Day 62 --- Helping at the school book fair

"All rests with those who read."
---Philip James Bailey

Today I helped out at the Bannockburn Book Fair, an annual event that the kids love. The book selections are not as good as a place like Barnes & Noble or Border's, but there's something very special for the children to have the books displayed in a very child-friendly way in the gym.

It's another community event that not only yields several thousand dollars, but also has so many people (mostly moms) working together for a good cause. It's fun to be the "cashier" for a couple of hours, as you get to see what books others are buying (as well as items like pencils, posters, and bookmarks) and to browse the shelves for one's own kids as well as for gift books. For kids there are a wide range of books, but for adults, it's mostly limited to cookbooks, sports books, and some bestsellers.

One adult book that caught my eye is "This I Believe," which focuses on life philosophies of a wide range of people. Looks very inspiring, exactly the type of book I enjoy reading these days or giving as a gift. The book is based on many NPR interviews, and as I flipped through it I could totally imagine listening to the short essays on radio. I'll probably buy it tomorrow, as I'm going back to volunteer again, this time with my youngest daughter.

The book fair brings back memories of when my older girls were young and in elementary school, as they used to love this event. I even remember there being art projects there one year, and the girls made plastic plates with their own design on them. Believe it or not we still eat on those. I just can't bare to get rid of them, as they represent a time that certainly seems like long ago (actually about 10 or 12 years)!