This is Hailey Fisher's submission to the Centennial essay contest when she was three. Her mom writes, "She loves the library! She also likes to draw suns and the letter 'H.''!"

​My favorite thing about the library is the summer reading program because
you get to read, and you get awesome prizes. I also really like the library because I
get some of my favorite books like Fablehaven. It is a long book, but I like the
book anyways. I also like the book Harry Potter because it is interesting how he
flies on a broom stick. And how he fought Voldemort. I really like hearing them
fight and I like to see all the characters and when they do cool stuff. When they
talk and walk and run, and how they live. I like to hear about their plans so I know
what they are doing. But sometimes it does not go as planned but it does not
matter. I also like when Harry Potter did the giant chess game. It’s cool when they
tell the chess pieces to go forward the chess pieces will move forward. I also like a
lot of other of books. I like to read adventure books and mystery books. In the car
I really like books on tape. I like to listen to other people read the story because I
love to hear really cool voices. I also like to know what the people in the book are
thinking of, like if they are feeling happy or sad or scared. I love to find new make
believe and not make believe books. This is why I love the library. The end

​This summer I went to the magical world of FableHaven. Explored the perilous grounds
of Wyrmroost. I went on adventures with my new friends, Kendra and Seth. We discovered new things together and found interesting creatures. I befriended fairies and satyrs. Fought daring battles with trolls, ferocious dragons, and deadly demons. Soaring through the air on a majestic griffin, wind wildly blowing my hair in my face. Feeling all the adrenaline. I traveled the whole world, seeing and discovering new things. Going to hundreds of unique places. I explored gloomy caves and climbed steep cliffs. I went to Hogwarts, learned spells, and mixed special potions. Excelled at Quidditch, winning several games flying on a sleek, wooden broom. I especially enjoyed going to Hogsmeade, stopping at all the different shops. I could almost taste the creamy butter beer. All of these adventures were possible because of the books I read at the Madison Library.

My favorite thing about the Madison Library is the Summer Reading Program. I like it
because when you read books, you can mark off your reading log and then go to the library and get cool prizes. I love it when we get coupons to go to fun places and get yummy treats. The Summer Reading Program makes it a lot more fun to read during the summer. Especially when you have an amazing library where you can easily check out good books! The Summer Reading Program at the Madison Library is awesome. Reading helps me expand my imagination and takes me on exciting adventures!

The Reading Walkers
By Amy Walker
You know how there’s always that one “deal breaker” when you’re playing the dating game—a qualification that the potential “other” must meet before they enter into that status of “significant”? For me, it was that he needed to be a good storyteller. Specifically, he had to be a good children’s literature storyteller.
I wasn’t going to have the future father of my children not

1. love children’s stories, and
2. bring a story to life.

So, when this “potential” jumped at the chance to sit in the Madison Library children’s section and read picture books with me, he quickly advanced into the “significant other” domain.
We sat there, in our cushioned chairs reading out loud, creating voices for the characters. We were laughing or crying, and when we did both in one story, we knew it was a keeper. And I could see that he was a keeper too. Ten weeks after our first date we were married. And almost ten years later, here we are creating similar memories with our children in the Madison Library.
The library is a treasure trove to my family. The books seem to whisper from all corners of the building, and my children follow their calls. Their little shoes scuffle ever so gently against the carpeted floors, trying desperately to heed my well-known rule of “walking feet in the library.” Their eager eyes scan every section, and their fingers caress the spines as we slowly float by.
 It’s hard to choose just a few—which is why is why we end up leaving with a backpack so full of books that it would put Santa’s own bag to shame. It was early on in my motherhood career that I started using a backpack on wheels for our trips to the library. But we still often end up leaving with the bag bursting and little arms toting such a tower of treasures that only sparkling eyes are left visible, peeping out overhead.
My husband and I still go to the library for date nights sometimes. I suppose you could say it’s where our family began. And as our family continues to write our story, we will continue to read the stories here at Madison Library.