A Reader’s Best Friend

I’d like to ask you a question. What is a bookmark?

You probably answered something like this: “It’s a piece of paper or other thin material that readers put in a book to mark their place.”

Or you may have wondered why I asked a question with such an obvious answer. Well, our topic today is bookmarks, and I have a lot I want to cover in this post. We’ll be talking about bookmarks, their purposes, what makes a good bookmark, and what does not make a good bookmark.

All About Bookmarks

• Make Great Gifts
• Save Time
• Protect Books
• Good When Sharing a Book
• Can Be Kept Different Places
• Are Pretty

Bookmarks make great gifts.

A pretty bookmark makes a really nice gift. And there are so many options of who you can give one to.

To friends

If you have a friend you give birthday gifts to, you could include a nice bookmark or two in their gift. Or if you want to give a gift “just because” and you know your friend is a reader, you could give them a bookmark.

When giving books

Another giving option is to include a bookmark when giving a book. If the bookmark is handmade, it will add a personal touch to the gift and tell the receiver you thought about them enough to make something for them. To make the bookmark extra fun, the words or picture on it could be themed to go along with the book.

In pen-pal letters

I know there are still lots of girls who have pen-pals and enjoy sending little gifts in their cards or letters. But due to postage fees, it can be difficult to find creative and fun things to send. Bookmarks are a great option of something to send through the mail. They shouldn’t increase your postage at all, and the pen-pal on the other end will be excited to find a little extra something tucked inside their letter.

To the elderly

Most of us have elderly relatives or friends in our lives. And one thing I have learned is that they like attention from young people, whether it be in person, on the phone, or through the mail. They like knowing that young people think about them.

Most elderly people have everything they need in the way of gift items, so what can we give them? A handmade bookmark would mean a lot to them, since it shows that we cared about them enough to make something for them. A lot of elderly people enjoy reading, and even if they don’t read that much, the thought will mean more to them than anything.

Nursing home residents are another option of where you could give bookmarks as gifts. They often feel neglected and forgotten, and even if they don’t know who you are, they will feel that they are cared about when they receive a little gift like a bookmark inside a card.

Bookmarks Save Time.

You might ask, “Do bookmarks really save that much time? How hard is it to find your spot without one?”

I would answer, “Think about how many times you are trying to find your spot in all the different books you read. It may not be a lot of time all at once, but it adds up over time.”

Whether we realize it or not, bookmarks do save quite a bit of time. If we are using a bookmark, each time we pick up our book to read, we can open right up to the spot where we left off reading. We don’t have to thumb through the pages, trying to remember where we stopped. And we don’t have to worry about getting distracted when we find a place that looks interesting, while we are trying to find the place we’re ready for.

Bookmarks Protect Books.

If a bookmark is not handy, some readers will substitute other items for a bookmark. And some will even fold the corner of the page, making their books dog-eared. With a bookmark, you don’t have to worry about damaging your books in this way.

I’ll admit that, though I have never dog-eared a book, I have used items that were probably not good for the book. My sister can attest to this. One time she was reading the same book as me, and she came to the place where I had left my “bookmark.” But it wasn’t a real bookmark. It was a chocolate wrapper. I’d been eating chocolate while I read, and since I didn’t have a bookmark handy, I used the empty wrapper when I had to stop reading. I was careful that I didn’t get chocolate on the pages, but it still wasn’t a good idea to use the wrapper as a bookmark.

Other items besides bookmarks can be used that don’t damage the books, band-aids, napkins, paper money, pieces of yarn, and other thin items. But thicker items will damage books, affecting how well they close. Some of these items would be ink-pens, electronic cords, and other books.

When you have a bookmark, you don’t have to worry about messing up your books with other materials.

Bookmarks Are Good When Sharing a Book.

Multiple bookmarks are good to have when you have multiple people reading the same book. If you’re trying to share a book, each of you having your own bookmark makes it easier to keep track of where you are.

Bookmarks Can Be Kept Different Places.

You may have multiple places where you read. I do. Is there somewhere in those different places where you can keep bookmarks? Of course, you don’t want to just leave bookmarks everywhere you go, but there might be a drawer or enclosed table where you could leave one, so you will have it when you need it. When you have bookmarks in convenient locations, you will be less likely to use something that could damage your book.

I frequently read in bed before going to sleep, so I keep bookmarks in a basket in the drawer of my nightstand. That way they are convenient when I need one.

Bookmarks Are Pretty.

Who doesn’t like a bookmark with a pretty picture, a Bible verse, or an encouraging quote? I enjoy using pretty bookmarks when I read. There is something more enjoyable about using a nice-looking bookmark than using a piece of an envelope or a bit of plastic. Pretty bookmarks make reading even more enjoyable and fun.

Printable Bookmarks for Coloring!

In my shop, you can buy printable bookmarks to color

The Birds, Butterflies, and Flowers set has 30 different bookmarks, each with a different KJV Bible verse.

The Music set has 30 different bookmarks, with either KJV Bible verses about music or hymn lyrics.

There is also a set of bookmarks with Christmas Carols and Christmas pictures to color.

So what makes these bookmarks special? Since they are printable bookmarks, you can buy the PDF once and use it again and again, providing you with an unlimited supply of bookmarks. All you have to do is print out a page, color the bookmarks, cut them out, and you have a handmade bookmark ready to give to someone (or ready to use yourself).

Another thing that makes them special is that some of them have Bible verses on them and can be used for Scripture memory. Each time you pull out your bookmark, you can take a moment to read the verse and think about it, and by the time you’ve finished your book, you might have the verse memorized.

I’ve colored quite a few of them, and I find it a very relaxing activity, especially of an evening when I’m tired and Mom is reading aloud to the family. I enjoy using gel pens, especially the ones with glitter, but colored pencils would be pretty too. The words are hollow, so they can be colored along with the pictures.

Conclusion:

Do you use bookmarks regularly when you read? Are you someone who grabs something handy, whether it be a napkin or a chocolate wrapper? What’s the most unique thing you’ve used as a bookmark? Let me know the comments. And don’t forget to check out the printable bookmarks and subscribe below to get email notifications whenever a new reading-related blogpost goes up!