The Distraction of a Good Book

It's what can be deemed a treat, with children especially. In our house it often refers to sweets or if we are shopping it would imply some kind of toy or little token gift, but if we are in the main part of town, which isn't often, with the kids a treat also means going to our local Waterstone's book shop as they have toys in there that the kids love to play with. In fact, years ago before this was a chain it was always a bookshop and I remember as a child going in and they always used to have an activity area. It was a perfect setting, getting creative whilst being surrounded by thousands of books. Nowadays there isn't an activity table but our kids love going in there to look and play anyway. I can understand why. There is something so nice about being in a bookshop. In fact, it is almost library-esque as most of the time people are quiet and it is quite a peaceful place to be. This one also has a coffee shop on one of the floors so depending where you are you can also get nice coffee aromas drifting about which is also very relaxing. 

Last week we were waiting for an appointment and I had Etta with me so we went and spent 45 minutes in the children's book section looking at different books off the shelf. While she played with some bits I got to looking through the older children's book section and was really taken with a few classic books that I fancied reading. The thing is; I am a rubbish reader. As a child I wasn't very good and in a way, as you are forced to read, I didn't read for pleasure and therefore have never read a lot of classic children's tales. When Disney started producing their versions of the stories I would more readily watch a film of the book and never actually look at the original story itself. 

While i was stood there I noticed Mary Poppins, set on a table and began to read it. I was totally taken with the first few pages, but put it back on the shelf when it was time to go. However that evening when I was stood telling Rob about it I got a pang, and went back a few days later to purchase it. I also got a copy of The one hundred and one Dalmatians book as that is often a fave at our house as Etta loves Dalmatians.

Having bought two books very much for the children's section I went for a peruse more "Adult" stories and I was really turned off them. There are so many similar style fiction stories these days and I just can't cope with them. Either they are full of absolute heartbreak or they are about females "discovering" themselves and I find that so disinteresting. I want a story, and yes maybe one about dogs, but I just want something enjoyable to read, with a soft familiarity, no death, destruction, woe or hate, just light hearted, enjoyable and something that can reminisce in my mind of things I have seen in my younger years.

I am so looking forward to getting through these stories, as that is what they are, just simple stories that can just lightly fill my mind and offer a retreat from screen time. Going away this week also means that I can enjoy flicking through the pages while on the plane and waiting at the airport, 

I just wanted something easy to read and I think I have that with no grown up nonsense involved!