I read for hours each day...but not for myself. I read with my children every morning and evening and with my ailing mom many hours a week. I consider this reading as service reading, especially the time spent providing enrichment to my cognitively impaired mom. With a vast array of developmental abilities, my reading selections range from the very simple, rich texts to more complex plots and characters. I truly try to match the listener's skills and interests to the book selections. For example, my mom's continuous cognitive decline caused by progressive dementia challenges me to constantly introduce books to match her abilities. Therefore, my reading profile is extraordinarily dynamic.
Our best loved children's books include:
- Vincent Van Gogh (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists) by Mike Venezia [and his other artist and musician books]
- The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco (a favorite with my mom)
- The Clown of God by Tomi dePaola
Our best loved middle grade books include:
- The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
- Book Scavenger (the series) by Jennifer Chamblis Bertman
- Chasing Vermeer (the series) by Blue Balliet
When I'm not reading to others, I read books that will enrich and enlighten me and my perspective on life. Because I don't have any spare time, if I'm going to read, I want self-improvement resulting from my investment of time. It's a tall order for a book to fulfill, but, I have found great success with inspiring biographies and inspirational spiritual books.
My recent reads include:
- Christmas Stories: Heartwarming Stories of Angels, A Manger and the Birth of Hope by Max Lucado
- The Angel Tree by Daphne Benedis-Grab
- The Adventures of Henry Thoreau; A Young Man's Unlikely Path to Walden Pond by Michael Sims
My personal reading is sparse and I am comfortable reading my select favorites within a narrow list of genres. When selecting books for others, however, I found that knowledge of current genre trends and appeal factors is essential to correctly match the reading material to the user. I agree with Saricks' emphasis on keeping up on current genre trends in order to provide effective services to the "fans of a genre" (Saricks 10). Communicating with others and establishing a useful plan to maintain current knowledge of genres provides necessary information for better patron service (Saricks 10).
For example, in 2015, Emma Rose Sparrow self-published a series of books for dementia patients. Sparrow's books are categorized for varied developmental stages of dementia, providing unparalleled enrichment and engagement to cognitively impaired seniors. I stumbled upon this series through a basic search, purchased a few and have successfully shared them with several seniors and caregivers. Yet, my local library collection does not include any books written for dementia patients to read and enjoy. My hope is that materials for dementia patients continue to grow in popularity and become a respectable subject area in our libraries.
Works Cited
Saricks, Joyce G. The Reader's Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction. American Library Association, 2009.
