McCray

Everyone loves to get mail. I don’t mean ‘a bill’ or ‘a notice’, but an honest to goodness card, letter or package. My kids are no exception. The day the Imagination Library book arrives in the mail is a very big day.

I signed my son up for the Imagination Library out of curiosity about the program, not really considering what it would be like to actually get the book in the mail each month.

It’s a very big deal!

From birth to 5 years old, children that have been signed up for the the Imagination Library receive a book in the mail each month that is appropriate for their reading level. The day the book of the month arrives, my son Andrew comes running into the house shouting , “My new book is here! My new book is here! Open it Olivia!”

His sister Olivia helps to tear the plastic wrap off the book and then into the big, snuggly chair in our kitchen they climb. “Read it! Read it!” he begs, as if she may have forgotten this was the monthly routine. It’s one of those parenting moments you dream about when imagining what your kids will be like when they grow up. In this dream, they love to be together, never argue and take turns snuggling and reading to each other. It is a wonderful sight to see.

Each month when the books arrive, there are quite a few gifts that come with it. The love of reading that is being born right there in my kitchen is obvious, but I also see the pride my daughter feels when she ‘helps’ her brother out. When they are grown, I wonder if they will have a memory of snuggling together in the reading chair.

Andy’s Imagination Library is very important to him. For mailing purposes, the books are basically all the same size, so they stack together ‘just right’ on the bookshelf. He is proud to show off ‘his’ books to anyone who will read to him.

Last week Andy celebrated his 5th birthday. The week before that he received his final book in the mail. I think we were all a little sad to see this fun family tradition come to an end.

Thanks to Dolly Parton, the Imagination Library and the United Way of Olmsted County for making this such a wonderful part of our family.

Tracy McCray writes the “Talk of the Town” column for the Rochester Post-Bulletin.