A READER LOST TO THE NATION 7 July 92

A large woman was in the library this afternoon with a toddler called Nicholas. While I was reading through the picture books, Nicholas was trying to take books off the shelves. The woman kept telling him not to, and was trying to make him play with the plastic chairs instead. Eventually, she said, "I'm training not to take the books down."

 I was so astonished by this behaviour in the library that I didn't say anything. I'm furious with myself for being such a coward now. She stayed there for three quarters of an hour, discouraging her child from looking at books.

  There's another reader lost to the nation.