Turning a Page

I remember lying in my bed reading Little Women the night before I went to college . Little Women is a "comfort" book for me, as much as mashed potatoes are a comfort food. I called out to my mother that maybe I had made a mistake and I should stay home. She reminded me to set my alarm clock because we were leaving early in the morning.

Tonight I am wandering around looking for a copy of Little Women. Today I dropped my older daughter off at college. As we drove away and I saw her standing on the sidewalk holding a bag of hangers, I thought, "Wait....I'm not done." But while I hope to have many years of parenting ahead of me, there is a part of my job with Rachel that is done. Today she turned a page in her life.

Since she and many of her friends practically grew up at The Open Book, I have been thinking alot about the books that have defined their childhood years and the lessons they might have learned from the pages they have turned.

One of the first children's events that we celebrated at The Open Book was the birthday of Ludwig Bemelman's Madeline. We had cake and took pictures with a giant Madeline doll and read the book over and over again. By the end of the day I could chant by heart, "In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines....." I have always loved Madeline because although she is the smallest, she is brave and plucky and joyful.

Picture books gave way to chapter books and for the kids that are going off to college this year, that meant The Magic Tree House series. I still love to recommend this series to early readers. Jack and Annie, brother and sister, take care of each other as they travel back in time and in and out of reality. The sense of adventure celebrated by these books, as well as the safety and comfort of returning home, speaks to many young readers venturing into the world outside their homes.

Then came Harry Potter! This generation was the lucky one to grow up with Harry. I remember the anticipation of the release of the latest book. The excitement about what would happen at Hogwarts. Unwittingly, the kids absorbed epic storylines and difficult vocabulary as they matured with Harry, Hermoine and Ron. We celebrated by dressing up as the characters, eating gallons of jelly beans, and staying up really late to finish the latest book. Harry teaches kids about courage and standing up for your convictions when others believe you are wrong. Ron showed us that the one who may seem to be the silliest can be your best friend when times are tough. My favorite, though I should not admit it, is Hermoine. She is brainy and a little neurotic, but she will pull you through the the hardest times with intelligence and heart.

Before I knew it, those litte kids that loved the Magic Tree House were reading Catcher in the Rye, Slaughterhouse-Five, Les Miserables and Jane Eyre. When I saw those books going out the door of The Open Book, I knew that soon their readers would be going out into the world.

That day has come for many of the young readers who I have watched grow up over the years. It it right down the road for many others. To all of you I wish the joy of Madeline, the adventures of Jack and Annie and the courage of Harry Potter. I wish you years of wonderful books and good friends to share them with.

Keep turning those pages.......

Don't Forget The Books....

A New York Times article that came out today speaks of the struggle of The Open Book against the newer, bigger bookstore down the street. While it has been a challenge and we have worked hard to come up with many ways to draw people just around the corner, what is really important is what happens when you walk in the door of our cozy little shop.

For me and for the employees of The Open Book, what has always been important is matching readers with books. We are readers and we take great joy in that activity. To be able to share that joy with others is what made me want to be a bookseller over 11 years ago. Jessica, the manager of The Open Book, takes the publisher's catalogs with her on vacation. She is always looking for that book that people will fall in love with. Rachel, Sara, Danielle, Vincent, Bret, L.J. and Richard all work hard to make sure that the adults and children who walk in our door find a book that will make their day a little more entertaining or interesting.

We are proud of the work we do. We know that The Open Book is a bit of an anachronism in a world of big box stores that have a million titles. We are a little store and we do not always have every book. But if you tell us what kind of books you like, we will do our best to find you something new that you will enjoy. Or if you have your heart set on that book that is not in stock, we will get it for you as quickly as possible and drop it off at your door if you live nearby.

I do not think any of us would fight so hard to protect the store if we sold screwdrivers or hats. Books are not just a product to us. We know that a book can bring comfort or make someone laugh or sometimes even change a life. Putting the right book in the right hand is what we strive to do and what we love to do. After all the talk of author appearances, story times, balloons, and sandwich boards, what really matters is connecting people with books.