Three Confessions

Confession #1: I have a lot of books.
Confession #2: I have a lot of bookshelves (but I could always use more.)
Confession #3: I keep my most treasured books behind closed doors.

I first started hiding my books after my eldest child started to “wear out” his own books. Lift-the-flap books with no flaps to lift. Using books as bridges, literally walking on them across the floor, was a favorite activity. And with his books, spines were optional. I feared for my beloved books, as well as my husband’s collection.

Our favorite books went from the top shelves—he could scale the bookshelves—to high levels inside cabinets. I could hear the cabinet doors opening, but I didn’t always hear him at the bookcases until it was too late.

In the past three years that I’ve been homeschooling, the book population has hit overdrive.

The main wall of books--about a third of what we have.
The main wall of books–about a third of what we have.
The non-fiction area has doubled and the sum of the middle grade novels that my oldest son reads every night is greater than anything I ever held as the lone reader of them. My youngest has a two shelf bookcase of picture books and all things pink while the middle child hoards The Magic Tree House and military history.
Last year I wrote a post about my oldest turning into a reader and he hasn’t slowed down. The other night, when he came looking for another book amid the post holiday explosion, I realized he hasn’t read Bridge to Terabithia or A Wrinkle in Time. All of the Katherine Paterson, Madeleine L’Engle, Laurie Halse Anderson, Terry Brooks, and Orson Scott Card books are behind closed doors. Not to mention Narnia, Green Gables, Hogwarts, and The Shire.
Parenting fail!
So, my goal this month—hopefully this week—is to get these books out and into circulation among my household. No more restricted section in the family library. I’ll document this effort with photos, so stayed tuned!

4 responses to “Three Confessions”

  1. I have a lot of books myself, most of which are in storage because I have no room for them. I have books piling up in here, cluttering up my small apartment. I recently started putting books on my iPad, although its not the same as having the real thing. I’m a huge proponent of reading, and am very glad to see you have a house full of readers.

  2. wow! that is an awesome collection! glad to hear the reading is going so well too. it always feels amazing when your little ones can’t read enough. 🙂

  3. Check the library for used copies of your favorite books for sale so he can have his own copies. 🙂

  4. […] noted earlier this month in my Three Confessions post, I had a messy book situation. The books were tidied up more than a week ago and here at the […]

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