Books are LOVE.
My maternal grandmother (bless her soul) was a former public school teacher. As the youngest of three siblings, I normally found myself sitting on her lap while she spent her late afternoons tutoring my brother and sister- ensuring that their homework was completed properly, and getting them prepped for school the next day. My grandmother would then let me read my siblings’ books after, and this went on for years before I even started school myself. Left to my own devices, I became a voracious reader- starting off with the famed Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys of my middle school years, to J.D Salinger and Edgar Allan Poe in junior high.
Fast forward to today, I am still drawn to the intoxicating scent of new books, with their slightly roughed pages and clean lines (spoken like a true bookworm, I might add!) Whoever said “books are dead”? Access to them has never been this easy-what with the advent of e-books, free-standing stores such as Chapters that has partnered with coffee giant Starbucks to encourage and enhance laid-back reading pleasure, and the proliferation of library and online book clubs. One could just select a particular genre and receive the latest book in their inbox with a quick entry of their e-mail address. With how simple and painless it is, who would not want to curl up in bed on this dreary Wednesday night and leave the land of the living, albeit temporarily?
As a family and youth-oriented community that believes in further advancing literacy, as well as individual readers’ personal growth, St Vital has its own Book Club that meets the last Monday of the month at 7:15 pm from September to June. Aside from its social benefits, it also allows you to be more in tune with your opinions and insights that you can absolutely apply to your interpretation of a book- which makes for a healthy discussion amongst book lovers.
Summer need not be over just yet, by the way, as The St Vital Library on Fermor Ave will also be opening its doors to the Family Literacy Fun Day on Monday, August 20 from 2-4 pm, as part of The Winnipeg Foundation’s “Literacy for Life” fund/campaign. Games and activities centered on the playful use of reading, writing, and language skills await families who will be attending. What better way to instill the love of books to your children than to participate in a fun, free event where everybody is welcome to indulge their passion of the printed word?
Hop on over to the St Vital Library, or contact them at 204-986-5628 for more details.
Time to Get Book-ed!