My employer's young daughter was in the office yesterday with her Grandma, and I asked her how she felt about school being out. She gave a long, blissful sigh and declared that it was wonderful. She mentioned that she had a new collection of books that had been saved just for summer perusal.
That triggered memories of the days when I was her age, and school ended. I so well remember when I was naive enough to think that summer was as long as the school year. For me, the summer stretched ahead endlessly. I was a real bookworm and Mama would make regular trips with me to the library so I had plenty of reading to do. In addition, the library always had a big book sale at the beginning of summer and I would buy a brown paper bag full of books to read. I traveled to many places via my books and could nearly always be found with my nose in one.
Every so often, Mama would decide that I needed some fresh air and would insist that I go outside to play. I became adept at hiding a book somewhere on my person, and climbing a tree to continue reading. I have since learned that Mama knew what I was doing, but figured I was at least getting some benefit from being outside.
Life changed forever the year that I was old enough to comprehend that the school year was 3 times as long as summer. It seemed that the weeks just flew by and in no time, we were back on that detested yellow bus.
I would love to once again have the feeling of freedom generated by those simple words, "School's Out For Summer!"

i love the picture you displayed :)

Well said, I only wish my young friends would put down their push button games long enough to enjoy the piece and comfort that comes from reading a good book. I cringe everytime their mother says their just I like I was, I hated to read....?

We used to only go to town once a week. I would always promise myself I'd make the books I got last all week. I never did. I always stayed up super late reading and ended up with a couple of days at the end of the week without a library book.

Come to think of it, I still have the problem of staying up too late reading. It's a good thing I work at the library now!

My DD is an avid reader. When she was young she would carry 2 books around everywhere just in case she finished one she could jump into another adventure.
She detests the electronic readers. She loves the feel and smell and weight of the books she carries around searching for a quiet space to read awhile.
Reading is wonderful.

I remember us getting Weekly Reader newspaper in the summer. I was an only child but had many cousins. We'd play outside all day long under an old oak tree making villages, roads, mud pies, etc. And I would read, read. Mom always made sure I had something to read. Others in the family had a collection of Nancy Drew, Bobsey Twins, and Cherri Ames books. I read them all! Now my 9 month old grandson goes for books before toys! I'm a retired school librarian so that does my soul good!

I am an avid reader as well. Always have been. I love a book over a computer screen (ereader screen) any day.

Wonderful picture! My son is out for the summer and loves to read as much as he loves to play video games! He'd rather have a book with pages instead of reading on his ipad or iphone.

I can't believe schools out already for you!!! We still have about three weeks left of school! If my oldest sticks her nose any further in to books she will be in the book! She is a reading addict! I never thought in my life I would tell her to stop reading and go outside and play! But I have had to!!

The Bookmobile came to our neighborhood once a week, my friend and I would get 7 books each and swap LOL
The librarian couldn't believe I was reading that many each week :D

There was nothing better than curling up indoors or outside with a good book. This was usually after work was done for the day, and I could read into the evening :D:D:D

I remember when I was old enough to know that summer was short... it seems like the days just flew by :(

About the only books I had as a child, aside from the one room library, which I read from the left wall to the right wall to the front door, was the Bible (King James version) and those lovely, adorable, multi use catalogs. Long hours of reading every word in them, lusting over toys that I knew Grandma could not afford, being properly scandalized at the wild and sexy underwear ads, and then, at the end of the catalogs' lives, an end (pun intended) that did end in the little house out back.

[quote=great aunt jacqui]My DD is an avid reader. When she was young she would carry 2 books around everywhere just in case she finished one she could jump into another adventure.
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You might as well be talking about my daughters, one is a second grade teacher and the other is a jail guard!!!! Both of them discovered books before they took interest in boys, thankfully!!

I agree.

I can't believe how long the summer holidays are here and that they have started already! I think back in the UK these are the dates for summer hols 25 July - 31 August 2011. I would have loved to have had that long to have my nose stuck in many, many books, lol.

thanks for sharing your story and photo, how great

LOVE to read. I always have a book, or two, reading it when I can. I was introduced to our library when I was ten... Nancy Drew, Bobbsey Twins, Cherry Ames, biographies, mysteries, etc... I have never, since, been without a book. Our oldest loves books almost as much as I do. Our second, not so much, but our third does. He's been known to take two books with him on vacation so he can read in the car. Read a series of 48 children's books in one year - I thought he'd want to pass them on - nope - he read through them again (on his own!!) and did it in three months!! To this day he tells me things that he learned in those books - we homeschool and I think he had no idea that that one year - these were his American History book for that year!! :)

A Bookmobile came to our little community once a week. My sister, best friend & I each were allowed 4 books. We'd read all 12 before the following Monday when the Bookmobile rolled up to the gradeschool parking lot & we got to climb the steps into the world of treasures on wheels to exchange our books for a fresh batch. Some of the favorites were Nancy Drew mysteries, Clara Barton School Nurse (hmmm - seeds planted? I became a nurse), Five Little Peppers, Bobbsey Twins, The Yearling, Gone with the Wind. I still love to read.

We had chores every day - picking potato bugs off the plants in the garden, shelling peas, snapping green beans, watering the garden, pulling weeds, helping Mom with housework, stemming cherries for canning, stirring batches of jam, hanging & taking laundry off the line in the yard, etc.

Somehow we also found lots of time for hop scotch, jump rope, jacks, tether ball, bike rides, softball, picnic lunches, swimming, roller skating - red straps & skate keys included, exploring the hills around the edge of town. On rainy days we played board games, worked puzzles, learned card games like "Authors".
We were poor, but didn't know it; our treasures weren't measured in money. As I look back, our childhood wasn't perfect, but we were rich indeed in so many ways that really matter.
Thanks for indulging my trip down memory lane.

I know the feeling. I can't wait for summer. I drive the bus. I love to read also and I always take my ipad with me on the bus in case of break downs and in between schools. Have it loaded with books.