“I wonder what the library has in store for us!” I exclaimed enthusiastically, pulling along my children, savouring the different sizes of their hands in mine. We soon reached our destination: HV Little Library (situated at Blk 2 Holland Ave). What an unexpected sight met my eyes!

Neatly categorised books lined the bookshelves, waiting for book enthusiasts to borrow them. An elderly man was listening to Chinese radio and sipping his tea or coffee, oblivious to our intrusion. We sat down at the comfy seats, after which my attention was grabbed by a shelf of Japanese books. I took one that looked promising and read it aloud to the daughter without hesitation. My son wasn’t a rapt listener, for he was engrossed in checking out various countries on the globe. He even asked to borrow my phone to take photos of the countries salient in his mind.

The atmosphere was tranquil, quiet, restorative — a sanctuary nestled within the hustle and bustle of the city. I walked out and admired the rustic blinds. They added a resort feel; I could have lied to myself that I was at a Bali resort.

Before long, the children grew bored and started clamouring to play at the nearby playground. I took one final longing look at the library. Decided to borrow a book of student compositions (because of my profession. sigh. Work never exactly leaves my mind.) But maybe my occupational hazard was a blessing in disguise because this meant that I would visit @hvlittlelibrary again.