What book got YOU hooked?

• For singer Kenny Chensey it was Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemingway.
• For actor Marlee Matlin it was Judy Blume's Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
• For satirist Stephen Colbert it was the Swiss Family Robinson
• And for me, it was probably P.D. Eastman's Go, Dog Go! My two older sisters knew they could bribe me to do anything simply by promising to read me that book before bedtime. I just couldn't get enough out of the girl dog asking the boy dog, "Do you like my hat?"

What was the book that got you hooked on reading? The First Book people want to know. They're asking book lovers to share their memories of the first book that made reading fun for them on a special website created just for this purpose. They're also asking people to help determine which U.S. state should win 50,000 free books to distribute to children in need. The 2007 winner was Oklahoma, which garnered 34,000 online votes during last year's two-month voting period.

As of today, Wisconsin was at 34th place, but we've all got until September 15 to vote, and they're urging people to Vote Now and Vote Often. If we all help spread the word, maybe we can put Wisconsin over the top.

What a great idea to get books into children's hands! Since this non-profit organization was formed 16 years ago, it has distributed more than 50 million books to families all over the U.s.

Here's a quote I love from their website, a great reminder of the importance of reading to our children as often as possible:

At its core, the campaign celebrates the profound power of the picture and chapter books we can never forget and the critical role they play in developing a lifelong love of reading.

So, check out the website and find out what books grabbed the hearts of Barry Manilow, Emma Thompson, Eartha Kitt and others. Then share your own happy memories with books. (We'd be delighted if you shared those memories on this blog as well!)

Remember what Joie always tells visitors to the KPL Youth Department: A book is a gift you can open over and over again. - Nanette