Kids and books can be a hilarious combination. As most of you know, I work in a library, and one of my favourite things is to see children having fun with reading and enjoying a good story. Last week, I was tidying up the toys in the play area and I heard a mother reading aloud to her young son, who was about three or four years old. She was telling a story about farm animals, and she came to a part where she questioned her child, “What animal says ‘moo’ and gives us milk?”
The little one thought about it for a moment (I figure he was pausing for dramatic effect), and then shouted mischievously, “A GORILLA!”
I burst out laughing, and the mother was just in stitches. You really have to wonder how kids come up with these things!
I think most libraries nowadays have a Reader’s Advisory program, which patrons can use to find new authors, books, and materials they otherwise wouldn’t know about. They’ll obtain this information by talking to a librarian in their local branch, checking the Hotlist, browsing through display areas, or surfing the home page or blog on the library’s website. Sometimes I hear patrons soliciting the opinions of other patrons – they’ll see someone with a particular book in hand and simply go up and ask them about it. Everyone is always happy to offer an opinion on a book.
Case in point: a couple of weeks ago, I was putting away some board books in the children’s area, when I overheard the greatest book recommendation ever. One little guy – he couldn’t have been more than six years old – was enthusiastically broadcasting to his younger brother the merits of a certain volume he had picked up. “You’ll LOVE this book!” he exclaimed. “It has a booger in it!” *
Children’s book authors, take note – that’s the magic stuff, right there! Five stars!
*(Subject matter, not actual object. Ewwwww…).
How do you get your book recommendations? Do you check out book reviews on the web, or ask other readers? Do you pick up books from the displays at your local library? Are you part of a book club?
Flowery Prose. 