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He's a reader, a writer and a former high school English teacher. • So it's not surprising that Ernie Gabrielson would be standing in line at a local bookstore, as he was a little more than a year ago. • "Behind me was this little boy and his mother and grandmother," says Gabrielson, 78. "I asked him what grade he was in. He said first grade. I saw the books he was holding were more for a fifth-grade level. • "He said, 'I love reading.' I grabbed his books and said, 'I'm going to pay for them.' His mother and grandmother protested, but I felt so good, so warm." • Since then, Gabrielson has bought and given away more than a thousand books to kids, preschool through high school, everywhere from the mall to the bowling alley, the grocery store to the bus stop.

"I even went to the Desert Museum and gave away a whole lot of books there," says Gabrielson. "Every time I give away a book, it's just so rewarding."

His favorite haunt is the food court of Park Place, not far from his tidy apartment on East Broadway.

At least three times a week, he takes the bus or has a friend drive him — he's in the early stages of macular degeneration — to either Barnes and Noble or Borders Books, both on East Broadway.

There, staff members help him select books, paperbacks mostly, along the lines of "Treasure Island," "Black Beauty," and of course, the "Harry Potter" series.

"I love 'Harry Potter,' " says Gabrielson, who eagerly chats up the books' various plotlines with bookstore clerks and kids alike.

"Many of the people on staff know him, and the process is pretty easy," say Michael Fenlason, operations manager at Borders Books at Park Place.

After he's bought his books, usually about $50 worth, Gabrielson heads for the food court. There, he tucks a signed, bright yellow card inside each book. "Reading is the path to everywhere! I hope this small gift is a step along that path," read the cards.

"I want them to know somebody out there cares," says Gabrielson. As for his hunt for young readers, "I only do it for kids who are with their parents, unless they're teenagers," he says.

He also will not give a book to a tableful of youngsters unless he can give one to all. And sometimes he gives out pre-reader books to parents to read to their youngsters.

Only once has he been refused. "I was going over to this table and the dad said, 'We're eating dinner. You can talk to the kids later.' But they never came over. That was the only one."

However, more times than not, he's met with hesitation, if not suspicion, but only initially.

"Parents ask me why I do this. I tell them I was once a teacher. A lot of parents will say, 'How much?' I say, 'It's free.' "

"Once we had a woman sort of ask if the man giving away books was OK," says Fenlason, of Borders Books. "Some people can be a little distrustful of real generosity. Giving books to children is about as decent and kindhearted a thing to do as can be imagined."

Gabrielson estimates he's spent several thousand dollars on books since he began this, usually giving away seven to 10 at a time.

"I thought I'd better ask my kids how they felt about it and they said, 'Go ahead, Dad. Spend the money,' " says Gabrielson, a widower with two grown children, one grandchild.

"I scrimped by when I was a teacher. I didn't have an opportunity to do some of this stuff."

Now he does. On a recent Tuesday afternoon, we tagged along.

First stop is Borders Books at Park Place, where Gabrielson arrives carrying a well-worn knapsack filled with books from previous purchases.

But he still needs a few more "Harry Potter" adventures.

Not finding what he wants, he enlists the help of bookseller Andrew Holgate, who leads him to the right shelf.

For several minutes the two chat about "Harry's" various adventures. And then Gabrielson is off on one of his own.

Setting a brisk pace, he heads for the food court, where he quickly inserts his yellow cards and then scans the place for likely readers.

Sometimes it's hard for him to gauge ages, and he admits he's approached a grandmother or two by mistake. But for the most part, he's up to the challenge.

Today's first recipients will be Robert Stacy III, 3, and his sister, Sarah Stacy, 6, who are chomping down on Chicken McNuggets.

Next to them sits their dad, Robert Stacy, who wears a somewhat quizzical expression as Gabrielson explains what he's doing.

It doesn't take long to gain acceptance. Soon, Sarah, a first-grader at Tucson Country Day School, is clutching a book featuring fantasy character Ariel. Later, she and her dad will stop by and thank Gabrielson once more for what he's doing.

Next, Gabrielson approaches Jack Williams, 10, sitting at a table with his dad, John Williams. Gabrielson offers up a book in the "Harry Potter" series — one Jack already owns.

Gabrielson quickly returns to his stack of books and finds another "Harry Potter" — one Jack has yet to read.

Across the way, four young people, all in various stages of goth, are crammed into a booth. But when Gabrielson approaches them, only one turns out to be still in high school.

Good enough. He quickly hands a book to Domonique Chasteen, 17, a senior at Santa Rita High School. Asked what her favorite book is, she replies, "The Great Gatsby."

Bending his rules on age, Gabrielson also gives a copy of "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" to Domonique's friend, Chad Roberts, 20. "I read this in the 12th grade and I will definitely read it again," says Roberts. "It's a great book."

Gabrielson couldn't agree more. "Everyone should read 'Huckleberry Finn,' " he says.

At the opposite end of the food court, Kelly Strachan is a tad wary when Gabrielson approaches her table. "Is this a survey?" she wants to know.

Gabrielson quickly explains what he's doing as he hands a copy of "The Swiss Family Robinson" to Strachan's son, Roger Page, 15, a sophomore at Salpointe Catholic High School.

Roger is thrilled to get the book, whose plot line somewhat resembles that of another favorite. "I've already read 'Robinson Crusoe,' so I'm glad to have it," he says.

Completely won over by now, Strachan stands, shakes Gabrielson's hand and tells him, "What a fantastic job you're doing."

It's a job Gabrielson says he hopes to keep on doing, despite his darkening vision.

"If I can get a friend to drive me and to help me pick out the kids, I'll be doing this as long as I live."