When I think of the word
“bookworm,” I think of someone who is a little on the reserved side. Someone
who is cautious of the world around them. Someone who tends to shy away from
others and hide themselves as a means of protection. They love to read a good
book as a way of escaping the world by entering into another.
I consider myself to be a
bookworm, and I definitely resonate with the solitude that typically goes along
with getting lost in a book. When I first heard about Erma the Bookworma, I was
instantly nervous about putting on the costume and being in the spotlight.
While I’m not one to back down from a challenge, I’m an introvert at heart. However,
being an introverted person isn’t a bad thing. It doesn’t mean that I don’t
enjoy my fifteen seconds of fame every once in a while. The idea of being Erma
the Bookworma for the first time was both exciting and terrifying.
Stepping into the shoes of
Promising Pages’ beloved mascot, I realized I had never experienced real fear.
Being scared to leave my comfort zone is nothing compared to the crippling fear
that every family at Crisis Assistance Ministry knows all too well. I grew up
in a safe area surrounded by schools and churches. I never had to worry about
being evicted from my childhood home. I never went to bed hungry. I never had
to choose between sheer survival and my education. But the kids I met as Erma
the Bookworma face those fears every single day. Their families are on the
brink of losing everything, or perhaps they already have.
Erma the Bookworma brings a
sense of hope and happiness to the families at Crisis Assistance Ministry.
Every Magic Book given to a child from Erma has the power to inspire and change
lives. I know this because I’ve experienced the smiles on discouraged faces.
The excitement in opening a book and reading the first page.
For just a second, a visit
from Erma the Bookworma helps families at Crisis to forget. To forget the fears
and the uncertainties and imagine something better. I truly believe that our
Magic Books can show these families that education and reading lead to a path
of prosperity.
Even the bond created between
parent and child through a shared reading experience can move mountains. In
fact, research shows that students are more likely to succeed academically and
socially when parents are engaged and involved in their learning. One of the
most important things Erma and the Magic Books can do for a parent and child is
provide the space for mutual learning. The sad reality I have learned from
going to Crisis is that many parents lack the resources or time to actively
read by themselves or with their children. If we are going change the way young
children view reading, we must first start by changing parent perspective.
Perhaps bookworms read books
to escape reality, or maybe they read to overcome their fears. Perhaps reading
is the first step in chasing their dreams. But it all starts with a book. A
Magic Book from Erma the Bookworma can change everything.
After my first few weeks as an
intern with Promising Pages, I can confidently say that books matter. They
matter more than we think. Even in my own life, I have no idea where I would be
without books.
Where would you be?
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