You should be jealous. Very jealous.
Daisy and Fisher got to do something you will probably never get to do: they got to ride the book carts up and down the aisles of the San Diego County Library’s Poway branch.
They also got to spend the night in the library reading, surfing the internet, and pulling a well-known prank involving the copy machine.
But there’s no way Daisy and Fisher will get in trouble for their hijinks. They’re teddy bears!
They belong to Trinity, who’s going into 5th grade, and Trevor Martin, entering 3rd grade. The siblings were taking part in a stuffed animal picnic and sleepover.
“Things get wild in the library at night,” said Liz Vagani, youth services librarian. “It’s a lot of fun and all sorts of mischief and mayhem.
“They read like good stuffed animals and got to ride the book cart through the aisles – which is strictly forbidden.”
Before the sleepover, about two dozen children and their animals gathered in the community room for a picnic complete with snacks, crafts and story time.
Trinity and Trevor enjoyed sharing treats with their bears, but weren’t sure if their stuffed animals would behave once they were on their own for their overnight adventure.
“I think the bears fight when we’re not in the room,” said Trevor. “I know mine does – I tell him to.”
After noting the fact that you never see the bears awake, Trevor thinks his bear might be plotting an escape despite his prediction that Fisher would have a great time.
“I think they will read a book maybe get to play on the computers,” he said. “But I think he’s going to try to find a way to get out and go to my house.”
Trinity picked Daisy to attend the sleepover because she’s her favorite and the first stuffed animal she owned.
“She’s wearing my lucky tutu,” Trinity said.
This was the first night the stuffed animals had been separated from their owners, but Trevor had a plan to keep Fisher safe.
“I’m giving him my lucky key on a necklace so he stays safe,” said Trevor. “He’s my favorite.”
Trevor and Trinity said the library was one of their favorite places and they had just completed the summer reading program.
“I like the library because after I check out my books I can play on the computer,” he said.
That’s the kind of thing Vagani likes to hear.
“Everything we do has some basis in literacy and gets kids reading,” she said. “Our mission as a library is to provide services such as entertainment and education to the community.”
