I experienced the most wonderful thing today: waves of school classes coming to our local independent bookstore to pick out a book. It started first thing this morning with the youngest grades from the local primary school in Moreton in Marsh walking over from the school to the market lane above which our flat sits. You could hear their excited chatter and laughter from a block away!
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"Books Yule Love," the local independent bookstore is
very small inside, but features a lot of local writers. |
The teachers would line them up below our window and hand them each a coupon. In small groups they would then enter the tiny book store and emerge with a book. Next they would get an ice cream cone from the cafe also in the market lane and then grab a chair at one of the many outside tables in front of the cafe (yes, they keep the tables out all year here, and I have seen people seated at them no matter what the weather).
This continued throughout the morning and into the early hours of the afternoon, with the ages of the kids increasing with each new group that appeared.
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The outdoor area of the
Yellow Brick Cafe. |
I had to do some shopping, and when I went out, a large group of what looked like grade three children were sitting in the cafe's patio area, with a few still in line for their ice cream. One young boy pointed his new book at me with that look on his face as if begging me to notice it. I gave him a big smile and a nod of approval. As I passed a group of four girls sitting at one table, I overheard one of them declare, "This is the best day ever," as she licked her ice cream and leafed through her book.
Ah, it did my heart good to see so many kids so enthusiastic about reading ... even if it came with ice cream.
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