Pick up many books aimed at young children and the first page inside says “This Book Belongs To…” with a space below to fill in a name.
What message is this sending?
That ownership of physical stuff is important? That we need to publicly declare what is ours?
How well do we do this ownership thing as adults, as artists?
Who do our lives belong to?
If you opened the book of your creative life, would it be clear from page one it belonged to you?
Or are you acting out someone else’s fairy tale?
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A Big Creative YES 
The label invites the child to have a relationship with that book that is all his own and that no one can take from him. Having books of ones own is a very strong predictor of doing well in school and staying in school. A child can interact with his book (depending on the parents’ rules) in a way he can’t with a library book. For example he can write in it or draw mustaches on people. He can look back at it fifty years later and from looking remember his childhood.
The label is for the child rather than public. Labels in school books are to make sure that lost books get returned to the right kids.
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