"Swift or smooth, broad as the Hudson or narrow enough to scrape your gunwales, every river is a world of its own, unique in pattern and personality. Each mile on a river will take you further from home than a hundred miles on a road."
~ Bob Marshall
The same is true for books. Every book we read is unique, full of its own story and people and worlds. Picture books, chapter books, 700 page books... they all create a new place for the reader to explore.
I cry every time I read Pink & Say or Faithful Elephants, two picture books that pack the painful punch of reality as well as any novel. I think I've been scarred for life by James Patterson's Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, yet I recommend it to everyone I know - it's beautiful and powerful and oh-so-heart-wrenching.
Without fail, Rick Riordan can make me spit my coffee. And I still laugh when I think of his line about Grover "hauling goat tail" - ha ha ha!
Now, imagine Bob Marshall's quote like this:
Swift or smooth, broad as the Hudson or narrow enough to scrape your gunwales, every book is a world of its own, unique in pattern and personality. Each page of a book will take you further from home than a hundred miles on a road.
Each book is a river. Enjoy the ride!
Yay for books! I've been "enjoying the ride" for a long time, and there's always something breathtaking around the bend.
ReplyDeleteThis is a little off topic, but one of my favorite adventure stories is set on a River. Far North by Will Hobbs.
ReplyDeletePink and Say always makes me cry, too.
ReplyDeleteNow I want to read A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT again.
ReplyDeleteLovely thoughts, Shannon. Thank you.
ReplyDelete