June 25th

Stopping by a student's home:

Me Mikayla*, I want to give you this book. One of my Mom's friends gave it to me when I was ten, and she told me to pass it on to a ten year old whenever I was ready, and found the right one.

Mikayla* Wow! Thanks, Ms N! This looks really old.

Me Yep. It was printed in the 1880s. If you like it, Louisa May Alcott wrote lots of other books, too. Wait, have you read this already?

Mikayla* No. Not any of her other books, either.

At this point, I must say that I did a little dance of delight.

Me That's perfect! I hadn't read it, either. So we will both have read Little Women from a copy printed while the author was still alive. How cool is that?

Mikayla* Very cool! I like the way the pictures are made. Thank you so much! I can't wait to read it. And I'll give it to a ten year old when it's the right time, too. Thank you!

*This bright, lively, avid reader is one of the children who give hope for the future just by the way that they are. Mikayla is, of course, not her real name.