Judy Cox

Greetings and Salutations!

I've been thinking about summer reading. Summer means reading to me.

When I was a child, I'd spend a couple of weeks at my grandmother's house every summer.Grandma would give us her library card and my sister and I would walk down the hill, under eucalyptus trees that buzzed with katy-dids, to check out books. We'd spend a long and luxurious hour or two browsing the stacks and finally emerge into the hot sunlight with an armload of books.I remember reading Agatha Christie and Mary Stewart, Elizabeth Marie Pope and L. M. Boston. Even now, just looking at those books gives me the shivery feeling of anticipation--Summer Vacation!

Next week I'm off to the library and I have my list all ready.I live in a small town with a small library that I visit often.In fact, I read some of my picture books and played guitar at the kick-off for their summer reading program last week. But next week is our monthly trip to the Big City library, where I have a wider choice of reading material.

We used to make the trip more often, but the price of gas has cut down on our travel. My reading list won't include any current bestsellers--they can't be checked out for a whole month. But that doesn't matter to me. I like to reread the books I read while lying poolside at Grandma's house and so I'm sure I'll check out a few of those, as well as last year's bestsellers.

A good book keeps as well as freezer jam-- and like the jam, you can take it out anytime and have a taste of summer.

Have a great summer!
Best,
Judy