacher kept an antique, claw-foot bathtub in the back of the classroom, the interior lined with carpet squares. If you had been an exceptionally obedient student or had gone above and beyond what was expected of you on any given week, you were rewarded with an uninterrupted 15 minutes of reading in that antique bathtub. It was the best reward you could ask for – if you were a bibliophile, that is.

As an adult, I think those of us who proclaim to love reading also follow up that statement with, “But I just don’t have the time to do it much anymore.”