It's almost the end of February, so that means we're wrapping up our Love of Reading Contest. Thank you to everyone for participating. We received so many inspiring entries – we only wish we could give every single one a $50 gift card. If you're listed as a winner this week, go to the store you submitted your entry at with a picture ID after Monday to collect your $50 Bookmans gift certificate! If you submitted your entry online, we will contact you by e-mail regarding how to receive your gift certificate. Congratulations to our final week's winners, listed below:

 

Mesa Winner: Renae F.

“The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett

As a little girl at the age of 4, I was jealous of my older brother being able to read. So, my mother, who homeschooled us, decided it was time I learned to read. She nearly scarred me for life with this awful book about a bunny and how this bunny grew and ate and played. I nearly died of boredom, but I did learn. Grew to hate reading from this sole book.

My brother was doing his reading one day and asked me to listen to him. He was reading “A Wrinkle In Time.” I listened to him entranced, wishing that I could read something like that, so much more interesting than that stupid bunny growing and eating. He found “The Secret Garden” sitting on our mom's bookshelf one day while she was gone and brought it to me. He told me he wanted me to read to him. So I opened it, and started at the ripe age of 4, to read “The Secret Garden” for the first time. My brother helped me with a lot of the words, but I was entranced.

“The Secret Garden” showed me that reading was a world that I could go to at anytime. Thanks to my brother and that stupid bunny, I learned that reading was the most fun ever. I have not been able to stop since.

That is why I think that “The Secret Garden” is the book that inspired my reading. Because of my brother's care and the way I still feel every time I pick up my worn copy. Reading can take you places that you would never believe. You just have to believe.

 

Phoenix Winner: Raegan C.

“Are you there God? It's me, Margaret” by Judy Blume

My love of reading has always existed. I loved to devour any book that I could [get] my hands on and enjoyed reading in the car, at home, outside and basically anywhere else I was. I remember reading “Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret” when I was in 6th grade. At the time, I lived with my mom in an apartment and felt alone in the world. Despite my efforts to make friends or have a father figure, I remained secluded in my apartment and read books. I went to the library with my mom one Saturday and found a small book in the sale bin. For 50 cents I decided to add another book to my collection. I started right aver lunch and finished the book in less than two hours A small amount of time compared to the box of tissues and self realization that went with it The ability to sympathize with a fictional character and actually understand the book was exactly what a lonely 12 year old girl needed. Needless to say the following year when I stared middle school, I started to connection with the fictional and non fiction characters and fill gaps in life with things that mean a lot more that some [one] can imagine. Sure, middle school and high school were the roughest 6 years of my life…but with authors like Judy Blume, it became easier to ignore the bullies and sadness, and enjoy my mom and life. I love to read to my kids now, and tell my daughter every day , that no matter what happens in her life, there will always be a book out there that can help her through it! I tell her that mommy is proof of that. And even to this day, I know I can always visit Bookmans and find any book to help me with any problem I have!

 

Flagstaff Winner: Devin J.

”Childhood's End” by Arthur C. Clarke

When I was little, my grandmother helped teach me read.  For years, she often gave me books to read, but the one that really stuck with me was "Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clarke.  When you're a kid, it kind of catches you off-guard to have your grandmother suddenly hand you science fiction, but it was an incredible book.  It opened up my eyes that science-fiction wasn't just about running around space fighting aliens, it meant more than that.  After I read it, we went to visit her a few weeks later, and I was surprised to find out that it had been one of her favorite books for years.  We spent quite a lot of time talking about it, and that was something we had that made us closer.  There would always be books that we talked about, and “Childhood's End” was always something special because she gave it to me.

 

Grant Winner: Gail A.

Enid Blyton's children's books

I grew up on a Canadian Farm, did chores and helped in the house. Sneaking into the 10'X 10' library in the corner of my three-room elementary school took me from rural Ontario to adventures around the world!

 

Speedway Winner: Brandy S.

“The Dragon Riders” by Anne McCaffrey

My family felt that reading was for people who had lots of school learning, so unfortunately weren't very supportive of my love of books. A friend gave me a copy of the “Pern” trilogy and I read it over & over. Eventually I read everything Anne McCaffrey wrote and now read an average of four books a week.

 

Ina Winner: Becky H.

“Go Dog Go” by Dr. Seuss

When my daughter could barely talk, she requested this book over and over and over again. "Dog go," "Dog go!" she would say. We read it together tirelessly. To see a small child so excited by a book inspired me to read more and more. Before long, our library numbered over 600 books! To this day my daughters are both avid readers.

 

Online Winner: TIE!

Winner #1: Gretchen W.

“Are you there God? It's me, Margaret” by Judy Blume

I was an awkward girl. Chubby, curly red hair, and glasses that were way too thick. I was the class clown because that was what got me noticed. I tried so hard to find a way to be seen. And then I read “Are you there God? It's me, Margaret,” by the incomparable Judy Blume. I read it in one sitting and put the book down on my bed and just stared at it. Feeling like I'd just picked up the secret to some riddle. The riddle of being a girl that just wanted to be seen. Judy Blume made me feel like I had a voice. She brought power to my thoughts and value to my difference. I owe the birth of a lifelong love of words to Blume and to Margaret.

(P.S. Here's a YouTube video I made this week about her!)

 

Winner #2: Anne K.

”The Phantom Tollboth” by Norton Juster

I feel kind of bad for the other hundreds of books I must've read prior to reading “The Phantom Tollbooth” -- I'm sure somewhere in there is another book which deserves the recognition I'm giving “The Phantom Tollbooth.” I mean, I remember the first book that was ever mine: “The Hidden Staircase” by Carolyn Keene -- a Nancy Drew mystery. I was in second grade. Each time I got my hands on one of those, I would gobble it up -- usually within a day!

But I still remember my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Plaskett, pulling out “The Phantom Tollbooth” and reading a chapter to us each day. I always hated the end of the chapter because I was so completely transported into another world. One weekend, I asked if I could take the book home to read it. I think Mrs. Plaskett must've seen how much I loved to read because she let me borrow her own, personal book. I returned it after the weekend, having read the entire book.

For years, I lost track of the actual name of the book, only remembering the dog with a watch in his side who was named Toc -- even though the watch "ticked" -- Subtraction Soup and The Doldrums. I don't recall how I found the book again, but I imagine the internet was a significant factor!

 

Again, thanks to everyone who sent in an entry for the Love of Reading Contest. We look forward to doing this again next year during Love of Reading Month!