We are parents of Page Babies.
I believe I have just made this term up (on Facebook today) but maybe not. If I did then I'm a genius, and if not then at least I'm smart enough to think like a real genius. (Although according to spell check I have some trouble spelling genius... whatever).
Not all books qualify as Page Babies.
Page Babies are our favorite books. The ones we worry about if we lend them out to others to read.
I started thinking about this when Epic Reads asked if we had rules for lending books out.
And I answered that I usually just chose to loan to people I already trust, but that there are some books I'm less willing to lend.
Thus Page Babies were born.
My friend Katherine wants to borrow my copy of The Night Circus. This should not be a problem. I like and trust Katherine, I want everyone in the world to read The Night Circus. But recently I have come to realize that I'm kind of in love with this book. And I've honestly considered just buying a second copy to lend to Katherine... that's how attached I am to my Page Baby.
Or like my copy of The Fault in Our Stars. It's a signed copy. Granted, it's not a personalized copy, it's just got John Green's signature in it. But it would be very hard for me to lend that out. Maybe you could just come over and read it. ;)
There are some Page Babies that I love to buy and give to friends. Because I want them to have their permanent, forever homes. My favorite Page Babies to hand out like Cabbage Patch Kids? Odd Thomas, Eyes of the Dragon and The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club.
So am I alone in this? Do you have Page Babies? Are there books you are less willing to hand over to a friend then you would your son or daughter? Let me know I'm not crazy (at least for this particular hangup).
Oh yes. I have a trusted friend at work who I would lend anything to. And my best friend...but that's about it. I probably won't be lending my signed McCammon books. Or Joe Hill. No.
ReplyDeleteAs you know... my page baby is The Scorpio Races. I'm pretty good about lending books to people, even if they are signed or awesome. If I love a book, I will buy it over and over again. I have bought the Scorpio Races six times... three of which were for my personal collection (audio, e-book, signed hardcover). Actually... all my page babies, I end up buying for Kindle, because then I can read it ANYWHERE and never lose them... does that make sense?
ReplyDeleteActually, I have one book that was given to me as a gift with a note inside that I wouldn't lend out...
ReplyDeleteYou should feel privileged to know that you are the ONLY person I would loan Divergent and Insurgent to, and I was a teeny tiny bit nervous about doing it, but I trust you. I can't seem myself ever lending out a signed book cause those aren't replaceable. I would never lend my HP books to anyone either.
ReplyDeleteI do have a couple people that I won't lend to because of how long it took to get it back or not getting a book back at all.
YES! All my books are Page Babies! Lol, okay maybe not ALL of them but you know what I mean:) once I did lend a book to a friend and guess what? Her dog ATE it, I was so upset! My my! :D
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you here. I have only loaned out my Harry Potter books to one friend whom I knew would not harm them. And then, of course, the hubs read them, but he was in my presence while doing so! And I definitely wouldn't let anyone borrow my signed books. But I'd probably let Courtney and the book club girls borrow pretty much anything else. (And you, too, if you lived close by!)
ReplyDeleteYep! Anytime my sister visits she ransacks my shelves for me to never see the books again, so I hide books that I don't want stolen.
ReplyDeleteYep, I definitely have Page Babies. My signed Markus Zusak books for example. It's so hard to part with something that means so much to you.
ReplyDeleteYou should be happy that I got Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Club last night because now I have all 3 of those page babies! Of course only one of them has a special message from you inscribed in it!
ReplyDeleteI have 12 different copies of The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis, and for the most part I would probably NOT loan them to anybody!
However, I just bought one off ebay that turned out to be the wrong one when I got it. The right book, but the wrong cover, and it is ugly and I don't like it. So if anyone ever came to me and really wanted to borrow TSC I would give them that copy.
Wonderful Term. I lost a box of my favorite Charles De Lint books to a coworker who moved away without returning them. I've been able to gather all but one title back. Now I loan dupes of his work.
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