narwhal-noir:

Elementary School Reading Culture:

• The popular books having waiting lists in the library
• Not having read the popular book yet and feeling super left-out of the lunchtime conversation
• Those huge graphic non-fiction books about horses
• Having a to-read list of like 4 or 5 books
• Personalized bookmarks
• Having a booklight next to your bed
• Forgetting your book at home and being devastated
• Designated reading-for-pleasure time in school
• Being amazed when you took the dust jacket off and the book underneath was super pretty, then showing all your friends
• Different books being popular in different schools (Inkheart and the Pseudonymous Bosh serious were poppin at my school)
• Everyone knew the librarian
• People would ask what you were reading and actually want to know about the plot
• Going on vacation and being excited to choose books to bring
• Reading before bed at sleepovers
• Going to the bookstore was the highlight of your month
• Boarders
• Hardcover books only costing like 9 bucks
• The Scholastic Book Fair