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Meet Auburn! She’s 7 years old and has a very special relationship with her grandmother. Every night before bed, she would tuck Auburn in and read her a story to help her go to sleep and ensure she had sweet dreams. One night, Auburn’s grandmother reached for a book you may have heard of… The Water Door. 

Soon after, The Water Door became the go-to pick in their nightly routine. Auburn would light up every time she saw that blue book being pulled from the shelf. Not unlike the door in the story, they would find themselves transported to another world, as books can so often do. With her grandmother perched on the edge of her bed, Auburn would listen intently to the story, bathed in the warm glow of the bedside lamp, until her eyes would inevitably start to feel heavy. Quiet as a mouse Auburn’s grandmother would gently place the book back on the shelf, where it would await the next night’s reading.

After a while, Auburn began pulling their now well-worn copy from the shelf by herself to bring out at any time of day, imploring her grandmother to read “just one more chapter”. Since Auburn’s grandmother knew that I lived nearby, she reached out and asked if she and Auburn could come to my studio for a visit.

Of course, I jumped at the chance to meet my “first fan”! After a quick autograph in her copy of The Water Door, we spent the day playing with my Tesla Tube and sipping tea just like Gramma served in the story. I read her a chapter from the book, though I’m not sure anyone can match the unique talent a child’s own grandmother has for storytelling. But she seemed to enjoy every moment, and I must admit, I did as well! I believe I’ll be cherishing this meeting for many a year to come.

Books can create a special kind of love. Love, combined with wonder and imagination can transport us to different worlds, or foster extraordinary connections in our own. I hope, dear friends, that you can find a bit of that magic for yourselves.

HUGS! 

AGGIE