I'm thinking about taking some time over Christmas to re-read books that I loved as a kid, but that, when I try to booktalk them, I try way too hard to rely on my memories of the book from when I was 8, 9, 10, or so, and end up stammering and driving the kids away from the books by really not doing them justice with my description.
(What a lovely run-on sentence THAT was.)
I'm also thinking about reading some Children's Lit classics that I always wanted to read. What is a classic? That will be defined by me, since I'll be reading them.
I wonder if I'll punk out?
I also reserve the right to stop reading any of them at any point, since I'm not in school and life is too short to read bad books (or books that are just boring you at the time.) I remember being discussing some books with fellow librarians a few years ago. If I remember correctly, it was the consensus that one particular book (I don't remember which -- no, I really don't) was tough to drag ourselves through. One person said: "why did you keep reading the book?" and we all, including librarians who had been doing this a lot longer than me, kinda looked incredulous. Someone said something to the effect of not wanting to give up on it in case it got good at the end.
I've heard that again and again, and it makes me feel like I'm not alone in my zealousness to "finish. that. stinkin'. book.", but also so glad that I heard the other person ask why we kept on reading -- because it gave me permission to stop reading a book that is so bad it makes me want to puncture my eyeballs. Of course, do I take advantage of this right? No. But I like to think I write amusing reviews of bad books, so maybe it's serving a purpose.
1 comment:
If the book is bad news-- chuck it. There is so much out there to read that is worth your time. Love you--
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