Your Libraries: Get caught reading!

By Kendall Ann Curtis

Fri, May 16 2008

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What do Abraham Lincoln, Batman and first lady Laura Bush all have in common? They've all been "caught reading"!

May is Get Caught Reading Month, which is part of a nationwide campaign to promote the joy of reading to people of all ages. This program was started in 1999 by former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder who is now president of the Association of American Publishers, an organization supporting the campaign. Teachers, booksellers and librarians across the country have taken part each year to help remind their communities that a love of reading can be learned early and last a lifetime. Here are just a few of the featured personalities who have been caught reading, and the books that they appear with:

— Television reporter Diane Sawyer was caught with Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are." This 1964 Caldecott Medal Award winning book brings back fond memories of childhood story times for many, and continues to spark a love for books in young readers today. It tells the tale of Max, a rather rambunctious young boy, who is sent to bed without supper. His mischief continues as he sails to where the wild things are and is elected their king. Create new memories by reading this to your young ones, or take a trip back to where the wild things are.

— Singer Gloria Estefan was spotted with Miguel de Cervantes' "Don Quixote." This classic title is available in an updated translation by Edith Grossman, an experienced translator of such Latin American authors as Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Carlos Fuentes. The translation allows Cervantes' humor to shine through the tarnishing of time on this 400-year-old novel. Having been on many people's "to read" lists, maybe this funny tale of adventure and parody will entice in its new form.

— First lady and literacy advocate Laura Bush posed with "Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag." This beautiful coffee table book tells the story of Old Glory from its earliest appearance to its current form through items collected by graphic designer Kit Hinrichs and exhibited at the American Institute of Graphic Arts in New York and the San Jose Museum of Art. The flag as a symbol of Americana is depicted on everything from pins to pencils to postal marks in full-color illustrations that chronicle our reverence for our beloved national icon.

Celebrities have selected books from all genres, and so can you with a visit to your local library. Remember, reading can include your favorite magazines as well, and the Leach Library has plenty to offer. We subscribe to over 100 periodicals, all of which can be checked out — except for the current month's issue — and enjoyed as leisure reading at home. If you want to get back in the habit of reading or just need some new ideas for titles, stop by the Reference Desk where our experienced staff can offer a number of suggestions depending on your interests. For more information on the Get Caught Reading Campaign, please visit www.getcaughtreading.org.

Kendall Ann Curtis is the public services librarian at Leach Library in Londonderry. Leach Library is located at 276 Mammoth Road in Londonderry. For more information on library events, call 432-1132 or visit the library's Web site at www.londonderrynh.org/library/library.htm.