By Gentry Ellis Ive always been a reader. As early as I can remember Ive enjoyed being mesmerized by a good book. Ive always loved the adages about books taking us on adventures or books being the route for escapism. Some of my fondest childhood memories are about books and reading. I grew up in a household with uncensored television viewing, yet I rarely remember the programs I watched. I can, however, truly reminisce about many of the books I read. During my fourth grade year I had a mediocre teacher and it was a difficult year on me socially. However, I remember our teacher reading us Summer of the Monkeys with enthusiasm over the course of a couple of weeks. She said it was a tradition that she always read this book to her class. Each day us students would ask her what happens next? and quickly finish up our assignments so we could get on to story hour. I loved that story and recently reread it as an adult. I cant wait to share it with my own kids in a few years. I think when you look at a persons bookshelves it tells you a lot about a person. If you look at my bookshelves you will see what kinds of foods I am passionate about cooking, how I get my gardening ideas, what parenting styles I support, and all the other terrific literature I love. You will see my hobbies, interests, and passions reflected in my library of books. They help transform my house into a home. They add heart and soul to my world. There are often books on my nightstands, coffee tables, bathrooms, all around my home. Im a reader. Its not uncommon for me to be reading more than one book at a time. Perhaps youll find a novel by my bedside, a parenting book in my bathroom, and a book on home design in my living room. Books are an acceptable and good form of clutter in my house. I am always shocked at how few people actually read. For many, its a quick newspaper or magazine article here or there but never a really good book. Even rarer are people who read the classics or poetry. I think literature is as important in the human experience as music, art, and most certainly television. If you are raising children and you want them to be avid readers, one of the best things you can do is become an avid reader yourself. Children learn by example and we are their role models. I encourage everyone to read moreeven if you feel you already read a lot. Try different kinds of reading and get to know your local library. I could never afford to buy all the books Id like so I have to rely on the library for much of my reading. I try to limit my purchasing of books to ones I will want to reference often such as cookbooks or hobby books. I do try to stock up on a variety of classic books. I think it is important to read the classics and I want my children to read them. I often will reread a classic every 10 years or so. I have a huge assortment of childrens books that are readily available for my son. Even with this, we try to visit the local library at least once a week. We both check out a lengthy list of books on a regular basis. Most libraries today have advanced and easy to use websites so you can put a list of books on hold and just pick them up quickly when you get to the library. Many libraries also have story times, book groups, and great reading lists for children or adults. Check with yours to learn about these free services. Libraries, like good parks, are a wonderful part of our country. One of my familys favorite outings is a trip to the bookstore. We particularly love the big ones that have nice childrens areas and a coffee shop inside. My husband and I take turns staying with my son in the childrens area (where he can easily occupy hours if wed let him) while the other one browses books or gets something from the caf. The bookstore is a good place to browse the books and determine which ones you really want. Its also a great place for children to shop for new books, attend story times, and spend a rainy day. I admit though, I rarely purchase books from these types of bookstores because they tend to mark up the books a great deal. I sometimes buy second hand books, but I do enjoy having new books. They are one of my little luxuries. My favorite place to purchase books is usually Amazon where I often qualify for free shipping if I wait and order several books at once and make my order over $25. They often have low prices and good deals on new books. They also offer a wish list you can create and I especially enjoy putting together one for my son. I find many friends and family struggle for an idea of what to get him on his birthday or holidays and this enables them to easily shop for him. It has also helped expand his library of childrens books extensively. Being part of an organized reading circle or book club is a wonderful way to expand your mind and encourage yourself to read more. However, the best part of a belonging to a book club is they usually encourage you to read books you would otherwise have not read. A book club can take you out of your circle of comfort when it comes to reading and expedite you in expanding your personal library. Many of us are far too likely to discuss our favorite TV show with our friends but are much less likely to engage in discussions about good books weve read lately. In addition to these benefits, belonging to a good book club will also give you the opportunity to make new friendships that are based on a love of reading. You may find youll maintain these friendships through life as reading is a life long interest. Anyone can read, it doesnt require good weather, good health, or material expense. Ive put together a few suggestions to get you started organizing a book club if you are not already part of one and some suggested readings. Gentry is a stay at home mom, with a passion for writing. 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