Encyclopedia Brown
2012
I hated reading.
My mom, a teacher, was always an avid reader. I loved when she read aloud to us. I even loved books. But I’d rather not read them myself.
That is, until Encyclopedia Brown entered the scene. The boy detective and his friend Sally were geeky superheroes of their time, making wrongs right and putting bullies in their place.
And through the pages, I found myself right there with them, solving puzzles while unknowingly falling for something I loved almost as much as playing ball or drawing — reading.
The author, Donald Sobol, died July 11. In the Associated Press story of his passing, Sobol’s son said his dad never saw the riches that some of today’s best-selling children’s books series authors might expect. But he “loved hearing from countless librarians and parents about children who hated to read until they picked up an Encyclopedia Brown book.”
Thank you, Mr. Sobol, for one of the richest gifts of all — a love of reading.
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