The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-12


New York city.
1t is with much happiness that
those of US who love books turn our
attention to ''Children's National
Book Week." held annually, which
begins today and will last until No
vember Is.
vised for the parent as well as the
child for this occasion than the story
entitled 1.-THE Giant of Worthless
Book Reading"
It is here presented by permission
from John Martins book, THE
Childs Magazine:"
Once Upon a Time
Once upon a time that happens to
be nowadays, there was little boy
and his little sister. who lived In
house that was much like your house,
my house. and many another house.
These children were like you, and
they liked stories.
In their nursery was a long white
bookshelf; pretty bookshelf, in
deed. and this was the home of ever
so many books that belonged to the
little boy and his small sister. There
were big books, and medium sized
books. and very. little, tiny books;
there were books that had clean,
shining bright covers. and books that
were old and worn and looked as If
they had gone through battles. for.
sad to say. parts of them were miss
ing. Some books had pretty pictures
in them and some had very few.
There were even some old. old books
that had once belonged to the little
boys mother and the little girls
daddy, when they had been little boy
and girl. Among them were "Ander-
sons Fairy Tales" Grimm Brothers
Folk Tales" "Bullfinch's Age of Fa-
BILE" Alice in Wonderland" Lamb 8
Tales of Shakespeare" "Tanglewood
Tales" 1.-THE Arabian Nights" and
"Robinson Crusoe." OF course. there
were scores of others-all good old
book friends.
Danger Ahead
One day great danger came to the
little boy and his little sister. and
also great grief to the good book
friends / hope no such unhappiness
shall ever come to you or to your
little sister, for 1t was truly tragic.
In some sly way or other, unlovely
and snowy little picture books and
many worthless and silly books wrig-
gled and pushed themselves In among
the good, old books. Their manners
were as bad as their thoughts. and
they began to squeeze the old true
friends off the little boys bookshelf.
Little men and little women shivered
with shame. and merry Robin Hood
fled from such associates; but, sad
dest and worst of ALL little boys own
Bible-the oldest and greatest Book
of all--was entirely hidden away.
AS she said this. what do you think
happened? You must believe me, for
this is an everyday fairy story that
is very truly true. Why, right before
the little girl there stood a big and
most hideous giant! Yes, very truly!
Hello, Little Girl and Little Boy"
he said, grinning like an oyster. I've
hundreds of everyday, exciting,
flashy- trashy stories. why do you
keep these old, old books? They
haven't bright and gaudy covers.
They aren't up to-date." I'll take
'em away for you, and you'll never.
never seen them again. I'll put q lot
of cheap colored picture books in
their places, and your bookshe1ves
will look like circus parade. Now,
shall II"
I'm for letting you have the old
books the little girl giggled. GIVE
me the flimsy yarns!'
But the little boy thought a mo-
ment, and said. You see. they be-
longed to my Mother and my Daddy
long ago; besides, I can't help loving
them and remembering what they
say
I'll do as please" the giant
roared. "Of course, I'll have 'em.
I'm a giant and I'll have you know
it! Here, take these-and thesew
With that. the giant pulled ever SO
many foolish little flimsy-yarn books
from his big pockets and grabbed the
whole precious row of their own
and mothers and daddy's tried and
true book friends. and stalked Off
with them!
.sThe knight of the Book Mark"
while the little boy and the little
girl stood sorrowfully before the
nursery book shelf, there appeared
before them a beautiful and noble
knight, dressed all in shining armor.
He held in one mailed hand a sword
that was shaped like a book-mark
"Greetings!' cried he. II am the
knight of the Book-mark and am
come to serve your And the little
boy and the little girl knew i'm
mediately that they loved and
trusted him.
Little Lord and Lady of the Book
self" he continued, 81 am come to
help you and to conquer the Giant OF
Worthless Reading who has stolen
your book friends. and ruthlessly