Celebrate Libraries
It's a late blog and I've just finished putting the girls to bed after a few fairytales on National: Tell a Fairytale Day.
They wanted to talk about their love of books and their love of libraries in particular. Libraries are always coming under pressure when it comes to cuts in local government and the girls (particularly Amelie!) are genuinely shocked when they hear that some people don't see the value in libraries.
For them, they have been a place of wonderful discoveries, of excitement and adventure, where they entered new worlds and took them home too. Since they were babies they have raided them, attended events, heard stories, gone on treasure hunts, sang songs and met authors. For children, Libraries are a place of fun.Hand on heart, I can honestly say that without those experiences, I don't think the girls would love books so much or be such talented readers (and writers!). Having somewhere inviting, where you can grow your mind and explore from the earliest age, surely fosters a love of books which may last a lifetime.
At the moment we couldn't do without the book ordering service because Amelie finishes box sets within days of receiving them and we would never be able to afford to feed her appetite (neither would the rainforests!) When she goes on a raid, she discovers new authors and won't stop until she has read everything. She's a little mad but it's inspiring, and of course, she wants to be an author.
Erin is enjoying the huge selection of early reader titles which means that learning to read is not monotonous and boring. Having a choice over what to read and discovering these new worlds for the first time, makes reading more exciting, and surely that's a buzz we want to encourage.
The girls' message is simply to support your local library, just by using it more and letting local
An educated world is surely one of the most important things we need to make the world a better place. Without Libraries, that task becomes much harder. We need to celebrate them more.
On behalf of the girls....have a great weekend!
http://www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk/
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p.s. Since the girls are in bed and not able to tell me what to write...here is a wee story from Amelie, my very favourite author ever.
The Centipede with No Legs
Callum was a centipede, but you wouldn’t have thought that
if ever you’d met. ‘For what is a centipede with no legs?’ the other centipedes
would ask him. ‘You are no better than those common, good-for-nothing
earthworms!’
Callum took this very seriously and continued to listen to
the constant taunting of the other centipedes with great sorrow pulsing through
his miserable, legless body. One day he got so depressed that he found he
couldn’t take it anymore and decided to visit Earth Worm Town to see if he
would be happier there. It was, like he expected, covered in unpleasant grumpy
earthworms. They had shouted at him, “You don’t belong
here” and “Go back
home”. Callum felt desperately disappointed and distraught that no one would
accept him for who he was. He simply wanted to find a friend.
A fly who was passing by saw the sadness welling in Callum’s
eyes and went to comfort him. He told Callum about someone who could help him
and suddenly the bitterness inside his heart melted into hope.
At once he set off to see Wise Old Worm (the only earthworm ever
known of without a temper). He spoke kindly to Callum and said, “You are neither
a centipede, nor an earthworm, but a mix. You see your mother was a centipede
and your father was an earthworm, they fell in love and then they had you. You
are one of a kind. You are the special chosen one we have been waiting for.”
The wise old worm told everyone the good news and soon
Callum became King. The centipedes and the earthworms bowed down and reunited
with each other.
They learned not to judge others by what they looked like
and felt disappointed in themselves for
Copyright - Amelie Purdon 2016
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