Children's Classics Shared

I enjoyed reading growing up and continue to make it part of my life on a regular basis. There have been times when I would read a book a week and times when it took me a couple of months to get through a 300 page novel. But what ever the frequency reading for enjoyment has always been part of my life. That's why one of my greatest joys in life encouraging a child who loves to read.

I had that opportunity when one of the daughters of my friend, Brent, had a birthday this past week. Both the birthday girl and her sister love to read. Recently I found out that they like the Nancy Drew mysteries.

They showed me the Nancy Drew books they were reading and asked me if I ever read them. Of course I told them that I had not. The detective books I used to read when I was their age were about the adventures of a young boy detective named Encyclopedia Brown.

When I decided that I was going to give each of Brent’s children a birthday present this year (all 4 of their birthdays fall in the last quarter of the year so I haven’t missed any) the book store was the obvious place for me to go.

I found the shelf in the juvenile reading section that was stocked full of both the Nancy Drew and, much to my surprise, Encyclopedia Brown books.

Yesterday afternoon I had the chance to give Brent’s daughter her gift. I was pretty sure that the Nancy Drew books would be happily accepted but wasn’t sure how the Encyclopedia Brown books would be received. She was very excited about both of them.

The girls took a break from their home schooling lessons at the kitchen table and went into the living room to read. I stayed in the kitchen talked with Brent for a while. When it came time for me to leave he called the girls back into the kitchen to say “good bye” to me. Much to my delight each of them had an Encyclopedia Brown book in their hand. I had successfully shared a part of my childhood.

It’s been nearly 40 years since I bought my first Encyclopedia Brown book through the Scholastic Book Club in school. It makes me very happy to know that after all these years that character is still helping children enjoy the simple, relaxing pleasure of reading.