Nancy loved reading more than recess. Whenever she tried talking about books, kids ignored her. Or they shouted, "Go away, library girl!" This made Nancy sad. Why do they tease me about the library? she wondered. The school library held Nancy's best friends-- all those characters tucked into book pages. She never felt lonely reading their stories. So, of course, the school library was Nancy's favorite place. She visited after class to talk about books with Miss Glenn, the librarian. "I wish I could come here on Saturdays," Nancy sighed. "The public library is open. There's one near you." Miss Glenn drew a map. Hope fluttered like pages turning in Nancy's heart. On Saturday, Nancy studied the map with her bicycle she called Charger. She loved pretending he was a beautiful horse. "This will be a big adventure--just like in a book," she explained. As Nancy raced down the sidewalk, her imagination soared. "Onward, my fearless steed!" she cried. When they arrived, Nancy stared at the library for a long time. "Charger, this whole building is filled with books!" The stone faces and owls winked. Nancy thought she was dreaming. Inside, two librarians greeted Nancy. "Are kids allowed in here?" she asked. They smiled. Nancy felt certain the stone lions did too. "What do you like to read?" Miss Whitehead asked. "Horse books!" "Come with us," said Miss Long. They showed Nancy a room with enough books to build a bridge to the moon. She planned to read them all. . . . Every Saturday, Nancy and Charger arrived when the library opened. She read through rows of fantasies, trilogies, diaries, anthologies, dictionaries, histories, biographies, and mysteries. I can be anything when I grow up, she discovered. Excerpted from Library Girl: How Nancy Pearl Became America's Most Celebrated Librarian by Karen Henry Clark All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
