The Book Basket

Placing my dog’s toys in her basket, a nostalgic smile played about my lips. For many years, this basket brimmed with picture books where canine playthings now reside. Memories floated to the surface; a child snuggled up on each side, hands eagerly waiting to turn the page, the lingering smell of baby shampoo. As my hands touched its wicker handle, I couldn’t help but reflect on the pivotal and enduring role books played in my life. 

My mother was always ahead of her time. So, when a new job required her to work the evening shift, she devised a creative solution to the dilemma of missing our nightly storytimes. Days in advance, she recorded various tales that my brother and I listened to at bedtime. Cozied up together under a soft blanket, John and I shared that night’s reading as her gentle voice guided us page by page. Thus, seeds that would blossom into a lifelong love of reading and creating were planted. 

When I was blessed with a child of my own, I wanted to pass on this same gift. As soon as my son showed an interest in board books, I placed some at the bottom of his crib. One morning, I went up to his room to investigate why he hadn’t called for me as per his normal routine. The noises I heard through the baby monitor were telltale signs that he had been awake for a while. Peeking around his bedroom door, I beheld a site I will always treasure. There he sat, intently studying a board book. He took his time, running his eyes and hands over each page before reaching for another. A year and a half later, Austin would inspire his baby sister by “reading” books to her chosen from our ever-present book basket. Although his narration was merely comprised of a three-year-old’s chatter, he was taking the first steps in establishing the foundational roots of reading.

As a writer, my extensive picture book collection is a source of inspiration and guidance. I often revisit much-loved books to immerse myself in the rich lyrical language that flows from page to page and revisit memorable characters that feel like friends. I think of the work behind every precisely chosen word and the effort required to build such inviting worlds. Picture books truly have their own unique dance. 

Since childhood, books have been an integral part of my world. As an adult, I shared this devotion in a number of ways; namely reading to students of all ages in the many classes I taught  and attending yearly educational conferences to keep up with publishing trends. I strove to match reluctant readers with books that would engage them in the hope that seedlings of literacy, like the ones lovingly nurtured by my mother, would take root.  Whether I open a book to research a new topic or escape into a work of historical fiction, I always feel a resounding sense of contentment, of coming home. This feeling, more than anything else I’ve ever known, energizes me and inspires me to tell stories of my own.