Must be love...

I have a crush right now on a store, Half Price Books.

I went there today to pick up a few things (books, of course).  And of course, whenever I go into a bookstore anywhere, I immediately regress to my former Crocodile Pie children's bookstore worker days.

I seriously cannot help myself from lovingly gazing at books, carefully looking through titles and assessing different texts and illustrations to select the "perfect" books for me to bring home.

Cute pictures, bad story? No.

Bad pictures, strange story? No.

Good text, approachable characters? Yes, please.

During this time of drooling and affection, I usually end up talking with another book aficionado about a mutual understanding of how special books are.  And, of course, this leads to me name dropping different books that I think that they must positively check out for their own reading needs.

I just can't help it.  To me, nothing beats being able to make a connection between someone needing something and me being able to help find it.

Today, a woman and I started launching into a conversation about this book, Fancy Nancy, that Ellie has been into lately (she more or less just likes the pictures and pointing to every picture while trying to say "Fancy Nancy" and it sounding like "Nacee, Nacee!").  Her daughter was into the same book, and was looking for other books just like it.

Oh my goodness, did I ever?!?  I suggested any of the Angelina Ballerina books and Lilly's Purple Plastic books.  As she found them and started to read these books with her daughter cozied up in her lap, I couldn't help but smile to myself and think - job, well done.

Unfortunately, a different customer, picking up on my helpful nature (and seeing my bright, red shirt), thought I was a worker and wanted me to help her to locate flashcards for her son.  I was no help there.


Being brought back to reality, I went to the counter to purchase my books.  At the counter, I discovered that they have discounts for teachers AND I didn't feel like I was harassed about verifying my teaching status the way that I have been at bigger chain bookstores in the past. 

They then tell me that they have boxes of books set aside just to donate to teachers to use in the classroom.  Really?!? Could this day (ahem, bookstore moment) get any better?

I don't think so.

Which is why, for now, today, I am seriously crushing on Half Price Books.

Swoon.