A note from Owen Duncan

The magic of giving books to children lies first in watching their eyes, then in hearing their voices.  As the students from the Sue Duncan Children’s Center filed out into the hall where I had, courtesy of Rock for Reading, displayed 40 boxes of books for them to take home, eyes widened in the same way you see youngsters’ eyes widen when they walk in a toy store.  Conversation dropped, eyes ranged up and down the row of boxes, and then one older child put it together and asked softly, “Are those for us?”
“Yes, they’re for you to take home.  You may take one of each.”
For a moment no one said anything and then a girl asked in a quiet, it’s-too-good-to-be-true sort of voice, “You mean we can each take one, right?”
“No,” I said, “you may take one of each.  If you can carry that many.”
Their eyes flickered from the books to my face and back.  Several voices, rising with excitement, said, “Really?”  Others had already believed my smile and were moving in, babbling happily.  “Look, Malcolm X!”  “Look, one about Aztecs!”  The volume soared.  “Ooh, this one’s in Spanish!”  “How will we carry them all?”
Recycled plastic shopping bags were produced, an orderly system of distribution arranged, no effort was made to lower the volume.  Older kids helped younger ones fill their bags and carry them.  Overloaded bags split and were replaced.  Children requested exceptions to the one-each rule.  “My cousin really likes cars, can I take an extra book for him?”  “My dad saw a program on India on TV last week, can I…” (Dad lives in a separate home)  “My little brother…”  The answer was always yes.
The volume had dipped once most bags were filled but then the children began to be picked up and it rose again.  “Mom, look!”  “Dad, can you carry these?”  “Look, Gramma, these books are mine!”
Magic.

Owen Duncan     Sue Duncan Children’s Center