Harold the Bear Warms Up

Did you know that Harold the Library Bear lives at Naylor Memorial Library? Well, he does. And he's been cold lately!

Faced with yet another winter storm last week, Harold the Library Bear decided that there was only one way to beat the cold. Here's what he suggests...

First, put on a big, warm hat. Second, visit your public library. And third, pick out a good book to read!

A furry bear with a faux fur hat makes for an amusing spectacle, but Harold seemed not to notice. When I spoke with him, Harold was totally occupied by finding a book to read.

"I wasn't even sure the library would be open," Harold said. "There's so much snow! But they are, and so I was just able to find this great book. It even won a Caldecott Medal!" He settled into his rocking chair and began to read.

When asked which book he decided to read, Harold proudly showed off his prize.

"With all of this snow, I got really curious about it. People have always told me that every snowflake looks different, but is that really true? How do they know?" he asked. "I wanted to find out for myself, so I found a book at my library called Snowflake Bentley. This book is all about the man who proved that every snowflake is different. His name was Wilson Bentley and he proved it by taking pictures of the snow while it was still in the air!" Harold said excitedly.

"This book says that he was always curious about snow, and took pictures of it even when he was a kid! And when he grew up, he used very special cameras to take pictures of snowflakes, and he even invented a special way to take better pictures of the tiny snowflakes, called micro-photography. He was amazing!"

Asked if there was anything else he liked about his book, Harold excitedly nodded, his big hat falling off his head.

"The pictures are awesome! This book won a Caldecott Medal for its great pictures. I really like them. Everyone should read this book!" Harold added.

Stop by the Naylor Memorial Library to visit Harold and check out books about subjects you are interested in. You can also talk to the staff of the library by calling 304-754-3949 or by emailing them at hedgesville.mbcpl@martin.lib.wv.us. They'll be sure to pass your messages on to Harold!