Books to Treasure

This is the time of the year a lot of people are thinking about giving and/or receiving gifts. I was thinking abou a gift that my aunt gave me when I was 6 months old. The gift was a book, A Child’s Book of Prayers, selected by Louise Raymond and illustrated by Masha.  I still have the book today.

Books are probably at the top of most list of gifts that are most treasured by people. This book holds special meaning because I received it when I was very young and impressed by all new things. I still enjoy looking at the beautiful illustrations and reading the versus. This book is in very fragile condition. The colored paper boards are rubbed and worn around the edges. The spine of this book has been repaired in a very unprofessional manner with tape. The pages are separating from the boards at the hinges. I have to be very careful when I turn the pages. Some of the pages are lightly soiled.  The paper used in 1941 when it was published by Random House was not as good as the quality of paper used today in children’s picture books. I love this book.

I truly enjoy giving books as gifts to the young people on holidays and other special occasions. Someone told me recently that they believed most children will not keep a paper book very long because it is too easy to damage or destroy. I am impressed with the new paper books that are produced today for children. They are a lot sturdier than the books produced fifty or sixty years ago. I will continue to give books to young people as gifts and hope that maybe some of them will keep want to keep and read them for a long time. This book, A Child’s Book of Prayers, is a precious part of my childhood and I will treasure this book forever.


 www.nellasbooksandcollectibles.ecrater.com