Bookshelves

My history with bookshelves is expansive. I have always loved books and always been a reader. I’ve always had bookshelves in my room, and I’ve always owned books. I feel so lucky to say this, especially since my parents also took me to the library every few weeks. There was never a shortage of books, I was always encouraged to read, and I was always given time to read.

As a result, I still carve out time to read. It is my favorite thing to do when I have a few minutes, and I try to give myself at least 30 minutes at night to unwind and read. This means my “bookshelves” are scattered all over the house, and they’re not always shelves…

In my mid-twenties, I lived in a duplex with six bookshelves chock full o’ books. Then I put everything in storage and traveled for six months – still reading! I took books I got as ARCs, or from used bookstores, and left them as I traveled. It was a great way to travel light while spreading booklove! When I came home from traveling, I lived in a tiny apartment and downsized to two bookshelves. From SIX to TWO! Is anyone else in awe at that? I still am, even though a lot of those books were old textbooks I sold back to students. (I definitely used to horde my English and Literature books – anyone else with me?)

Now I have a house I’m in love with, and want to stay here forever (knock on wood), and my bookshelf situation is still shifting. I have a bookcase in my office, with library science, literacy, and reference books. Oh, and the bottom shelf is picture books. Of course. My son’s room has 2 bookcases bursting with picture books. The back room has 3 bookcases, two of adult novels and one of children’s reference and kids’ picture and activity books.

Not the full scope, but you get the idea

I would love to have gorgeous built-in shelves in my back room, which is a playroom/hobby room for me and my son. But who wouldn’t love built-ins?! I am still trying to get rid of books I don’t love. I want to look at my shelves and see titles that inspired me, opened me up to different worlds, showed me how others live.

What do your bookshelves look like?

Alice Series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Though I read it when it first came out, I recently wrote a review for the last book in the Alice series for the library’s Teen Bookletters ‘zine. Now I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Alice. The last book spans over forty years; it’s called Now I’ll Tell You Everything. Even the title gives me chills. It makes everything seem so epic…

And it is! There are 25 books in the Alice series, and three prequels. I started reading this series in elementary school. I remember my elementary librarian presenting me with Alice in Lace, allowing me to be the first student to check it out! I loved Alice because she asked questions I wanted to know the answers to. I felt like I could be her… except I always thought she was thinner and prettier than me. But that didn’t make her popular, so she still felt relatable.

I basically grew up with Alice, and I’ve re-read the series a few times over the years. I have cobbled together a collection of used library books and can’t see myself ever getting rid of it. I honestly love the idea of my son reading this series, too – to learn from all of Alice’s questions, to see how girls think and act (spoiler: they’re not always delicate and dumb!), and just because I honestly think they are good books.

I love to recommend series because once you meet the characters, you get to know them and grow with them. If kids get hooked on the characters, they’re going to want to read the next book, and the next, and the next. Any series is great for this, but I can’t get enough of Alice.