The Borrowers

I know what you're thinking. Sharpie! That kid is tagging that countertop! How sad that they've raised a vandal.

No, no. Kiernan is using that Sharpie to put his John Hancock down on his first library card. Yep. Look out world, next stop voting!

His latest project for third grade required he venture to the public library to get a book about an animal he'll be studying in class. He's known about this for a couple of weeks, and so has been going through various animals in preparation. His first choice was the komodo dragon. A cool choice that somehow fell by the wayside. Next came along the draco. I didn't even know that was an animal. I thought it was a mythical creature or a Harry Potter character. However, another boy in his class voiced his intention to do the draco, and so Kiernan backed off and considered the basilisk. I love the basilisk, and I think I first saw it during one of the many nature DVDs that my mom has given us over the years. I love those DVDs, and I love the basilisk, which is a cool little reptile that can walk on water.

Kiernan dropped the basilisk in due course and as we approached the library stated that he was going to settle on the anaconda. We both thought that was a fine choice, but asked him to leave the door open for other animals once we did a little research. Something endangered or rare, perhaps.

"Okay," he said. "So long as it's an endangered or rare reptile."

We got to the library and set about filling out applications for library cards for the Los Angeles Public Library system. I have a library card, but it's been so long since I used it that it was expired. I feel bad about that. We never go to the library. We have far more often gone to the bookstore to hang out than to the library. Why is that? We can get stuff there. I can get journal refills there. And a latte. And I feel like we can be louder there. Of course now all the bookstores are disappearing, so we just frequent Amazon. Kind of hard to hang out with your kid there. Sigh.

Anyway, we all filled out library card applications together, which was kind of fun. Then we all signed them.  There he is, up there, signing his.

His first library card. Here's hoping we use it more than once.

Oh, and the animal he settled on is called a Moloch. Also known as the thorny devil.