The Lost Joys of Childhood and My True Ambition

I don't care how old I get; I will never grow tired of hearing someone read to me. Nor will reading books geared toward children be boring. Even now as a college student, I sometimes go to library for the express purpose of sitting in the floor of the children's section and reading the "little kid" books. I mean, come on, they have big colorful illustrations on every page. How anyone can resist that is beyond me. I think it's one of those lost joys like splashing in puddles, swinging, coloring pictures, or playing with play-d'oh. All of which I will still admit to doing without a hint of shame, but I think a lot of grown-ups don't view these as sensible or productive things...and grown-ups are all about sensibility and productivity. They forget what it feels like to curl up next to someone on the couch, and listen to them read a story with all the funny character voices and animation. They must. If they remembered, it would be a national pastime; I'm sure. For example, you would see employees on break at work snuggling with there bosses...OK creepy thought, but, in essence, the world would be a happier place if we all took the time to rediscover these "lost joys".
OK all that to say that in class, our teacher is reading a chapter book aloud to us titled Sahara Special. Fifth grader Sahara has so far proven to be exactly that. Her father has left, and her mom raises her alone. As to be expected, Sahara misses her father and grieves by writing him letters. But one day the letters fall out of her desk and get confiscated. Along with a historically poor performance level in class, the letters land her in Special Ed with Darrell Sikes. That is until her mother finds out and pulls her from the program. No child of hers is going to be seen with "problem child" Darrell Sikes. Sahara's best friend in the entire world is her cousin Rachel. They have thus far been an inseparable duo, but now Rachel is starting to fall under the influences of popular girl, Cordelia Carbuncle. And one interest Rachel doesn't share with Sahara is reading. So one Saturday, while Sahara is sitting by herself at the library, she meets a girl her age named Paris..."the girl, not the city". She daydreams about her and Paris becoming best friends, but the next Saturday is disappointed to find out that Paris brings another girl to the library with her and they are planning to cook together.
So far that's all I know, but it's been an excellent read in my opinion. I encourage you to check it out. I'll try not to include too much here in my posts to ruin it for you. I do hope Sahara and Paris become friends. I doesn't seem like her father is going to come back though I think we all would hope this for her. I think she'll continue to write him, and I think that's healthy for her. I hope her school performance improves as well, and that the teacher or someone will take the time to see and heal the hurt behind the lack of good grades.
O, I forgot, Sahara's "true ambition" is to become a writer. Shh! don't tell anyone she's only told Rachel, but on the inside scoop she is writing her story, Heart-Wrenching Life Story and Amazing Adventures, and it's hidden behind the 940 section at the library behind the books "all the books about faraway places".

My True Ambition...to be a teacher who help girls and boys like Sahara.
See ya next time around!

Melissa