Learning to love books

Coral Wilson

The Mayor, City Council members, firefighters and other city

officials disappeared from their offices last week, putting important

duties aside. Everything else had to wait, it was reading time.

In celebration of National Library Week and the Great American

Read-Aloud, local celebrities read favorite stories to parents and

their children.

Reading “Dinosaur Roar,” an oversized book with colorful pictures,

Bill Workman, assistant city administrator, had the children meowing

like a cat, barking like a dog and roaring -- like a dinosaur.

“It is very important to let children understand the music of the

word and appreciate the value of reading early on,” Workman said.

Workman said he read bed-time stories to his two daughters until

they could no longer sit on his lap.

“We laughed together and cried together over books,” he said.

“Reading provides an opportunity for the parent and child to bond.”

From the Fire Department, Lisa Kennedy dressed as Sparky the

fire-dog and firefighter Brian Springer also had a book to share.

While Sparky joined the children to listen, Springer sat down to

read, “New York’s Bravest.” The book was dedicated to the 343

firefighters who lost their lives in the New York City fires on Sept.

11, 2001.

A tall tale based on a real person, the story was about a

firefighter from the 1840s who lost his life on the job.

In addition to entertaining their audience, the duo had another

hope -- to give children an understanding of the realities of the

job.

“Firefighting is a dangerous job,” Springer said. “I want children

to know that we are always there to protect them and they can count

on us to do our best. I want them to feel secure.”

Admitting that he was more consumed by TV as a child, Springer

said reading is important because it inspires the imagination.

“There are so many distractions, reading may become a lost art,”

he said.

Even with all the modern childhood distractions -- video games,

computers, movies -- the group that had gathered was an avid

audience.

The trip to the library was the first outing for Melanie Messina

of Huntington Beach after giving birth to her daughter, Isabella,

just over a week ago. During spring break Hannah Messina, her

5-year-old daughter, had become restless at home.

“She needed something to do,” Messina said. “It is very important

to learn to read and like reading.”

With the falling economy, parents have begun to appreciate the

value of libraries more, said librarian Barbara Richardson.

“When times were good, adults used to say to me they could get

their books at Barnes and Nobles,” Richardson said. “But a picture

book can cost almost $20.”

Some children grow up in the library, Richardson said. She has

seen children who love to read become volunteers and shelve books.

Then they apply for jobs and work at the library as adults.

“There is nothing more exciting than getting a child hooked on

reading,” she said.

Children still come in asking for The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and

Charlotte’s Web. But with the release of the new Disney movie “Holes”

Richardson said that is one book she can’t keep on the shelves.

As spring break and rainy weather hit Huntington Beach, many

students found a retreat from boredom by going to the library. They

streamed in and out, arms full of books -- enough to last the whole

week.

* CORAL WILSON is a news assistant who covers education. She can

be reached at (714) 965-7177 or by e-mail at

coral.wilson@latimes.com.