LIBRARY
I’m in the library. I should be happy. Libraries are great! Free books! Shelves of them to explore! Many good places to hide from Taylor Dellabella. So yeah – I should love the library. But the truth is that Freedom Valley Primary School library is one of the most stressful places on the planet apart from sitting next to Taylor Dellabella on the bus to a school camp where you are also sharing her cabin.
The library stresses me out because it is part of Freedom Valley Primary School. Our principal, The Enforcer (you’re right, that’s not her real name. Her real name is Ms Anthrope), just loves rules. The Enforcer can even make rules about rules – in fact, RULE NUMBER ONE is DO NOT BREAK RULES. So it goes without saying that the library has a million rules. Not just the usual library rules. You probably know them:
Do not return books late.
Do not damage books in any way, shape or form.
Do not bring drinks into the library.
Do not scribble in books – even if you are really good at drawing and use your best textas.
Do not eat in the library – and that includes cough lozenges even when you have a bad cough and the only way to be silent in silent reading and not have a coughing fit is to suck on a cough lolly.
Some of these rules I have learned the hard way.
The Freedom Valley Primary School library also has some specific rules:
Do not highlight words on a page to make rude messages.
Do not cut out pictures from a book no matter how much you love them and even if they are pictures of Sailor Moon, your favourite character in the whole universe and negaverse.
Do not stand on a pile of books to reach the high shelf.
Do not pick your nose and wipe your booger on the page – a new rule made last year when Melody McMillan arrived at the school.
Do not pick your nose and wipe it on the carpet …or the chair … or the table … or the shelf … or the whiteboard – a rule that quickly followed.
Do not lick books – still looking at you, Melody McMillan.
Do not sniff books – which is a shame because I secretly love smelling books. This rule can still be broken on the sly, or to use a vocabulary word from last month, surreptitiously.
Do not read books in the bath.
Do not read books up a tree.
Do not let your dog read a book, even if you think she will like it.
Do not sing in the library – not even the Sailor Moon theme song even when it is your most favourite song in the whole universe and negaverse and not even Happy Birthday even when it is your best friend’s birthday.
Some of these rules I have learned the hard way.
I’m looking at the list of rules on the wall. Next to it is a long list of vocabulary words that Ms Guide, our new librarian, has put there. Because Ms Guide loves lists. And words. And all librarians love rules. So I bet the list of rules is her absolute favourite list of all time.
I’m here at recess because Ms Guide insisted that I be the Library Helper today. It’s making me feel a bit on edge, or to use the vocabulary word at the top of the list, apprehensive. Ms Guide has only been at Freedom Valley Primary School for a term, but anyone who chooses to work for The Enforcer is probably here to help her to feast on our souls.
‘Ah, Hattie. Here you are!’ says Ms Guide.
I jump. I open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out.
Ms Guide has straight grey hair that falls to each side of her face like curtains. She always dresses in black, which seems to highlight her very large, intense dark eyes that are staring right at me. ‘What’s wrong, Hattie? Cat got your tongue?’
I nod and can’t help but relax a bit. It’s a saying my Nan uses.
‘I’m so pleased you could come and help. Let’s start with moving these. I hear you are good at heavy lifting.’
This is true. I am. She shows me a pile of books on her desk. I load them up in my arms.
‘Just come this way,’ she says, and starts walking towards the back of the room. I peer out from behind the pile of books in front of my face. Oh my god, I think she’s taking me into a cupboard.
‘Come in. I won’t bite.’
Does that mean she could bite me but won’t? Note to self: must check Ms Guide has a reflection and is not actually a vampire.
She unlocks a door and I follow her with some, to use a vocabulary word from last month, trepidation.
But it’s not a cupboard. It’s a room.
It’s small and cosy, lit by two green glowing desk lamps on a large wooden table where piles and piles of old books are stacked next to various brushes, glues and tapes.
‘What are all these books?’ I ask.
‘Oh, they are damaged or discarded. I repair them. This is my book binding tape. And I have special glues and even string to sew some pages.’
I place the books I am carrying in a pile on the floor.
‘I hate throwing things away,’ she says. ‘Just because something is broken or old it doesn’t mean you just forget it. Things can so often be fixed.’
Lying open on the desk are several books about the moon. I gasp. The moon is my special interest subject. I love how the moon spins but always shows us the same face. Bright and calm.
‘Have a look at this, Hattie.’ Behind me is a large glass cabinet. Inside is a scale model of the earth, sun and moon, moving and spinning before my eyes. ‘It’s called an orrery. Do you like it? Here is the moon orbiting earth and the earth orbiting the sun. It’s accurate to where they are right now. Today. This minute. This second.’
I watch and I am, to use a vocabulary word, mesmerised.
‘Did you know it’s a special moon this week?’ Ms Guide moves closer to the model and points. ‘It’s a super moon because the moon is at perigee, which means closest to the earth. This is the second full moon we’ve had in April, so it’s a blue moon. And it’s a blood moon because on Thursday night, there will be an eclipse – the moon, the earth and the sun will all align, turning the moon red. A triple moon event like this only happens say, twice in a lifetime.’
I watch the model turn. Of course, I already know about the upcoming special moon. I’m thinking this could be it. You see, Usagi was just a normal, clumsy, food-loving schoolgirl like me until a talking cat revealed that she was really Sailor Moon, Champion of Justice. Then she was joined by a group of schoolgirls who all turned out to be special Sailor Guardians. Sailor Moon is my favourite show in all time and space. Triple moon power? Surely if there is going to be magic, this will be the week.
My hand goes to my Sailor Moon necklace which Nan gave me for Christmas. Wearing it is breaking The Enforcer’s RULE NUMBER TWENTY-FOUR so I quickly tuck it under my jumper and hope Ms Guide didn’t see.
‘Here, Hattie. It’s your turn to have The Golden Astrolabe by Patty Malouf.’
I turn and look at the book she is holding out to me and I can’t help but do a double fist pump and dance on the spot. I have been waiting for months to get my hands on this book. All the grade five-sixers are crazy about it.
‘I thought our library didn’t have any copies left? After the Great Book Tearing Incident of last year?’ It really was amazing just how quickly small hands could tear a book into a pile of confetti.
‘Yes, I heard about that,’ says Ms Guide. ‘But I have a new one. That’s why I asked you to be monitor today. To avoid any book fights. Make sure you put it straight in your school bag before any of the other students see.’