Reading

 {pic from A Better Oakland}

On Monday I got to show my support for the Oakland library system (the mayor is trying to shut down ten of the city's fourteen branches?!) by reading for a few minutes in front of City Hall.

I didn't want to be boring, and also wanted to read something that reminded me of how important libraries are. As an adult, I will admit to being a terrible user of the library, in that I don't utilize it enough. But as a kid? Oh, my god. It was the most important place. So I read from Harriet the Spy, which is just a truly genius book and so enjoyable to read again every few years. I don't think any other children's book asked the questions that it did (about religion, family, money, and human behavior) in such an honest way; the voice of HTS and its equally brutal sequel, The Long Secret, did a lot in terms of shaping me into the cynical but softhearted weirdo I am today.

It was fun to read aloud. I did an "old rich lady" accent that was enjoyable. I hope they don't shut down any libraries.