How To Spot A Book Lover

Book Lovers are dangerous people. Avid readers are like rabid creatures—we can't see straight (usually because we have a book in front of our faces), we can't walk straight (same reason), and we often drool or foam at the mouth (when a Really Good Part overpowers our swallow reflex). Luckily, keeping away from the book-toting-crazy-eyes should be easy... as long as you know what to look for.

It’s not difficult to spot a book lover, we avid readers give ourselves away in so many ways:

You can find us at parties perusing the bookshelves instead of hanging with the crowd.

Our go-to conversation starter is “So, what are you reading?” 

We bring books with us to the bank and supermarket (anywhere we might have to wait in line).

We don't think of trees as beautiful things to photograph, draw, or even climb... they're merely another place to sit and read for a spell. 

We don't just walk, we biblioambulate.

We NEVER have enough bookshelves.

We wear T-shirts that say things like “Call me Ishmael”.

Keep in mind that Book Lovers are VERY DANGEROUS CREATURES. Be warned! Should you spot a Book Lover, generally the safest thing to do is to put as much distance between them and yourself as possible.

BUT...

For today, and for today only, because it is National Book Lovers Day, should you come across a Book Lover, you should go up to them, ask them what they're reading, ask if they can recommend any books for you to read, and watch their faces light up with joy. You will have made their day.

Happy Book Lovers Day!!

The LA Times Festival Of Books Is My Coachella

Every year I look forward to the LA Times Festival of Books with something close to breathless anticipation. I’m on Ticketmaster the hour panel tickets become available, I agonize over who to see, which day to go, and which booths to visit first. Every year, whichever luckless friend has accompanied me is dragged from booth to booth, event to event until we’re hot, footsore, under-hydrated and over-stimulated. (Is it a coincidence that no friend has ever gone to the LATFOB with me twice? I think not.)

You know you're on the USC campus when...

This year the festival had an added level of excitement because I was going as the Reading Rainbow Mom, and live-tweeting the experience to Reading Rainbow Twitter fans. In retrospect, I’m not sure this was as much of an event for the RR audience as I had hoped it might be, but it was—without question—a growth experience for me. This year, instead of roaming the campus with my mouth agape (as I admittedly have done in the past) I felt I had purpose.

For someone who is usually shy, this weekend I made myself say hi to people. I introduced myself to vendors and took photos for our Twitter fans; I listened to the speakers not only for myself but for the entire RR Twitter fan base.  What would interest RR kids? What questions might parents have? What quotes could I share that would speak to them? What authors or wares would they appreciate most?

Being at the festival as the RR Mom made me brave, it’s as simple as that.

In Which I Become a Mom Again! (In An Unexpected Way...)

 Oh boy do I have an announcement to make... After a long love-affair (on my side), and a recent whirlwind courtship, I have become a part of the AMAZING Reading Rainbow family by becoming... THE READING RAINBOW MOM!

<Give me a moment while I dance and squeal with glee!>