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| 6th graders, field trip |
In 1960, in California, a few of us neighborhood kids started the Manhattan Beach 4th Street Book and Snack Club That wasn't its official name, but that's how we thought of it. We were nine years old. With younger siblings tagging along, we rode our bikes to the pier then up the hill to the library where whispering--
quiet whispering--was strictly enforced. There we roamed the stacks until we each found a book to check out, its plastic cover then crackling against our handlebars as we rode home,
fast, because of the treats that awaited us. It was the best part of the club, eating our snacks while looking out at the ocean. Though we never actually discussed the stories we read, we sure had fun.
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| old friends |
The other day my niece Hailey sent a photo from a nearby library where she found a modest section of my books. "We're on a field trip to the Palos Verdes Public Library," she texted. "And here you are." My heart soared to see original editions from the Dear America and Royal Diaries series, somewhat ragged, but still in circulation. I have reprinted several different titles through Amazon, and thought it would be fun to post a link here.
The Great Railroad Race was one of my favorite to research and write:
As the daughter of a newspaper reporter, 14-year-old Libby West keeps a diary account of the exciting events surrounding her during the building of the railroad in the West in 1868.
I'm still thrilled to read letters from teachers and students studying American history. And our public library is still one of my happy places.
