“At Home” Among Booklovers and Dreamers
On Saturday, May 14 The Young Dreamers Bookstore had the opportunity to sell books at the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books. We heard about this event in January and knew this was the place for us to be! This festival offered the community the chance to meet authors, poets, booksellers, and non-profit organizations. In addition to meeting the amazing members of the literary ecosystem, community members were also treated to live story-time and live poetry readings.
During the event, we encountered community members who had a particular interest in children’s books. Meeting these members provided us with the opportunity to learn why they wanted to purchase books.
We met family members who wanted to buy books for the beloved young dreamers in their lives. We celebrate relatives like the uncle who wanted to purchase a book for his niece and the grandparents who wanted to add to their grandchildren’s home library. We were grateful to meet the uncle who wanted to buy a book to help his nephew see problems as opportunities to make change and the mother who wanted her children to read engaging books with vibrant storylines that spoke to her children’s interest. We engaged happily as a father gave his children the freedom to select a book of their interests. We were honored to receive the support of an old friends and colleagues. We were blessed by the mother who gave us a beautiful hug while expressing her excitement for a literacy movement that celebrates our children as dreamers, innovators, and world changers.
We met kids who wanted books that would both inspire them to accomplish their dreams and spoke to their passion and interest. We met a future writer who wanted books to help him in his future profession, another young man who was drawn to a book about the creator of Super Mario. We cheered with a little girl who loved reading so much, she convinced her mother to purchase three shopping bags full of books, and we high-fived the three boys who dreamed of becoming scientists.
We met community leaders, who saw books as tools to affirm and inspire. We met a minister who sought an inspirational book for students in vocational education, the officer who wanted an engaging and affirming book to read for story-time, a leader who wanted books to help immigrant children from war torn nations adjust to their new life in the U.S., and the many teachers who sought new books to inspire their children to reach new learning heights.
We listened to and talked with the young dreamers and young dreamers at heart. Through our conversations, we were able to carefully guide them to books that met them at their dreams and reading needs. This event affirmed an idea which we embrace full-heartedly, which is: The Young Dreamers Bookstore does not just sell books; rather, we curate literacy experiences with care and love, that are rooted in children’s dreams!
The Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books was an amazing and fulfilling event! We are extremely thankful to the organizers of this event for inviting us to participate. We would like to send a special thanks to Laurie Moser for her support and loved she showed us through the entire process. Also, we would like to thank Jennifer Zaltman for her support, coordination, and important logistical updates. Lastly, special thanks to Mr. Russell Bynum who sent us the initial message informing us about this great event. We look forward to participating in this event next year and strengthening the bonds with the many booklovers and dreamers who we encountered!
