Transformative Book – Dawn 

Talking about transformative books with fellow Biblionef volunteers, I couldn’t think of just one. How could that be? I love books and have been a voracious reader since I was young. Which book made the biggest impact on me? Which book inspired me? I didn’t know. 

Then it hit me: it wasn’t a single book that transformed me, but reading itself. 

I didn’t grow up in a house full of books. My parents didn’t read much. But when I started school, I quickly learned to read. At our primary school, a big wooden box of books from the town library would be delivered to our classroom several times a year. There was a bookcase that opened and shut like a book, and once our work was done, we could pick a book and read quietly. For me, this was the perfect motivation to finish my work as quickly as possible. 

When I was 10, I got my own library card and could go to the local library by myself. I borrowed as many books as I could, starting with three and later six, and each week I exchanged them for new ones. Eventually, I joined the main library in town and continued reading at every opportunity. If my parents were looking for me, they knew I’d have my nose in a book.