I feel naked whenever I leave the house without a book in hand.
Will readers I encounter give me the stink eye if they spot me without a book?
Did I develop this book-carrying habit/addiction as a church-going child who carried my bible every Sunday to church and to Wednesday night prayer service?
Most importantly, what book should I take to each destination?
March 13 I had a doctor’s appointment in Idaho Falls, fifty miles from home, so I took a Kate Baer poetry collection, which I carried into the doctor’s office when the nurse called my name.
Before we left for our spring break road trip I packed my Baggilini backpack with a bunch of books, including several poetry collections, my Kindle, a novel, and a picture book I received as part of my tenure on the NCTE Children’s Poetry Awards Committee. I’ve read the three Kate Baer collections and carry them for inspiration.
When I sub I stuff more books into my bag. Monday I had picture books with me, again free ones I received in service of my NCTE committee.
Of course, I always have audiobooks at the ready and carry those in my phone. We listened to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone on our way south the first driving day and Jesus and John Wayne our last day heading home. I borrowed both from Libby.
I also have Libro.fam, Audible, and Book of the Month subscriptions. We won’t even talk about the books I order—for myself and my grandson Ezra.
During our spring break road trip I bought Ezra a new board book. When we ventured to Salt Lake City for Ken’s neurologist appointment a few weeks ago we stopped at The King’s English Bookstore, and I bought Ezra another board book. I’ll carry those to the other side of the state next time I visit.
I recently purchased a book for a student at an area high school and need to carry and deliver it to him. It’s a request he made when I was subbing at his school last month and told some students about my classroom library and buying books my students requested. I couldn’t say No when he asked me to buy the book for him.
Here’s the thing about the books I carry: I rarely read them. That is, I don’t read them when going to the places I carry them. I carry them back home and read them there.
At the end of travel days, I’m often too tired to read. Of course in March I’m writing blog posts and commenting on blog posts. And with the Stafford Poetry Challenge this year I wrote a poem each day of our travels and created a Canva for each poem.
Who has time for reading the books we carry when March privileges writing?
Still, I can’t bring myself to leave home or travel without carrying books. They’re too important not to carry both in my heart and in my hands.
Swirl & Swing 
Oh, I love that last line. “They’re too important not to carry both in my heart and in my hands.” That makes the rest of your post even more special. I love that you just have them with you, even when there isn’t time to read them. I love your book spine poem too. Such beautiful titles flowing together.
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Glenda, I’m seeing now why we both love a good backpack! Your spine poem inspires me to create one for my window display! That is so beautiful. I love how the titles become the lines but the fonts and colors and sizes play together! I also feel the writing pull on these slicing days, but the reading of these blogs adds a type of reading that I might love the most! Your poem could become a collection of poetry – The Books We Carry. Love this inspiration!
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I knew I liked you! I love the peek into your many faceted reading life (and yes, how can you say no to buying a book requested by a reader?!). My reading life suffers in March, but my Kindle is loaded and ready for my mid-April break and I will snag some of the books I have recently bought for my class that i have not read yet. Love your spine poem!
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Glenda, that spine poem is perfectly arranged! I so wish I’d taken on the Stafford Challenge. Maybe next year. I see so much of myself reflected in your post – this unquenchable thirst for books, the need to have one – more than one – nearby at all times. I carry them with me, too, whenever I travel. I often don’t read them until I am back home, either! Too funny. I buy books for my granddaughters often; my Scout, age 8, is a voracious reader. My grandmother infused me with a love for reading and I celebrate the passing on of this legacy, just as you are with your grandson. I love his name. At school there’s a boy named Ezra. Every morning, and sometimes at various points during the day, he comes by to see me. I don’t work with him formally but he always wants to talk about books and thrives on this one-on-one encouragement. He wanted to know if I had the Amulet graphic novel fantasy series, as our library, for some reason, doesn’t have all the books. I bought a set to share with him. He comes to borrow them; each day, we read portions together, with him making the sound effects. He’s read them all and now is starting over – the mark of a great reader! For…what would our lives BE without books and reading??
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You are a voracious reader! I love the book spine poem. Just like you, I carry books on my travel and never seem to get to them at the end of those busy days of exploring. They bring me great comfort though, and I read them at home. Every trip means books for the grands! I love to read poetry at doctor’s appointments, too. Poetry is just the right portion of reading, when one is likely to be pulled, poked, prodded at any moment. I am unfamiliar with Kate Baer – and I am a bit embarrassed to admit this, based on how many of her books you have. A fabulous endorsement, and I will check her out. This questioning line is so marvelous – “Who has time for reading the books we carry when March privileges writing?” It is a privilege to write all March!
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Glenda, this post spoke to me. I stopped and reread and nodded at these lines: “Here’s the thing about the books I carry: I rarely read them. That is, I don’t read them when going to the places I carry them. I carry them back home and read them there.” I always look at the books others carry hoping for suggestions or connections. I’ve now added Kate Baer to my list of reads. And your thoughts about March as a time for writing felt reassuring. As Denise remarked, “oh, that last line!” which is so lovely.
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I read your piece and thought, I should write a book spine poem. Then I realized that I’m reading an ebook and an audiobook right now and therefore don’t have any spines to draw from. What’s the 21st century version of a book spine poem?!
BTW: Kate Baer lives about a half hour away from me. I’m hoping to hear her do a reading one of these days.
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All the titles i. my spine poem are picture books I received for the NCTE committee I’m no. Grab some of your children’s books.
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Glenda, you are your own Little Library. How awesome of you to buy books for students who request them. That is incredibly generous. You must really make an impression. I’m fascinated by some of these titles like Jesus and John Wayne. I am always reading about three books at a time although one is an audio book. I don’t know how to listen to the radio anymore.
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I like how you quietly added book recommendations with your pictures; aren’t you a sneaky one enticing us to carry more books with those stacks! I love the many different reasons why you carry books, and that last line is perfect!
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I have explained to several people that one hard & fast criteria for any purse I own is that it must accommodate a paperback. I love that you carry books and am fascinated by the books you carry. This line, “Who has time for reading the books we carry when March privileges writing?” made me laugh – that’s what I’ve been doing wrong: I’ve kept reading this month! No wonder I’m so tired!
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I love so much about this post. Probably mostly because it is hard for me to go anywhere without carrying a book, but also because there are so many lines I absolutely love. Here’s one: “Who has time for reading the books we carry when March privileges writing?” This feels like such a profound truth for those of us who love this slice of life month. And another line I love: “They’re too important not to carry both in my heart and in my hands.” So true and beautiful!
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I also carry books with me. I always have two or three digital books up read just in case but when traveling I seem to need to also carry paper books plus a journal. Reading and writing a part of my daily life. I love seeing what books your are reading. I have only a small collection of poetry books – clearly a hole in my reading. Thanks for the new to me poet to read.
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This slice spoke to my book-loving soul. I also read across multiple modalities at once (always have an audiobook and a physical book at the ready), and take my books or my kindle for little field trips with me, but how can we not? I’ve been thinking of doing a book-related slice before this challenge ends, and you convinced me to do so! Thanks for speaking to so many book-loving hearts here ❤️
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I enjoyed this post so much! I will confess that I usually scroll on my phone when I’m out and about but I still have to have a book handy in the car, even if I don’t take it in. I would hate to be stuck anywhere without a book!
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