Since I have started my education courses this past semester, I have decided to share some of my work from those classes. This essay in particular is not to show off, gain sympathy, etc. It is just to share my journey of learning through (public) school. (I use this blog to save writings that I like, want to go back to in the future, or just to share with others.)
Despite my appearance and what some people assume about me, I was born and raised in the USA and thus, I didn’t have trouble with the English language. I actually consider myself fluent in English rather than my parent’s language, Bangla. I understood what I was being taught in school from a young age and displayed my skills by getting on the Honor Roll and Principal’s List from as early as 2nd grade. I looked forward to going to school daily as a 4th grader. I loved learning, being with my friends and teachers, and generally had fun in school. My homeroom/ Math teacher and aid were my favorite teachers. Mrs. Alia and Ms. Hill made me feel accepted and gifted in school, which motivated me to do well and kept my interest. They taught their subject with enthusiasm and helped us better understand the material. The big classroom itself was welcoming with its bright lights, posters on the wall, and overall organized room. It was actually thanks to Mrs. Alia and Ms. Hill that I wanted to become a teacher since I was in 4th grade. But the good school days were about to end as I entered 5th grade.
As a 5th grader, I started to wear a headscarf (hijab in Arabic) for the first time for religious reasons. Due to this and other reasons, classmates started to bully me. My grades didn’t really suffer although I didn’t enjoy school like I used to. In fact, I started to hate school at this point. I’m sure my teacher noticed the bullies, but for some reason, she nor any other staff member did anything to help me. I didn’t get my parents involved because I didn't want to make a big deal and I thought that if the bullies figured I was bothered enough to get my parents involved, they would have leverage over me. My "friends" weren't much help either. They laughed away as one bully in particular constantly embarrassed me. That year as a fifth grader I didn't feel accepted whatsoever. Classmates were intolerant of the changes I went through and made it obvious. So I basically endured the bullying and hate in silence for the rest of the school year.
Fast forward to 8th grade. Almost all my classmates and teachers got used to me wearing a headscarf and accepted the change by now. I had a group of friends that made going to school enjoyable again. Two of my favorite subjects were Math and Science. My Math teacher taught her lessons extremely well on an overhead projector so everything was neat and logical. She would also have students go up on the board and do problems so she could see that we understood and for us to explain our work to classmates. Again, her classroom was also organized and welcoming. She had desks in groups of 5-6 with at least 1-2 students in each group to help the others. My science teacher may not have been as neat and organized, but the subject was interesting enough to make it one of my favorites.
By senior year in high school, I was comfortable in my “skin” and it showed in almost everything I did. I work better by myself, but when it came to working in a group/ as a team, I tend to take the lead. I had some of the best teachers of my schooling as a senior in high school too. My teachers valued the hard work I put into their class and extracurricular activities. The teachers themselves were very dedicated, humorous, hardworking, organized, helpful, approachable, encouraging and creative, so it wasn’t hard to enjoy being in their company and learning from them. All the good traits I found in my teachers made my learning and overall school experience that much more worthwhile.
Being in university now, learning is different than it was in the past. Now, I have to take more responsibility for my education and what I get out of it. College is a privilege, so I try to do my best as a student. Not all professors have done their job well. Others were surprisingly great. Although some classes had a lot of work required, by the end of the semester I realized those were some of the best classes. Not because I got good grades in them or the professor went above expectations, but because I learned so much as their student. The wide variety of subjects is also very interesting in my opinion because even though we all might have a specific career in mind, it is still good to know a little bit about different areas.
The quest for knowledge and learning won’t end for me after I graduate. There is still so much more I want to learn and experience! As a future teacher, learning with my students will undoubtedly take place. After all, learning never truly stops no matter what our age may be.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Buy Books @ the Library?
I think I paid around $0.50 (a steal!) for the 6th Harry Potter book which was practically in new condition- minus something minor that needed to be taped. I don't have all the books in the HP series, but I am taking my time collecting them for when I reread the series in the future :)
I also found the 1st book in the Goosebumps Horrorland series (I read the 10th one already). These are quick reads and have cool covers, don't you think?!
I am trying to complete my collection of the Narnia series, so I grabbed the 1st book which has movie images inside. Now I hope I can find movie tie in books for Prince Caspian and the Dawn Treader (if they exist) to complete my set!
I had a dream long time ago of me in Barnes and Noble buying all of Roald Dahl's books. Well, that isn't necessary because I found 4 of his books in addition to a book of his favorite ghost stories. Will be keeping my eyes open for more of RD books!
While on the subject of the library, I reorganized my book shelf (updated tour coming soon iA :) and went through all the books I haven't read yet and don't plan to read. I am in the middle of donating these to the library, especially the 6 top ones from my book swap mentioned above. I still have a few more to give away, and maybe swap for them if I get the chance again! I think everyone should go through their book shelves and make a pile of books that haven't been read at all and won't be read (be realistic) to donate to their local library!
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Frank McCourt's Teacher Man... again!
I decided to share my adopt a writer "project" that I did for my Creative Non-fiction class last semester. As you may have noticed from the title, this post is about Frank McCourt's book, Teacher Man, which I have reviewed in the past here. I am putting this up because I am doing another analysis of his writing style, but in a different format and I wanted to eventually share that as well to compare the two. This might not interest everyone, but as an English Writing major, this is some of the work I do at uni. Nevertheless, I hope you get something out of reading this (and my other posts ;)
Teacher Man by Frank McCourt is a memoir about his 30 years of experience teaching. His career as a teacher helped in his next career as a writer, providing him with content and experience with the English language. Teacher Man is one of McCourt's books and has a distinct style. Diction, point of view, informal/ slang language, dialogue, punctuation, and imagery, are some ways McCourt differentiates his writing style of TeacherMan.
Diction is clearly one of the important ways that a writer's style stands out. Within a writer's word choice is what point of view they are writing in. For example, McCourt chooses to write his book in the first person point of view. He uses "I" right from the start, making it obvious to readers that this book is a personal account, but worth sharing, hence the memoir. McCourt begins by writing, "Here they come. And I'm not ready. How could I be? I'm a new teacher and learning on the job" (11). McCourt stays in the first person perspective all the way to the end. He concludes Teacher Man with, "The bell rings and they sprinkle me with confetti. I am told to have a good life. I wish them the same… I'll try" (258). In the first quote, readers might sympathize with McCourt as a new teacher, but by the end, readers get a sense that McCourt survived teaching that year. By using first person pronouns, McCourt establishes a relationship with his readers.
Furthermore, McCourt uses informal/ slang words, both as his own and quoted from other characters in his book. When McCourt recounts an unexpected visit from a parent, he writes it the way the parent spoke. On page 92 it is written, "This teacher here to learn youse kids. Youse don’t lissena the teacher youse don’t graduate. Youse don’t graduate youse wind up on the piers in some dead-end job. Youse don’t lissena teacher youse doin' yourselves no favor. Unnerstand what I'm tellin youse?" McCourt even mentions some of his students saying “management could kiss their ass” (141). Later on, McCourt says himself, “You know your role: if the little buggers piss you off from time to time, suffer man, suffer”(152). McCourt doesn’t hesitate to incorporate both formal and informal speech in his writing, making his work casual and adding variety.
Along with his informal word choice, McCourt adds a lot of dialogue in Teacher Man, but not in the typical way with proper punctuation. For example, McCourt writes, “Petey said, Yo teacher, that’s my sandwich you [et]. Class told him, Shaddap. Can’t you see the teacher is eating? I licked my fingers. I said, Yum, made a ball of paper bag and wax paper and flipped it into the trash basket. The class cheered. Wow, they said, and Yo, baby, and M-a-a-an. Look at dat” (17). Just like the above quote from a parent, McCourt adds the student’s reaction just as they must have said them. Many times, people speak and write differently depending on their environment, but here McCourt keeps the language authentic to how it was said.
Finally, a writer’s use of details comes into play with their style. McCourt describes scenes for readers to visualize what he wants them to “see”. For example, McCourt adds details to help show his nervousness as in, “I toy with the implements of my new calling: five manila folders, one for each class; a clump of crumbling rubber bands; a block of wartime composition paper flecked with whatever went into the making of it; a worn blackboard eraser; a stack of white cards…” (11). These little details help readers paint a picture in their head while reading. When describing a student’s reaction to hundreds of little watercolor jars, McCourt writes, “He pushes back the hood and the hair flames. I tell him I’ve never seen such red hair and he grins. He works at the sink for hours, spooning out the old paste into a large pickle jar, scrubbing the caps, arranging the jars on shelves… Could he take the jars home? His cheeks are wet”(98). Readers can picture these and many more scenes unfolding before their eyes thanks to McCourt’s imagery.
The overall book has a specific way it was organized. Teacher Man was broken up into three parts: It’s a long way to pedagogy, Donkey on a thistle, and Coming alive in room 205. These three parts separates the book into a beginning, middle, and end of McCourt’s journey through the American education system. It all begins though, with a prologue, introducing McCourt a bit, but more importantly, his subject on teachers. There are a total of 18 untitled chapters, which many authors choose to do too. The chapters speak for themselves so titles aren’t really necessary.
Frank McCourt’s memoir is not only a good read for future or current teachers, but it also provides an idea on his personal writing style that anyone could appreciate. His word choice is easily noticeable where he uses a variety of informal/ slang language incorporated in dialogue. McCourt’s imagery shows readers what is going on in his scenes that he describes and his point of view keeps the personality of his memoir intact while providing readers a glimpse of his life-long experiences. Overall, there is much to gain out of reading TeacherMan.
Teacher Man by Frank McCourt is a memoir about his 30 years of experience teaching. His career as a teacher helped in his next career as a writer, providing him with content and experience with the English language. Teacher Man is one of McCourt's books and has a distinct style. Diction, point of view, informal/ slang language, dialogue, punctuation, and imagery, are some ways McCourt differentiates his writing style of Teacher
Diction is clearly one of the important ways that a writer's style stands out. Within a writer's word choice is what point of view they are writing in. For example, McCourt chooses to write his book in the first person point of view. He uses "I" right from the start, making it obvious to readers that this book is a personal account, but worth sharing, hence the memoir. McCourt begins by writing, "Here they come. And I'm not ready. How could I be? I'm a new teacher and learning on the job" (11). McCourt stays in the first person perspective all the way to the end. He concludes Teacher Man with, "The bell rings and they sprinkle me with confetti. I am told to have a good life. I wish them the same… I'll try" (258). In the first quote, readers might sympathize with McCourt as a new teacher, but by the end, readers get a sense that McCourt survived teaching that year. By using first person pronouns, McCourt establishes a relationship with his readers.
Furthermore, McCourt uses informal/ slang words, both as his own and quoted from other characters in his book. When McCourt recounts an unexpected visit from a parent, he writes it the way the parent spoke. On page 92 it is written, "This teacher here to learn youse kids. Youse don’t lissena the teacher youse don’t graduate. Youse don’t graduate youse wind up on the piers in some dead-end job. Youse don’t lissena teacher youse doin' yourselves no favor. Unnerstand what I'm tellin youse?" McCourt even mentions some of his students saying “management could kiss their ass” (141). Later on, McCourt says himself, “You know your role: if the little buggers piss you off from time to time, suffer man, suffer”(152). McCourt doesn’t hesitate to incorporate both formal and informal speech in his writing, making his work casual and adding variety.
Along with his informal word choice, McCourt adds a lot of dialogue in Teacher Man, but not in the typical way with proper punctuation. For example, McCourt writes, “Petey said, Yo teacher, that’s my sandwich you [et]. Class told him, Shaddap. Can’t you see the teacher is eating? I licked my fingers. I said, Yum, made a ball of paper bag and wax paper and flipped it into the trash basket. The class cheered. Wow, they said, and Yo, baby, and M-a-a-an. Look at dat” (17). Just like the above quote from a parent, McCourt adds the student’s reaction just as they must have said them. Many times, people speak and write differently depending on their environment, but here McCourt keeps the language authentic to how it was said.
Finally, a writer’s use of details comes into play with their style. McCourt describes scenes for readers to visualize what he wants them to “see”. For example, McCourt adds details to help show his nervousness as in, “I toy with the implements of my new calling: five manila folders, one for each class; a clump of crumbling rubber bands; a block of wartime composition paper flecked with whatever went into the making of it; a worn blackboard eraser; a stack of white cards…” (11). These little details help readers paint a picture in their head while reading. When describing a student’s reaction to hundreds of little watercolor jars, McCourt writes, “He pushes back the hood and the hair flames. I tell him I’ve never seen such red hair and he grins. He works at the sink for hours, spooning out the old paste into a large pickle jar, scrubbing the caps, arranging the jars on shelves… Could he take the jars home? His cheeks are wet”(98). Readers can picture these and many more scenes unfolding before their eyes thanks to McCourt’s imagery.
The overall book has a specific way it was organized. Teacher Man was broken up into three parts: It’s a long way to pedagogy, Donkey on a thistle, and Coming alive in room 205. These three parts separates the book into a beginning, middle, and end of McCourt’s journey through the American education system. It all begins though, with a prologue, introducing McCourt a bit, but more importantly, his subject on teachers. There are a total of 18 untitled chapters, which many authors choose to do too. The chapters speak for themselves so titles aren’t really necessary.
Frank McCourt’s memoir is not only a good read for future or current teachers, but it also provides an idea on his personal writing style that anyone could appreciate. His word choice is easily noticeable where he uses a variety of informal/ slang language incorporated in dialogue. McCourt’s imagery shows readers what is going on in his scenes that he describes and his point of view keeps the personality of his memoir intact while providing readers a glimpse of his life-long experiences. Overall, there is much to gain out of reading Teacher
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Tumblr Tag
I was tagged by Kulsoom :) and I tag everyone reading this that wants to do it.
Rules: In a text post, list 10 books that have stayed with you in some way. Don’t take but a few minutes, and don’t think too hard—they don’t have to be the “right” or “great” works, just the ones that have touched you.
I don't consider all the books mentioned below my favorites, but I still remember them for certain reasons from time to time. I will try to explain/ remember why these books have "stayed with me/ touched me" down below.
These are listed in the order I read them (chronologically; most recent last), not by favorites to least.
1. Echoes series by Jamilah Kolocotronis
This series got me interested in Islamic fiction books (see my biz site @ http://booksbt12.blogspot.com/p/about-books-by-dozen.html) and I highly enjoyed it at the time. I plan to reread and review them in the future inshAllah, so look forward to those if you are interested!
2. Women in Islam... The Myth & the Reality by Sherif Abdel Azeem
I read this book years ago when I was interested in learning about Muslim women. I think I read this at an appropriate time in my life and it did help. I learned a lot from this book and it made me more comfortable and aware of my position in Islam and the position of non-Muslim women. Highly recommend this for other Muslim females and non-Muslims interested in learning more about women in Islam. Read it for free @ http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-status-of-women-in-islam-dr-sherif-abdel-azeem/1108335888?ean=9781471028564
3. The Quran (with English translation by Muhsin Khan)
I think every Muslim should own and read a copy of the Quran in Arabic, but also in a language they understand. For me, obviously that would be in English and this is the first English translation that I read, understood, and learned a lot from. Some people might think it is too in depth for beginners, but I think if we have questions in mind while reading and a translation such as this answers them, it is more beneficial and interesting.
4. Catching Fire/ Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (don't remember which one I loved more!)
Although I like to read books for fun, I enjoy books that I learn something from even more. This was one of those books that made me think, specifically what if this was real in our world right now?! (I know some aspects are based off of reality in some parts of the world.) I enjoyed both the 2nd and 3rd books from The Hunger Games trilogy, but I don't remember specifics as to why and which one even more than the other (that's why writing reviews are helpful ;) They were emotional, thought provoking, descriptive and detailed, suspenseful, etc. I might reread these in the future one day, but for now, I have the movies to look forward to (didn't see the 2nd yet...) and enjoy!
5. Reclaim Your Heart by Yasmin Mogahed
I loved everything about this book and writer. If you don't know why already, read this http://sfraww.blogspot.com/search/label/Reclaim%20Your%20Heart
6. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
I enjoyed this book for certain reasons and didn't for others. To read my review to find out what these reasons are, please go to http://sfraww.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-haul-collective-7-book-review.html and scroll down to the book review section of the post. It is the first one.
7. Far From Home by Na'ima B. Robert
This was a book I was surprised with and eventually became a favorite. Read my review for more info. @ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/288653779?book_show_action=false if you are interested.
8. The Zion Deception by Laurence B. Brown
Another book that made me think about the reality and situation of our world. Please read my review of this book @ http://sfraww.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-zion-deception-by-dr-laurence-b.html
9. Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
I'm a more recent fan of the Percy series. I loved this series, but the first book even more and the movie! I loved the author's writing style, the descriptions and details, characters, humor/ sarcasm, history mixed in, etc. I noticed the 1st person narration in this book, and although I'm sure I've read other books in this same style, I enjoyed The Lightening Thief even more because of this.
10. Traitor? by Terry C. Holdbrooks
Mixed feelings for this book, but it did open my eyes (and heart) more to the situation. Please read my review @ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/645165954?book_show_action=false
Rules: In a text post, list 10 books that have stayed with you in some way. Don’t take but a few minutes, and don’t think too hard—they don’t have to be the “right” or “great” works, just the ones that have touched you.
I don't consider all the books mentioned below my favorites, but I still remember them for certain reasons from time to time. I will try to explain/ remember why these books have "stayed with me/ touched me" down below.
These are listed in the order I read them (chronologically; most recent last), not by favorites to least.
1. Echoes series by Jamilah Kolocotronis
This series got me interested in Islamic fiction books (see my biz site @ http://booksbt12.blogspot.com/p/about-books-by-dozen.html) and I highly enjoyed it at the time. I plan to reread and review them in the future inshAllah, so look forward to those if you are interested!
2. Women in Islam... The Myth & the Reality by Sherif Abdel Azeem
I read this book years ago when I was interested in learning about Muslim women. I think I read this at an appropriate time in my life and it did help. I learned a lot from this book and it made me more comfortable and aware of my position in Islam and the position of non-Muslim women. Highly recommend this for other Muslim females and non-Muslims interested in learning more about women in Islam. Read it for free @ http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-status-of-women-in-islam-dr-sherif-abdel-azeem/1108335888?ean=9781471028564
3. The Quran (with English translation by Muhsin Khan)
I think every Muslim should own and read a copy of the Quran in Arabic, but also in a language they understand. For me, obviously that would be in English and this is the first English translation that I read, understood, and learned a lot from. Some people might think it is too in depth for beginners, but I think if we have questions in mind while reading and a translation such as this answers them, it is more beneficial and interesting.
4. Catching Fire/ Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (don't remember which one I loved more!)
Although I like to read books for fun, I enjoy books that I learn something from even more. This was one of those books that made me think, specifically what if this was real in our world right now?! (I know some aspects are based off of reality in some parts of the world.) I enjoyed both the 2nd and 3rd books from The Hunger Games trilogy, but I don't remember specifics as to why and which one even more than the other (that's why writing reviews are helpful ;) They were emotional, thought provoking, descriptive and detailed, suspenseful, etc. I might reread these in the future one day, but for now, I have the movies to look forward to (didn't see the 2nd yet...) and enjoy!
5. Reclaim Your Heart by Yasmin Mogahed
I loved everything about this book and writer. If you don't know why already, read this http://sfraww.blogspot.com/search/label/Reclaim%20Your%20Heart
6. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
I enjoyed this book for certain reasons and didn't for others. To read my review to find out what these reasons are, please go to http://sfraww.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-haul-collective-7-book-review.html and scroll down to the book review section of the post. It is the first one.
7. Far From Home by Na'ima B. Robert
This was a book I was surprised with and eventually became a favorite. Read my review for more info. @ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/288653779?book_show_action=false if you are interested.
8. The Zion Deception by Laurence B. Brown
Another book that made me think about the reality and situation of our world. Please read my review of this book @ http://sfraww.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-zion-deception-by-dr-laurence-b.html
9. Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
I'm a more recent fan of the Percy series. I loved this series, but the first book even more and the movie! I loved the author's writing style, the descriptions and details, characters, humor/ sarcasm, history mixed in, etc. I noticed the 1st person narration in this book, and although I'm sure I've read other books in this same style, I enjoyed The Lightening Thief even more because of this.
10. Traitor? by Terry C. Holdbrooks
Mixed feelings for this book, but it did open my eyes (and heart) more to the situation. Please read my review @ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/645165954?book_show_action=false
Friday, April 25, 2014
Spanish Lesson on Nouns
My Grammar and Style professor shared the piece down below with my class this week. I thought it was true for the most part and funny as well, so I wanted to share it here. Let me know in the comments below what you think the analogies mean! Enjoy :)
A student asked, "What gender is 'computer'?"
A Spanish teacher was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine.
"House" for instance, is feminine: "la casa."
"Pencil," however, is masculine: "el lapiz.."
A student asked, "What gender is 'computer'?"
Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide for themselves whether "computer" should be a masculine or a feminine noun. Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.
The men's group decided that "computer" should definitely be of the feminine gender (" la computadora"), because:
1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic;
2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else; 3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and
4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.
(THIS GETS BETTER!)
The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be Masculine ("el computador"), because:
1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;
2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;
3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and
4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.
The women won!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Room Full of Magic
Another assignment for my Creative Non-fiction class this past semester. We had to choose a place to write about in as much details possible, so I choose the subject below. I changed a few words to keep some specifics private, but it is mostly in its final revised form. Enjoy!
Libraries are such magical places; at least to those who enjoy reading for fun. As someone who loves to read, I still look forward to my trips to the public library. I can’t imagine a town without a library and how it would hurt young children who go there not just to borrow books for free, but also DVDs if they are provided.
I still use my first library card from almost 10 years ago. The yellowing plastic card has so much value to it. You can borrow books and DVDs for free! The children’s section was my favorite spot to go to. It has seen some changes when the library got renovated last year, but the changes made it even better. You understood that right, I still love the children’s section .
When you walk in by the front door and take a right past the front desk and tall wooden shelves full of books for teenagers to adults, you come to some shorter shelves where books are being sold for under a dollar. I found some great finds there last year, and highly suggest any reader on a budget to check these shelves out. With those shelves on the left side, if you turn to the right, the children’s room awaits you.
On a beautiful day, the sun shines through the large windows casting the room in natural light as if the sun is welcoming you in with a bright smile. Outside these windows, you will get a pleasant view of fresh cut green grass around the library parking lot. Whether you are inside our outside, the environment around the library is clean and peaceful.
"Hello. How are you?" You are warmly greeted by an elderly, but extremely friendly librarian with glasses and long curly blond hair. (She is my favorite!) You can count on her help and her persona is just so sweet you can't help but enjoy your stay. Children will definitely love her too. In front of her desk lies stuffed animals in a circle on the carpeted floor. There is a mini puppet stage there too. When I was younger, I used to wonder what it would feel like to be a librarian. I imagine it as an enjoyable job for anyone who likes being in the company of people and books ;)
The numerous wooden shelves of books are inviting to any bookworm. One shelf in particular showcases new books upfront for anyone looking for recently published books. The clean smell of the crisp new pages and colorful cover illustrations draws me in almost every time I visit. This shelf is a good place to start for those who have read almost every book of their liking available at the library, and desperately wants something new to read. The shelves behind are just as fun to search through. I am a long time fantasy reader and there are a ton of books for people with similar taste such as The Children of the Red King series, the infamous Harry Potter series, and more. The bent pages and musty smell of these books testifies to how long they have been on the shelves and passed from reader to reader. Many more genres are available for young readers of any age and interest. Labels are positioned on top of these shelves making it easier to find particular books.
Libraries are such magical places; at least to those who enjoy reading for fun. As someone who loves to read, I still look forward to my trips to the public library. I can’t imagine a town without a library and how it would hurt young children who go there not just to borrow books for free, but also DVDs if they are provided.
I still use my first library card from almost 10 years ago. The yellowing plastic card has so much value to it. You can borrow books and DVDs for free! The children’s section was my favorite spot to go to. It has seen some changes when the library got renovated last year, but the changes made it even better. You understood that right, I still love the children’s section .
When you walk in by the front door and take a right past the front desk and tall wooden shelves full of books for teenagers to adults, you come to some shorter shelves where books are being sold for under a dollar. I found some great finds there last year, and highly suggest any reader on a budget to check these shelves out. With those shelves on the left side, if you turn to the right, the children’s room awaits you.
On a beautiful day, the sun shines through the large windows casting the room in natural light as if the sun is welcoming you in with a bright smile. Outside these windows, you will get a pleasant view of fresh cut green grass around the library parking lot. Whether you are inside our outside, the environment around the library is clean and peaceful.
"Hello. How are you?" You are warmly greeted by an elderly, but extremely friendly librarian with glasses and long curly blond hair. (She is my favorite!) You can count on her help and her persona is just so sweet you can't help but enjoy your stay. Children will definitely love her too. In front of her desk lies stuffed animals in a circle on the carpeted floor. There is a mini puppet stage there too. When I was younger, I used to wonder what it would feel like to be a librarian. I imagine it as an enjoyable job for anyone who likes being in the company of people and books ;)
The numerous wooden shelves of books are inviting to any bookworm. One shelf in particular showcases new books upfront for anyone looking for recently published books. The clean smell of the crisp new pages and colorful cover illustrations draws me in almost every time I visit. This shelf is a good place to start for those who have read almost every book of their liking available at the library, and desperately wants something new to read. The shelves behind are just as fun to search through. I am a long time fantasy reader and there are a ton of books for people with similar taste such as The Children of the Red King series, the infamous Harry Potter series, and more. The bent pages and musty smell of these books testifies to how long they have been on the shelves and passed from reader to reader. Many more genres are available for young readers of any age and interest. Labels are positioned on top of these shelves making it easier to find particular books.
One of my favorite areas close to the new book stand is the DVD rack. The almost six feet high grey rotating rack is bursting with pleasurable family friendly and child appropriate movies. I have watched about 200 movies in the past four years and many of them were right from here. Disney, DreamWorks Animation, 20th Century Fox, etc. provide an enormous selection for entertainment. I frequently come to this place looking for recent releases. Slowly spinning the rack around, I look through the interesting titles. The eye-catching cover art makes it really hard sometimes to choose just a few movies to borrow for a week. Once you do decide on what to borrow, you can take them to the desk. The librarian is helpful enough to put the materials in a reusable cloth bag for you. Now, you are on your way home to enjoy some great books and/ movies for the rest of the week!
Even now as a college student, the children's room is still inviting. I have reread some of my favorite childhood books over the past summer and this room has made that possible. When I become a future (English) teacher iA, I know I can count on this room to help me incorporate engaging books for kindergarten to 6th grade students. If you have children, teach children, or are looking for entertainment suited for a young audience, the children's room at DDE library is a great resource.
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