New Story Whale Bedtime Story! Libraries: the Home of Stories

A new standalone bedtime story...

Why hello there!

Story Whale is back with a new standalone bedtime story. Today’s new story is about a boy and his first trip to the library.

I will always adore libraries. I think they hold a genuinely sacred place in society. Somewhere you can discover new stories and expand your mind. They are community cornerstones. They also represent a dignified space that you can go to and exist in at no cost (a rare wonder in today’s world).

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Now, please enjoy today’s story.

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Oscar will never forget the first time he went to the library. That day changed his life forever.

He had always enjoyed books.

First, there were the books his parents would read to him to make him smile and laugh or to help him get to sleep. He loved those stories.

They also read him books about numbers and the letters of the alphabet. Books that taught him things that he needed to know for school. He liked those books too (although not quite as much).

He then began to read stories on his own. He was reading all sorts of things, every book in the house. In fact, he was reading books faster than his parents could buy them!

It was around then that Oscar's mum decided to take him to the library and get him his first library card.

When Oscar stepped into the library, his jaw dropped to the floor. Books on books on books. He was suddenly surrounded by them. More books than he could count. More books than he knew existed.

He set up his library card and immediately borrowed out as many books as he was allowed. Books about knights and dragons and magic. Books about fairies and pirates and mummies.

With endless stories to get through, Oscar was spending every single spare second of his life reading. Waiting in line, catching the bus, walking down the street. When he went to sleep, when he woke up. Books had to be banned at the dinner table because he was reading between mouthfuls of pasta.

Oscar was devouring books like an eternally hungry monster from a fairytale.

He would return his finished books to the library and then immediately stock up all over again.

One evening, during dinner, Oscar asked his parents, “What will I read after I read all the books in the library?”

His parents found the question funny.

“Well, I wouldn’t worry too much about that,” his mum said. “That would take a very, VERY long time.”

Oscar was still worried. “But what would I do?”

“Well, new books are always being written,” said his mum. “And there’s a whole world of libraries out there. It would take you a thousand lifetimes to read every book.”

The next day, Oscar went to the library as usual. He returned the books he had finished and went to look for new ones to borrow.

Normally, he just walked to a shelf and started grabbing whatever books looked the slightest bit interesting. It usually only took him a minute or two to fill his book bag. This time he hesitated.

He was thinking over which books to pick, tossing and turning. He couldn’t decide.

Eventually, the librarian went over to check on him, surprised by the unusual almost panicked expression on Oscar’s face.

“What’s wrong, Oscar?” the librarian asked.

“I don’t know which books to read next,” said Oscar. “There’s only so many books I can read in my life.”

The librarian smiled.

“Don’t overthink it, Oscar,” said the librarian. “Just take it one book at a time.”

Oscar took the advice in. Just pick what looks good. Don’t overthink it.

“Actually, I have something else for you too,” said the librarian.

The librarian walked back to the service desk and grabbed a small black notebook.

She gave the book to Oscar.

“For you to write your own stories,” she said.

“What will I write about?” Oscar asked.

“That’s up to you,” she said.

As he held the notebook, he felt an extra weight of importance.

“Thank you,” he said.

Oscar picked out his new books and went home with his new notebook, eager to make a start on a story of his own. He went straight to his bedroom and sat at his homework desk. He opened his notebook, ready to start writing. Except he didn't have a clue where to start.

He realised he hadn't done anything but read in weeks and weeks and weeks. His head was full of books. But he needed his own story. A feeling, an emotion, an adventure, a character, something to get him started.

Oscar didn't quite have a treasure map to follow or a dragon to go after, but he did have a friend named Liam just down the street. So he set off.

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