Modern Express Select bibliography, share good books, promote reading... In Jindong Plaza, Dongtai City, Yancheng City, 40-year-old Feng Xiaomei sticks to a small picture book museum and is committed to providing children with a "book-flavored paradise".
" It turned out that I just wanted to study with my children, but I didn't expect that I would stick to a picture book museum." In 2017, Feng Xiaomei joined the picture book museum at the invitation of her children's playmates. Later, after the parent left, she decided to run it herself. From more than a dozen members to more than 700 members, Feng Xiaomei is very grateful for her children's love for reading. "The persistence over the years has made me realize that reading can really make my childhood better."
△ From reading for her children to running a picture book library, the store manager felt very happy. Photo provided by the correspondent
Since childhood, she has been influenced by her father and loves reading
Now Feng Xiaomei is surrounded by books, but she majors in college in modern gardening. In 2006, after graduating from university, Feng Xiaomei found a job related to gardening and worked for six or seven years. Although Feng Xiaomei likes it when dealing with flowers and plants, she has a corner of her heart, which comes from her father's influence since childhood.
Feng Xiaomei's father is an ordinary farmer, but he cherishes books very much. "In that era of material scarcity, my father would rather live a harsh life, but he was willing to study." My father's love for books deeply influenced Feng Xiaomei. No matter how busy she was in her school years or after work, she would always take time to read for a while. In Feng Xiaomei's opinion, such a life is a happy life.
I love reading. After having a child, Feng Xiaomei also wants to give her children a scholarly influence. She was originally working outside and couldn't stand the lovesickness between the two places. In 2013, Feng Xiaomei, who was already a mother of two children, returned to Dongtai with a clear purpose: to let her children grow up in the fragrance of books.
Close the clothing store and join the picture book library
One person with two children, Feng Xiaomei knew that there was not much room for work choices. She tried to open a clothing store for a while. When someone came to buy clothes, she warmly received her. When there were no customers, she would study for her children in the store. Life was simple and fulfilling.
However, the parents of a daughter who is a playmate changed her. "When the two children were playing together, they talked about parent-child reading. She told me that she had set up a small picture book museum in her garage and welcomed me to join." Feng Xiaomei said that she agreed without saying a word and decisively closed the clothing store.
" Why don't you join such a good thing?" Although it seems to be a good thing now, many people at that time felt it was extremely unwise. "After all, the picture book museum was in a loss state at that time. It had been operating for more than two years and had only a dozen members." Feng Xiaomei also admitted that she went mainly for her ideals and putting money in the second place.
From reading for his children to working hard for more children to read, Feng Xiaomei began her own journey of "scent of books and happiness". Select picture books and share with you the good books purchased from all over the country, and share advanced parent-child education concepts. She has to do everything herself. No matter how few
members are, the service cannot be neglected at all. "It was then that I truly realized that reading can really make childhood better." In Feng Xiaomei's opinion, the experience children get from reading is far deeper and more natural than adults' preaching.
The partner left and stayed at the bookstore alone
In 2019, Feng Xiaomei encountered another "turn" and the picture book library had just moved and expanded, but the partner followed him to southern Jiangsu because of his lover's work. Can't the picture book library be run? Can one person continue to do it? Feng Xiaomei asked herself.
" At that time, the relocation of the picture book library had already cost a lot of money, it was just a hot potato, but when I think about my ideals and those members, I still took over." Running a bookstore alone is busier than before. Instead, I don’t have time to read for my children during the day, so I can only bring a few books back to read for them at night. However, more and more children have entered the picture book museum.
Feng Xiaomei's pace of updating books has also been much faster. She first studied excellent children's books at home and abroad and identified and screened them based on social evaluation, reading experiences of others, etc.For every member, she will also recommend suitable children's books to her according to her age and interests. In recent years, Feng Xiaomei has been there for more than 700 members, and almost all of them remember the children's preferences.
Of course, there are also times when you are tired and depressed. Whenever you look up at the circle of bookshelf in the house, Feng Xiaomei feels full of fighting spirit again. "The store is still not very profitable, but for me, it can make more and more children find happiness, feel happy and contented in reading!"
Correspondent Cai Fengjun Chen Meilin Liu Yu Modern Express + Reporter Faye Wong
