JENNIFER K MAHAL -- Editor’s Notebook

My mother tells me that my first complete sentence -- said at a

precociously early age, of course -- was “Read the book.” Considering

that I read like a person starved, devouring novels the way others inhale

chocolate, that doesn’t really surprise me.

What does and did surprise me was a recent conversation I heard on

KPCC-FM (89.3) radio’s Talk of the City. The topic was books. Or, rather,

the lack of books in public school libraries.

I listened in horror as a representative from Access Books, a

nonprofit devoted to school libraries, said that there are schools in

area districts where the newest book on the shelves comes from 1980.

Schools where children are not allowed to check books out because with

only 400 books for 2,400 students, there just aren’t enough to go around.

And then came the kicker. The woman told the story of two girls who

traveled for two hours on the bus to South Coast Plaza once a week for

months in order to read the first Harry Potter novel.

My heart broke a little. For me, the school library and the books

found there were an oasis. My best friends were Anne of Green Gables,

Sarah Crewe and the mysterious Mr. Quinn. In my mind, I spent time with

Frog and Toad in the Willows, and Sam and Frodo in Middle-Earth.

The one and only time I played hooky from high school -- something I

don’t recommend -- I spent the day at the Southwestern College Library

reading “God’s Favorite” by Neil Simon. OK, I only spent the first hour

reading that. I spent the rest of the time reading a book on the symbolic

meanings in Miguel Cervantes’ “Don Quixote.” I kid you not. I was a

strange child.

It never occurred to me that with all of the encouragement that we

give children to read nowadays, the problem for some children may not be

a lack of desire but a lack of opportunity. Between the “Oh, how awfuls”

and the “what a shames,” I was hit metaphorically by a lightning bolt.

One of the best parts of being an editor and writing for a newspaper is

the chance to speak up about things that matter to me. And the chance to

challenge people to get out and do something charitable.

Here’s my thought -- while my buying a book to donate to Access Books

might be just a drop in the bucket, a whole community of literature

lovers could make a real difference to at least one impoverished school.

So, in the holiday spirit, I urge each and every one of you to buy a

copy of your favorite childhood book and donate it to Access Books for

use at a school library. Better yet, when you are out holiday shopping

with your little boy or girl, ask them to pick out a copy of their

favorite book to share with another child. It’s a nice way to share the

season’s greetings.

As for me, I have my eye on a copy of “The Adventures of Raggedy Ann

and Andy” that just begs to be placed in the hands of a small child. Just

to be cool, I will probably pick up a “Series of Unfortunate Events” book

or one of R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” as well.

There’s an Access Books drop-off site in Huntington Beach at 201 9th

St., one block east of Pacific Coast Highway. For those who want more

information on Access Books, it can be found online at o7

https://www.accessbooks.netf7 or by calling (310) 204-6350. A wish list

of books is listed on the Web site.

We say that reading is fundamental. But to read you need books.

-- Jennifer Mahal is features editor of the Daily Pilot. She may be

reached at (9490 574-4282 or by e-mail at o7 jennifer.mahal@latimes.com.

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