R-E-S-C-U-E, Rescue Aid Society!

So you may or may not know this about me, but. . .I am a superhero.

No, really.  I have my own t-shirt with my logo and a cape.  My aunt made it for me, because she's cool like that.

I am. . .wait for it. . .THE VEGETABLE SUBDUER.  Yes, that's right, folks.  Who do you call when your broccoli gets uppity?  Who comes to your aid when your peas get out of hand?  Who saves you when you're being held hostage by an angry cucumber?  (True story.)

Yes, yes, these are awesome super powers.  But, I may have to add one in there, which doesn't really have to do with subduing vegetables at all, but I'm also already SLUG WOMAN (able to traverse a garden in a single night), and so I think creating a third alter ego is a bit much.

My new superpower, therefore, is:  BOOK RESCUING.

So, a regular part of library work is to get rid of books that are either really old, really worn, or really unused.  In a humane way.  We do lots of donating, usually, instead of the image I know you just conjured up in your head of librarians scurrying hither and yon shredding books and laughing maniacally.  While we do occasionally laugh maniacally (who doesn't?), we do need to "weed the collection".  However, as part of our librarian superpowers, we can rescue the occasional book.  We're like the librarian and book version of the great Disney classic, the Rescuers!  Except we don't search out books in trouble.  That would be kind of cool, though. . .

ANYWAY, getting back to what I was talking about.  If a book looks like it's in really good condition still, or it's just a really important/worthwhile book, etc., we can exercise our librarian rights of book rescuing and do a little toggle and save it for many more reads.  I did just that today.

I was going through the teen section at our library.  First, a note about teen books.  A.)  They are highly under-appreciated by the majority of, oh, I don't know, people.  Mostly teens.  B.)  It does have to be said that right now, about half of them are about vampires.  but C.) it is our job as librarians to promote awareness of awesome books!  FOR ONE, FOR ALL, FOR THE JOY OF READING!

Today, I saved: Beneath My Mother's Feet by Amjed Qamar and Behind You by Jacqueline Woodson.

Beneath My Mother's Feet is about a young Pakistani girl trying to be a good daughter in the face of adversity.  Behind You is about a bi-racial relationship in the 1960s that turns to tragedy when the young black man is killed, and what happens to the people left behind.  There might also be a hint of the ghosty about that one.  Anyhow, I am going to read them, and then, if I like them, I am going to recommend them!  And they shall be read, and the land shall be beautiful, and the minds of the people will be expanded with much knowledge!

Namaste.  Shanti.  Salaam.  Et cetera.