16 votes

Having a library or cafe down the block could change your life

7 comments

  1. [5]
    The_Fad
    Link
    We live right down the road from a large, county library. It's easily one of the best unexpected upsides to us moving here, especially since our daughter just turned 12 and I think that's a prime...

    We live right down the road from a large, county library. It's easily one of the best unexpected upsides to us moving here, especially since our daughter just turned 12 and I think that's a prime time to start introducing her to some more challenging literary works that speak to the social concerns she has as a 12 year old girl (which for the record currently includes "school uniforms", "vaping", "ethical treatment of zoo animals", and "lgbtq rights", to name a few).

    Next school year they start covering the holocaust (or some I'm told) and I cannot WAIT to let her read my copy of The Book Thief. I have high hopes that it'll hook her and I can start better illustrating literature's more complex components for her to then parlay into her day-to-day life in the form of better decision making (which she has unfortunately been struggling with, primarily due to getting hit with the puberty stick square in the face).

    9 votes
    1. kfwyre
      Link Parent
      This won't be telling you anything you don't already know, but for anyone unfamiliar with it: The Book Thief is simply excellent. It foregoes nearly every middle grade/young adult lit trope and...

      This won't be telling you anything you don't already know, but for anyone unfamiliar with it: The Book Thief is simply excellent. It foregoes nearly every middle grade/young adult lit trope and instead heads in the direction of full-fledged literature that's fully accessible to kids yet still able to be appreciated by adults. The book's opening narration, with a beleaguered, tired Death being overworked from war, is outright haunting. I read a lot of books for this age group (I'm a teacher), and I think The Book Thief is one of the absolute best.

      Also worth noting: middle grade books are increasingly addressing social justice issues in ways that are meaningful and accessible to kids, so there is now plenty out there that deals with a variety of topics at an age-appropriate level. I don't know of any off-hand for vaping or uniforms (though I'm sure they're there if you look), but The One and Only Ivan is good for animal rights and there are tons of books that focus on LGBTQ rights and characters, which has been a recent focus of publishers (which helps correct for their complete absence when I was growing up). With all that said, I'm pretty well-acquainted with books for your daughter's age range, so if you ever need any pointers, recommendations, or rundowns, shoot me a PM. I'd be happy to help!

      3 votes
    2. [3]
      unknown user
      Link Parent
      When you say those are "concerns" for her, what do you mean? Does she talk to you about it? Does she blog about it? talk about it with her friends?

      When you say those are "concerns" for her, what do you mean? Does she talk to you about it? Does she blog about it? talk about it with her friends?

      2 votes
      1. [2]
        The_Fad
        Link Parent
        They're just things she cares about. She talks to her mom and I about them, her and her friends discuss them when they're not quoting youtubers, and she's always picking one of them (typically...

        They're just things she cares about. She talks to her mom and I about them, her and her friends discuss them when they're not quoting youtubers, and she's always picking one of them (typically uniforms and lgbtq rights) to do school papers on when given the choice of topic.

        3 votes
        1. unknown user
          Link Parent
          Sounds like she has her outlook well-composed. Nice work, dad!

          Sounds like she has her outlook well-composed. Nice work, dad!

          2 votes
  2. mbc
    Link
    I can relate to this big time. I used to live in a rural area where I'd have to drive 20 minutes in order to get anything useful except for food. Now I live close to everything, including a great...

    I can relate to this big time. I used to live in a rural area where I'd have to drive 20 minutes in order to get anything useful except for food. Now I live close to everything, including a great library, and I do feel more of a kinship with my community. I will also say that riding the bus adds to that feeling as well. Seeing the same people every day on the bus has given me more empathy with my fellow man. Even if I never talk to them because it's a commuter bus and shutting the hell up is an unwritten rule!

    3 votes
  3. alyaza
    Link
    miraculously, my city happens to actually fund the libraries here with taxpayer money (despite refusing to fund nearly any other social or pseudo-social program that could help people) and so this...

    miraculously, my city happens to actually fund the libraries here with taxpayer money (despite refusing to fund nearly any other social or pseudo-social program that could help people) and so this is the one thing we have going for us. the libraries here are very good, do a lot of things for the community, and people actually use them.

    2 votes