Candy for the Mind

It is my pleasure and privilege to once again share free books with the community. The tradition on Halloween is to provide treats for our children. My intention is to provide not only candy for the body, but also "candy for the mind".

In today's Internet age, I feel it is more important than ever that children develop reading habits. Nowadays, kids are often distracted from reading by other media options (i.e. music, television, videogames, internet). I also feel it is especially important that they find something to read more than just what is provided in school, so that they can develop a lifelong habit of "reading for pleasure". This is why I prefer the children select their own books (subject to your approval, of course). Hopefully, they will choose something they are interested in; something that will fire their imagination.

The books cover a wide age range, including some suitable for infants (Helen Oxenbury parenting series) or very young children (Where's Waldo, etc). Most of the books are Halloween-related, such as the Animorphs or R.L. Stine's Goosebumps and Fear Street series. Other books include general fiction (I especially look for Newberry or Caldecott medal winners), non-fiction and science fiction. Finally, the coloring book on the San Jose Regional Parks was downloaded from the city's web site.

The books originate from various sources and have, of course, been checked to ensure they are age-appropriate (i.e. no "adult" content). The vast majority of the books are discards (due to age or condition) from the San Jose Public Library system. I usually get them at the book sales conducted by the Friends Of The Library. Another source is the quarterly free book give-aways from the City of San Jose. This year, Hayes Elementary School donated some books as well. Parents and children are encouraged to donate your used books to me, so that I can share them next year with other families. Thanks for all of your kind words and support.

Elliot Nadel