Books, like songs, are strongly attached to some of my most vivid memories. For example,I remember the day a friend pulled "Little House in the Big Woods" off the shelf of our tiny school library and placed it in my hands. Those books gave me the first glimpse into using memories to tell a story. Then there are the books that helped me get through some difficult times.
When I was ten, I had to spend two weeks with my newly widowed Grandmother. There was nothing to read except Good Housekeeping and nothing to do, except watch her "stories" every afternoon. When my Mom offered to stop by with a library book I chose a familiar book for comfort and escape, a biography of Dolley Madison.
The summer I crushed my big toe (long story), I couldn't ride my bike or walk very far. I spent most of my vacation reading books by my newly discovered favorite writer, Victoria Holt.
In college, far from home, living in a one room apartment "The Thorn Birds" was my date on a Saturday night for the first few weeks until I made some friends.
Frequent middle of the night feedings with my firstborn became a time to read so that I didn't fall asleep and drop him. The Shell Seekers grabbed my attention and often I would put the baby back to bed and continue reading.
When my marriage began to fall apart, "A Year by the Sea," by Joan Anderson gave me the strength to move on and rediscover who I was.
Just thinking of a particular book can bring the memories flooding back. Books canchange us, enrich us, challenge us, and comfort us. That's the message I would like to share with my students.
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