Welcome to The Book Dragon

   As a information services librarian in a public library one of the most common questions or requests I receive is for a "good book." My fellow bookworms will laugh with me because someone's good book can be someone else's worst nightmare of struggling to get through scenes, failing to connect with characters and ultimately throwing that book into a pile of other unfinished titles on the floor. 

    Maybe that last part doesn't apply to most adult readers with a sense of the value of books (please don't damage your library books!), but it can apply to many kids.

    I was the kind of kid who devoured books whole, bringing one with me everywhere I went. That insatiable love of reading led me to my career as a librarian. I wanted to share books for a living, either my own or another author's incredible world.

    But in connecting with many kids and adults over the years, so many people looking for a good book, or just any book, but not knowing where to start or where to go next, I realized that not every kid finds it easy to dive in to words on a page.

    For some kids a learning difference like dyslexia can make finding a book to read for school an impossible mountain to climb. For others nothing interests them without pictures, or they only want to read about true stories or facts. And some kids just need to find a character to grasp onto, either one they know already from TV or movies, or a character that looks like them. 

    Reluctant readers are a big challenge because reading as a child is the path to literacy. It sets you up for a life of learning and growth. Of seeing life from another's perspective. So librarians and educators everywhere are so conscious of how important it is to put books in little peoples hands and nurture a love of reading.

    A book dragon is someone who hoards books, like a dragon hoards treasure; not willing to let go of a single precious story. And even if it means your home will be overrun with stories on shelves, I want to turn your kids into book dragons. 

- Meg