Reading is a Panacea

I believe reading is a panacea. There, I said it.... It feels good to exhale and let it out. I think Oprah has a column titled "What I know for sure, well, This I know for sure. Reading really is a cure all. As a librarian, it is part of my professional creed, to promote, and "big up" books, but in my heart of hearts I know that books really can cure all ills and answer any question. It is a belief system I held long before my life of selection, collection, and sharing books. Reading can provide a much needed distraction in the face of life's harsh realities. The intimacy that occurs between the reader and the characters has a breath of its own within the pages of a book. Reading provides the ability to see beyond the confines of our own walls or to escape the lot in life that has been created or caste upon us. Through reading we can gain an understanding, be affirmed, or get answers. Our capacity to empathize, learn, grow, explore, question, heal, and enjoy can be found within the pages of a book. My goal in creating this blog is to introduce books that engage educators, parents, and readers in dialogue that will pose questions about the world as it is and more importantly how we can invision it for a better future.