FUN FRIDAY--THE LIBRARY
Inside the walls of the world's best playground...
THE MEMORY
I remember as a little kid going to the public library on occasion. Since we had the school library, we didn’t go often to the public library because it was across town and we already had access to books.
BUT--the public library was HUGE. I remember gigantic steps, miles of books, and enough puzzles to last a lifetime. Plus, there were books on cassette. You picked a book and popped in a cassette tape and the book was read to you! (It was before internet!)
I realize adults love the library, but have you ever gone and sat in the kids section? We kidlit authors do it often, but this week I went with the eyes of a child.
THE EXPERIENCE
The steps to the front door were deep, reminding me of hopping up concrete blocks years ago. The sun practically shown in the kids section. I had it to myself for a few moments, so I sat on their couch and watched. In my mind I was five, walking the isles, finding the perfect book.
Sometimes seeing things as a kid means seeing “old” things in “new” ways. This may mean visiting a type of place you’re familiar with--like a library, restaurant, etc-- but in a different location. Or doing a daily routine with a different style: like cooking dinner with the tunes blaring.
I perused titles. Read a few picture books. Listened to children gathered on a rug. Children really know how to live!!
THE TAKEAWAY
If you need a rainy day activity or a book to read in the sun, never hesitate to visit a library. It’s always a good option, regardless of where life takes you. It’s an opportunity to see life with the wonder of a child. We’re all just “big kids,” aren’t we? Does the library make you feel like a kid?
I love the library, too, Marci! Glad you wrote about it today.
Marci, the image of the public library as the world’s best playground is such a joyful way to frame a place many of us first experienced as enormous, mysterious, and full of possibility. I appreciated how you moved from childhood memory into the adult practice of seeing familiar spaces with fresh eyes, because libraries do more than hold books; they help preserve wonder, curiosity, and access across generations. The kids section detail especially works because it reminds us that children often know how to enter a room with more openness than adults remember to bring. Thank you for this cheerful reminder that the library is still one of the best places to recover a little awe.