Library Love and the Gifted Child

My newsfeed has been filled with a some great posts on the power of libraries and librarians lately. Library love! In this age of digital books, I am so happy to see that folks are still going to the library!

I’ve always loved libraries. Growing up, the librarians in my hometown knew me by name. At my elementary school, I was allowed to go to the library to either read or assist the librarian when I completed my work (side note: why is this not standard practice in school for the kids reading far above grade level? It’s an easy accommodation!). One of my favorite hideaways as a low-on-funds-high-on-stress grad student was to smuggle a cup of coffee into the Boston Public Library, find a cozy nook, and read for hours. There’s just something about a library, the quiet, the calm, the possibility of finding your next love.

I didn’t think that it would be possible to love libraries more, but then Leo began to read, and despite having overflowing book baskets in almost every room of our home, we simply could not keep up. We turned to the library for help. Unlike our local public school, the local librarians have never questioned Leo’s reading abilities (“Sure he might be reading Harry Potter, but he cannot possibly be comprehending it. Fluency is often better than comprehension!”). Instead, they embraced his love of learning and built upon it. I’d often hear, “Hey Leo, if you liked that book, try this one!”

Last May, Leo was still in the public school system. Like many parents of gifted children, Schizz and I struggled-unsuccessfully- to get his needs met. At our final, terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad meeting with the school, I found myself saying aloud what I’d previously kept to myself, “I wish that our local librarians could be here. They understand him. You all clearly do not.” We decided to homeschool later that afternoon.

Then in June, as we were checking out books at our beloved library, one of our librarians actually said to me, “I hope I’m not overstepping my boundaries here but I have to ask. He’s not going to be in a traditional first grade next year, is he?” I responded that we had decided to homeschool. It was the first time that I had said the words aloud to someone other than our family and friends, and the words felt strange on my lips. I braced myself for her reaction. She emitted a sigh, visibly relaxed, and said, “Good. Good for you! He would be miserable there.” In that moment, I wanted to hug her, and not for the first time. She understood him, and by doing so, she understood us.

Later that week, we were in line to check out our books and one of the individuals from our terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad meeting was in line behind us. We exchanged awkward hellos and then stood in line, in uncomfortable silence. As Leo stacked book upon book on the counter, the librarian asked him about his progress with the Harry Potter series. Leo was so happy and animated as he explained where he was at in the plot. Clearly, he was actually comprehending what he was reading. As the two were talking, and as the individual from our terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad meeting fidgeted uncomfortably behind me, another librarian walked past us and greeted Leo by name. Then, a third approached us and suggested a book title for Leo adding, “I just know he’ll love it.”

I smiled and watched it all go down, knowing that the individual standing behind me was witnessing it all. I could have said, “I told you so” as we left, but I didn’t, I just said, “Have a wonderful summer.” Some things are better left unsaid.

So, keep on loving on those librarians and libraries, folks! We are so lucky to have them in our lives!

Are you looking to take your family’s read alouds to the next level? Join the {virtual} Family Book Club at My Little Poppies:

All of the books (and more!) from the {virtual} Family Book Club at My Little Poppies can be found here:

All of the lessons, crafts, and activities based on each book can be found here, listed by title and author:

Visit Cait Fitz @ My Little Poppies’s profile on Pinterest.

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My parents, and librarians along the way, taught me about the space between words; about the margins, where so many juicy moments of life and spirit and friendship could be found. In a library, you could find miracles and truths and you might find something that would make you laugh so hard that you get shushed, in the friendliest way.

~ Anne Lamott

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Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

Cait is a school psychologist, mom to three amazing children, and an unexpected homeschooler. She loves nature, good books, board games, strong coffee, and dancing in her kitchen. You can read about all of these things and more at My Little Poppies.

Cait co-hosts The Homeschool Sisters Podcast and is co-founder of Raising Poppies, a community for parents of gifted and twice-exceptional children. Cait is also founder of the Family Book Club at My Little Poppies, a fantastic community of book-loving parents and the Gameschool Community at My Little Poppies, a vibrant community of gameschoolers.

Cait is a contributing writer for Simple Homeschool and GeekMom. Her work has also appeared on The Huffington Post, The Mighty, and Scary Mommy. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram
and G+.

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