February — what first comes to mind when I say this word? To many people it is Valentine’s Day. To others possibly birthdays and anniversaries. To me, this month is I Love to Read month. I did not always think of this, because the sweets and special things I got on Valentine’s Day took me over. Now as an adult working in a library, I remember this vividly. I love that libraries, schools, and other facilities celebrate I Love to Read Month by having people come in to read to the students and hold reading nights and other fun activities that bring kids closer to books and the adventures in them.

Growing up, I loved the different worlds that books would take me to. I went to the Hundred Acre Woods to visit Winnie the Pooh and his friends with Christopher Robin and got into trouble with Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat. These books, along with many more, took me away from the real world and made me laugh and cry by their ends. As an adult now with two grown children out of the house, I still find it joyful to just sit down, read a good book, and escape to all the different worlds books take me to. “It” by Stephen King takes me to the sewers of Derry, Maine to fight the clown, Pennywise, with seven loser kids. The series “Kate Burkholder” by Linda Castillo takes me to the town of Painters Mill, Ohio, where Kate is the chief of police trying to solve murders in Amish communities.

You can never predict which different world a book will take you to. The time of year or the weather sometimes help me pick out a book that will take me away to a world I will enjoy and maybe see some day, such as those about another country or state. The next time you want to escape and take a free adventure to another place, just pick up a book and start going. We have lots to choose from and if you can’t find one, we will gladly help you find your next leap into another world.