Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but the POP Project believes we helped create 20 new fans of “The Phantom Tollbooth” yesterday.
Did you know that April 23 is an internationally recognized holiday? Banks don’t close, and buses don’t stop running, but readers across the U.S. and Europe gather together to give gifts to strangers in their community.
April 23 is World Book Night. Commemorating the birthdays of Shakespeare and Cervantes, the date celebrates the joy of reading, and access to books.
Those are two great ideas POP is always proud to support.
This year, POP was issued 20 copies of “The Phantom Tollbooth,” the modern children’s classic written in 1961. A favorite of ours when we were young, we were excited to pass the book out to children of a new generation, and hopefully inspire them to seek out more wild and wonderful books that explore new lands like the Kingdom of Wisdom, the world the main character, Milo, explores in this book.
POP started out at the West Asheville Tailgate Market. We gave away half of our books early in the afternoon, seeking out children who knew how to use their imaginations. We then went to the Roger McGuire Green in downtown Asheville to distribute the rest of our books.
Imagination is a strong component in “The Phantom Tollbooth.” It’s also integral to a love of books, and reading, and all the places to which a book can transport you. In our imagination, we saw every book recipient run straight home, close the door to their bedrooms, and become immediately engrossed in the Kingdom of Wisdom, Milo’s journey, and all the characters he met. Hopefully that is exactly what happened.
That is the magic of reading. That is the purpose of World Book Night.
For more information about World Book Night, and to learn how to be a book giver in 2014, visit their website at http://www.us.worldbooknight.org.