I came upon this quote by Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones: “When you're growing up, there are two institutional places that affect you most powerfully: the Church, which belongs to God, and the public library, which belongs to you.” I know that Keith Richards is a life-long learner and voracious reader so it's clear that he was affected for good by libraries.

I always loved going to the library. When I was in grade school, I would go with my parents, and when I was in Junior High, I would walk to the Columbia Branch Library on my own or with friends. One summer, my friends, Fran Epstein, Jan Kinney, and I made a point of meeting up to go to the library every week. We would get a week's worth of books and then swing on the Rainier Playfield swings while we talked about life. Libraries are such a wonderful resource for all ages.

I would add to Keith Richard's observation one other institutional place – how could he have left this out?– schools. But I'll let you think about how schools can affect children, for good or for bad, on your own.  And don't forget about school libraries.  One of the highlights of Junior High was the semester when Pat MacLeod and I were Library Aides at Sharples Jr High.  We shelved books, checked out books to classes that visited the library, talked about skirt lengths and nail polish colors (pearl white was popular).  I was so enchanted by stamping books with the date due stamp that my parents got me a rubber stamp with my name on it and a red ink stamp pad.  I stamped my name in all my books, and I've been stamping books ever since.

Here at Plymouth Church, we get the chance to combine two institutions: Church and Library. In our library we have quality books for all ages that entertain and inform, that spark the imagination and cause the reader to think and wonder. Since I've been reminiscing about my Junior High days. I want to share some books that we have for that age group. If you know anyone in grades 6-8, or thereabouts, see if they might want to read these.

I read Wonder by R J Palacio for my book club a few years ago - pre-Pandemic. I had recommended the book, and even the woman who said that I select strange books liked it. When I chose the book, I was acting on the recommendation of a boy who came up to me during Fellowship time one Sunday at Plymouth and said it was the BEST book. I won't say anything more about it, except read it whether you're 10 or 15 or all grown up.

Here are some more:

Diamonds in the Shadow by Caroline B. Cooney

When the Finch family are being briefed on the African refugees that they are about to host, they are told, "You are probably not saving the innocent, because in a civil war, nobody is innocent". It quickly becomes clear to Jared, the Finch's teenage son, that the Amabo family was hiding many secrets. What wasn't clear was just how dangerous those secrets were. Caroline Cooney took in a family from Sierra Leone so although her plot is not at all based on their story, she drew on her experiences in dealing with a refugee family. Like many of her issue-driven novels, this one has much to think about as well as being a fast-paced book with well-drawn characters.

The Lost Songs by Caroline Cooney

Another thought-provoking novel by Caroline Cooney, The Lost Songs is set in South Carolina where Cooney has recently moved. Like many of her books, she tells a story from various viewpoints. Lutie has inherited her great-great-grandmother's "shouts to God", songs that have been passed down in the oral tradition from generation to generation. All of a sudden, lots of people want to get hold of those songs: record them, write them down, sell them, use them for their own purposes. Lutie has to figure out if she wants to share the songs, and if so, how she will do that. Her story is woven into the stories of two boys she grew up with and a new girl in school, a "Yankee", who seems unaware of dangers around her.

The Locked Garden by Gloria Whelan

It's 1900, and twelve year old Verna is moving to an insane asylum with her little sister, her strict aunt and her father, a doctor who has been hired to treat the inmates. In the early twentieth century, some pioneers in the field of mental health championed the idea that beautiful surroundings and meaningful work would help the mentally ill. It was to such a place that Verna's family moved, but the asylum could not protect the patients or the staff from jealousy and pettiness. Although this book was written for upper elementary readers, the excellent writing and characterization, and the subject matter, make it a good choice for older readers as well.

My Name is Phillis Wheatley: A Story of Slavery and Freedom by Afua Cooper

This fictionalized biography of Phillis Wheatley tells the story of her early childhood in Africa, her capture and transportation on a slave ship, her purchase by a kind and enlightened man. It was his wife who taught Phillis to read and encouraged her to become a poet. They supported her when others doubted that a "barbarian" could have written poetry. Her mistress arranged for the poetry to be published in England when no American publisher would print her book and sent her to England where she met many influential people. But still, she was a slave. Eventually, she gained her freedom, married, had children, but died at the young age of around 31. The book is short; the story is interesting. The language, though, is sometimes a disconcerting mix of archaic and modern.

Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust – Ruth Thomson

Terezin, Czechoslovakia, was turned into a Jewish ghetto in 1941, and then served as a transit camp for thousands of Jews. The story of Terezin is told through interviews with survivors and artwork that was done by the many artists in the camp. The artwork, in particular, makes this title a good addition to a Holocaust collection.