Every once in a while, a creative whim passes over me and I think “Oh, yeah, this could be fun!”

 

Not too long ago while curled up with a good book and a warm cup of coffee, I realized how encouraging having a comforting little reading partner might be to a new reader.  Reading can be a lonesome endeavor, but having a reading buddy, someone to listen to the words read aloud might be just the extra amount of encouragement a new reader needs to make reading a lifelong habit.

 

Becoming curator of the Recycled Reading Buddies library has been far more fun than I originally imagined.  Each Recycled Reading Buddy is lovingly curated by pairing a previously-loved children’s book with a refreshed and re-fluffed plush toy.  When the two pieces have been thoroughly scrutinized, cleaned, matched and presented, we tie them with a bow, wrap them in cellophane, and present them for consideration. We keep a library of 250 different “Buddies” available at all times and are constantly updating the collection, keeping books and toys out of landfills for one more generation.  

 

The process of finding just the right buddy to serve as the perfect companion to a story has been a delightfully creative endeavor and one, I’m realizing, about which I’ve become quite compulsive and obsessive!     

​

My hope is that each Buddy’s love will encourage a new lifetime love of reading.