Meet my Buddy.......

....my Book Buddy that is. When Mandy at Reading Comfort asked me if I'd be interested in trying out a Book Buddy, I was intrigued.

I have been propping up my books on a pillow in my lap for years. My physiotherapist told me this would be easier on my neck and shoulders. And it is. But it still didn't fix the problem of having to hold the book. I have arthritis in my thumbs and gripping a book for long periods of time is painful. This ingeneous little pillow solves both issues. The pillow itself is lightweight and moldable, unlike the heavy clunker I've been using. But the most inventive feature are the ribbons used to hold the book in place. No more gripping! The straight ribbons hold down the front and back covers locking your book in place and the diagonal ribbons can mark your place or hold down the pages you've already read. All the ribbons can be cinched with adjustable bobbles. I tried this with both hardcover and paperback and it worked well for both sizes of books. And my thumbs were happy!

Here's the cool thing - the Book Buddy comes with an acrylic 'desktop' that you can attach to the pillow with the diagonal ribbons. It's securely attached and can be used as a writing surface. But I am going to use it for my laptop. Yes, you may remember me telling you earlier that I did a lot of my blogging with my computer on my lap and setting it down on soft surfaces. Not good for my neck or the laptop - I could feel the fan heating up. The acrylic top lets it 'breathe'. Because it's securely fastened to the pillow, you can choose the angle you want.

As a sewer myself, I had to check out the workmanship. The seams are sturdy and the ribbons are securely sewn in. And now for the pretty stuff - it comes in lots of designs and colours. (Not sure how you knew Mandy but mine perfectly matches my library!)

I've been using it for a week, 'test-driving it' if you will, and I'm really, really happy with it. It would make a perfect gift for a book lover, someone who has difficulty holding books, a student, or just treat yourself. They are available online or at many retail locations. Yes - there's one in Canada too! Reading Comfort also sells other book related items, such as bookmarks, bookcovers and blankets.