The Bold Bookmark

While volunteering for FCES’ Reading Hall of Fame, one students (who also happens to be in my Girl Scout troop) spent months slowly collecting a nearly complete set of Jane Austen novels abridged for young readers.

Honestly, it was impressive — especially since she could only claim one book per month. Fortunately for her, there wasn’t much competition from fellow elementary-aged Jane Austen readers!

I always kept an eye out for the one missing book in the set, but never managed to find it. Then one day at Costco, I spotted a beautifully bound copy of Austen’s complete unabridged novels and immediately thought of her.

I tucked the book away for nearly a year, figuring she was still a little young for it. But when her 10th birthday approached, I checked with her mom and confirmed she was okay with me gifting it to her.

I added a note inside the cover.

Then I wrapped it up like one of my mystery books in hopes of making it feel special, before sending it with my daughter to the girl’s birthday party.

One of my favorite things about the classics is knowing that generations of readers have read the same words, and that even though so much of our day-to-day lives may differ, we can still find something in them that resonates with our own experiences. I’m excited to help pass this collection down to someone in the next generation. May Jane guide her well, and may she always find the right story at the right moment in her life.