Book Worm

"Jo, you got a package!" Ah yes. The sweetest words to my ear whenever I'm at work. This time of year, I hear it a lot more often because I have some birthday and Christmas money to spend. "Whoo Hoo! mineminemineminemine" I say as I dash out of my office to claim my prize, scissors in hand so I can rip the box open immediately, if not sooner. And there's nothing like that rush when you see it's a large box from Amazon.com, full of books and DVDs and CDs we've been coveting all year long on an ever-growing "amazon" list.

I've been reading since I was born, practically. I don't remember a time when I couldn't read. I had my library card to the Sandwich Public Library the summer before I went to kindergarten, and I was still 4 when I started school. Isn't this a pretty picture of the library? I wish I could take credit for it but I found it on line. This is the way I remember Sandwich. My mom taking me down there at night after dinner, the soft glow of the lights against the twilight sky.

A few years ago, when I started ordering from Amazon more frequently throughout the year than I do now, I would get so jazzed when the package would arrive. Since I use my work address for all package delivery, I get a lot of packages. But there's something special about the Amazon delivery. I finally figured it out. It's the same rush I got when I was in elementary school when the Scholastic Book Club box would arrive in the classroom.

Once or twice a year, our teachers would pass around the Scholastic catalog, full of books, magazines for kids and tweens and sometimes 45 records too. I would peruse the catalog obsessively, sneaking peeks during class instead of paying attention, at recess, on the school bus home, before dinner, after dinner, then make my final selections. Said selections were then submitted to my parents for final approval & their check for the books, which I would dutifully deliver to my teacher the next day. Then wait. And wait. Where was that damn box? Maybe I should ask. So I'd ask my teacher only to be informed that they hadn't even sent it yet because the rest of the class still needed to submit their order forms. Crestfallen, I'd return to my seat and try not to think about it anymore. In the meantime, I'd make my weekly pilgrimage to the library. Finally, one day I'd get to class and the Scholastic Books Box was there! My heart would leap with joy! Openitopenitopenit! Why isn't she opening the box!?!?!? Oh sure, make us wait till the END of the day to distribute the books! How'm I supposed to concentrate on stupid math when my books are in that box?!?!?!

Finally....the unveiling of the box contents close to the final bell of the day. The teacher would begin to distribute the elastic band bound books to the students. I couldn't wait to get my stuff! You'd think I'd remember more of what I bought, but the only ones I remember for sure are the 1975 Guiness Book of World Records,

"Bread and Jam for Frances" which I know I got in the 2nd grade b/c I can remember reading it out loud to my class during 'story time'. Who knew I was so bold?

I was fond of The Littles and their adventures too.
And my personal all-time fave magazine published exclusively for Scholastic Books, Dynamite.

Puzzles, posters, stickers, jokes, articles, iron-on transfers....you got A LOT of bang for your buck with Dynamite. By the way, I was OBSESSED with "Land of the Lost" when I was in 5th grade in 1974, and I remember that I had this issue, despite the fact that the Sleestaks scared me to my very core.

Sadly, back in those days, I was a notorious 'purger', and as I outgrew them, I would cut out the stuff I wanted to keep for my scrapbook and throw them away. I could kick myself, and my mom, when I think back to the stuff I and/or we got rid of. She's kicking herself too, when we talk about it now. I would be sitting on a gold mine of 70's pop culture instead of trolling ebay, trying to buy back my childhood one Dynamite magazine or Wacky Pack at a time.

My most recent Amazon purchase included the following books:

Leading atheist Richard Dawkins' new book "The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution", for Brian.

A set of very cool surreal books by author Sarah L. Thompson and artist Rob Gonsalves. I love this kind of art and I'm kicking around doing a blog post just to share some of the amazing artwork with you guys. The 3 books are so captivating. I could stare at the pictures for hours.

We've been following a very irreverent comic strip for years, called "Pearls Before Swine", by Stephan Pastis. They center around a group of animals who have very distinct personalities. The strips are clever, and with really unexpected & offbeat dialogue and "breaking the 4th wall" with the characters interacting with we, the readers. He also takes a lot of really sick, but witty, shots at the old comic strips that are still running, like 'Family Circus' and 'Dennis the Menace'.

I started reading "Zeeba Zeeba Eata" the other day, thinking I could quietly smile at the cartoons. But it was not to be. I got 5 pages in when I had to stop....erm, was made to stop..... because I was just screaming with uncontrolled laughter. Brian actually took the book away from me because he was trying to watch the football game. Even after he took it away, I kept erupting into explosions of giggles as the cartoons I'd just read replayed in my mind, and Brian's pleading with me to keep it down to a dull roar.

I had better make sure I have my inhaler at hand when I get to this rather large anthology. I'm even cracking up looking at the covers.

And I could not resist this one. When I move someplace, I embrace it, including all the weird stories and folklore. I started reading this last night and it's really, really good. I would like to visit some of the places mentioned. I just love Americana and kitsch.

I haven't been making the time to read like I used to, in the pre-laptop days, and I wonder if being in front of a computer alllllllll day at work and allllllll night at home is contributing to my inability to fall asleep. But I am going to start making the time because I miss my books. There's nothing like falling head first into a good story.