My family was full of avid readers.  Everyone, my parents and we 4 kids, always had a good book in progress and when we visited our local library, the Westfield Athernaeum, we always came home with armloads of great reading.  

​

At the Westfield Athenaeum, the kids’ section was in the back at a lower level than the adult section. I still remember exactly where all of the Louisa May Alcott novels, Noel Streatfield “Shoes” series, and Johanna Spyri books were shelved.  Kay Thompson’s  Eloise books were up  in the adult library, for some reason, but I checked them out anyway.  When I was around 7 I found a book called Loretta Mason Potts by Mary Chase (who also wrote the play Harvey).  I was a good reader, but this novel, a chapter book meant for a couple of grade levels above mine, presented somewhat of a challenge for me.  I was fascinated by the story, though, so I ended up reading it several times.  I believe it was five times, but that was 65 years ago, so I’m not exactly sure!  That novel was wonderful!  It was about a boy named Colin Mason who overheard by chance one day that he had a secret older sister named Loretta. She behaved very badly and had ended up being adopted by the Potts family after she inexplicably refused to leave their egg farm with her mother.  If I tell you why it will spoil the surprise! The book was magical, with secret tunnels, a tiny castle, a wealthy countess, and an extraordinary bridge to an enchanted island.  I absolutely loved it and still do!

Finding Loretta Mason Potts at the library was one of the highlights of my happy childhood.  It was the first chapter book that I remember reading and loving, so it provided me with a very special reading memory.  I wish our library system carried it because I think kids today would love it, too.  Just think, if I hadn’t been to the library so often I probably never would have heard of Loretta Mason Potts (I even named a cat after her), and that might have altered the course of my life!  Maybe I wouldn’t have eventually found my perfect career as a librarian!