Don't try to tell Jo Ann Snodgrass that today's kids are lazy, or listless, or illiterate. She knows it's not true.

Six days a week at the Paperback Shack, Snodgrass watches young people stroll through her used-book store, searching for adventure and mystery and fun in the yellowing pages of old books.

"You hear a lot of negative things about children, but I don't see it here," said Snodgrass, 60, who has owned and operated the Temecula store since 1989 with her husband, Ray. "I don't care what anybody says. There are some great kids out there."

It's not unusual for preschoolers to wail in disappointment when it's time to go home, or for middle- and high-schoolers to mine the collection for book-report candidates.

Snodgrass doesn't have children, but she says her perch behind the counter has provided her with a unique perspective.

"They read the classics, mysteries, science fiction, all of it," the Temecula resident said. "I see parents who bring in children who are too young to read. They just sit on the floor in the children's section and look at pictures and talk about the story."

Growing up in Garden Grove in the 1940s, Snodgrass was like the kids she marvels at today. She says she can't remember a time when she didn't devour books.

Ironically, Snodgrass said the demands of her store -- the sorting and cataloging and stocking, as well as the six-day workweeks -- prevent her from reading as much as she'd like.

But when she does, Snodgrass prefers general nonfiction, although she says she'll read anything except science fiction or horror. "Gone With the Wind" is her favorite book.

Snodgrass figures there are about 30,000 books in her shop, which is across from Ben Jerry's ice cream store in the Tower Plaza, and 5,000 more are stored in her garage.

"For me, reading has always been a love, and from what I see, it's always going to be popular," said Snodgrass, who doesn't share the contemporary opinion that today's kids have traded the magic of their imaginations for the digital stimulation of video games and the Internet.

She said stores like the Paperback Shack will always have wide appeal because the books are affordable. She sells used books for half their cover price, with a $2 minimum.

She also gives customers 25 percent credit for their used books. That way, she builds her inventory while keeping reading cheap for the prolific page-turners.

Some people, she admits, haven't paid for a book in years. They bring an armload of books and shop until their balance is zero.

And that's fine with Snodgrass, who says her business is thriving.

"It's a good feeling to have a business that helps provide meaningful recreation," she said. "And based on what I've seen, I'd guess reading will still be popular for generations to come."

Scott Farwell can be reached by e-mail at sfarwell@pe.com or by phone at (909) 587-3131.