Admitting you have a problem is the first step

We all have one. That closet addiction that we never actually admit exists. My sister hoards shoes. My husband and father-in-law collect computers and their various parts. My grandmother has a ball of yarn in any color you can imagine. I collect books.
We are approaching a move and I have a feeling I know just where the majority of our weight will come from- the piano, the entertainment center, the bunk beds, and my books. The shelves have become the focus of my de-cluttering effort. I filled three boxes with "grow into" books for the kids and stuck them in storage. Another full of Christmas books. Then four more boxes to sell to a used book store. I earned $60 in store credit, then spent it on more books. I know, I have a problem. Want to see?
Lenna's room:

 Andy's room:

 Kid books in the living room:

 Mom and Dad clutter in the living room (these are the ones I am supposed to get rid of before we try to sell the house):

I often blame it on my teacher training- never get rid of a good book! My daughter is a book collector as well. She wants to be a writer and drive a book mobile to towns where there isn't a library when she grows up. I think if I can bring myself to part with them, she can stock her book  mobile with just our books.

We are a book family. We are regulars at the library, and have to bring abut three totes to hold our selections. 

We start as early as possible exposing our kids to books and stories and reading aloud. My toddler even reads her board books to the cat. She was trying to get him to pat the soft bunny, but he wasn't interested.

We give books as presents. Santa, the Easter bunny, Grandma, and school book orders all contribute to our stash.

My parents recently moved and had to down-size and had a huge yard sale. My entire childhood was spread out on the lawn for strangers to pick through. I didn't care about the totes of barbie dolls or stuffed toys, the baby blankets, or tables covered in knick knacks and old dishes. I was having nightmares about her emptying the bookshelves full of children's books before I could get on a plane and go through them myself. I had to ship myself a few boxes because I couldn't fit them in my luggage.

So I admit I have a thing for books. I really don't discriminate between books. Besides tons of children's lit, we have craft books, garden books, parenting books, church books, poetry books, travel books, college text books, books in Russian and Arabic, art books. Fiction that stretches from Anne and Gilbert to wizards and vampires and hobbits to pioneers and secret gardens. Since I got a nook for my birthday a few months ago, I have added another few hundred e-books to the collection as well, though those are easier to store.

Why is it then, that at a Relief Society mixer a month ago, I had the luck of drawing the "get-to-know-you" question of "What is your favorite book?" and had absolutely nothing to say? Nothing. I think I gave the title of the last book I had read- something from the diaper bag that rhymed and featured cartoon characters. I think I love too many to pick. 

So when I was asked to write today about my favorite book from my childhood, I laughed. How about a list?
I don't remember that one special book from my childhood that I had to read every night or anything. The earliest book I can remember is this one- the one I couldn't find when culling through my parent's book shelves a few summers ago. And it's out of print. Maybe that's why I want it? Mom, if you come across this one some place, I want it! And if my sisters are reading and managed to snag this one first, I still want it. I'll trade you the Poky Little Puppy for it.

I do remember loving books and resenting being restricted to choosing only 3 items from each book order form I brought home from school. I remember lots of Little Golden Books, The Bearenstien Bears, the Serendipity books, the Mr . Men books and many others. I still have copies of "The Secret Garden" and "Five Children and It" that were given to me by my fourth grade teacher.
As I got older and moved on to chapter books, I gravitated toward series. Easier to chose that way- just find one you like and read the ones that follow! I plowed through Super Fudge, Ramona, Encyclopedia Brown, American Girls, and the Moffats before moving on to The Babysitter's Club, Nancy Drew, Little House on the Prairie, and Anne of Green Gables.
I think that the Secret Garden and the Ramona books are my favorites. I loved the idea of having a place to call my own or wandering down the dark halls of a giant mansion! And I easily related to Ramona as the frustrated little sister with a tendency to get into trouble.

I have really enjoyed sharing some of my favorites with my kids as they get older, especially from the very same books I scrawled my name into the front cover of as a kid.

And now after all that, I feel completely justified in my book collections. Maybe I can store the books and get rid of the entertainment center and the bunk beds instead?