Em is a reader. A bookworm. She always has been, and always will be. Some people love to read, but some people don’t. Which are you? Maybe you are nagged by your parents and teachers for not reading enough. Perhaps reading is a chore, part of your homework assignment that you rush through, without enjoying because it has to be done. Would you like to learn to love reading? Em has some tips for you.
I really love reading. I mean, I really love reading. I learned to read when I was 4 years old, and I’ve never really stopped since. I used to amaze adults with my reading – I read classic Greek literature (translated, obviously) when I was 9 years old.
My ability far outstripped the material that was available to me. When I was growing up, there weren’t many books available to me that were both age-appropriate and challenging enough for me.
I’m making myself sound very old; I’m not really. I’m 30, which actually sounds really old, but it’s not, ok? Really, it’s not. Ok, you can stop laughing now. No, really. Stop laughing.
Anyway, my point is, reading is great. For me, it’s like I’m addicted to the printed word. Like I need a book fix when I’m upset. I always have a book to read – usually a library book as there’s no way I could afford to buy the amount of books I read in a week!
Reading allows you to go somewhere you’re not, a good book can transport you to a totally different world, and a good writer can make you cry, make you laugh – there is literally no limit to the power that words have. I think that reading has a bad press.
Government schemes to make reading seem “cool” have had the opposite effect (as these things usually do). Of course, the fact that they’re cutting funding to libraries at the same time, kind of sends out mixed signals. Of course, being forced to read bad texts in school doesn’t help either. I was left with a lifelong hatred of Shakespeare thanks to English Literature GCSE!
J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter have done wonders to re-introduce kids to reading, but there’s loads of other stuff out there that makes the Harry Potter series look like Noddy in comparison.
I can highly recommend the Skullduggery Pleasant books, by Derek Landy – a full-on, non-stop thrill that you won’t be able to put down until you’ve finished it. The Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer is a series about an adolescent criminal mastermind done good and are highly entertaining.
Finally, check out some of Terry Pratchett’s stuff – I love his Discworld series, but there are also books aimed at younger readers, such as “I Shall Wear Midnight”, and “A Hat Full Of Sky”. If you enjoy whimsical, well-written adventures with young witches, then you’ll enjoy these.
If you love reading then that is great. There are loads of brilliant books aimed at young adults – so many, in fact, that I’ve read a lot of them myself.
If you don’t love reading, well, that’s fine too, but whatever you’re passionate about – football, ballet, filmmaking, history – there’s probably a book out there for you.
So what are you waiting for? Get down to your local library and check out some books! And don’t forget who to thank when you’re my age and just finishing off your third library book of the week!
What kind of books do you like to read? Has this article encouraged you to go to the library? Or to dig out that long forgotten library card?
I LOVED that article! I am a bookworm exactly like that and in my spare time i like to curl up with a good book. My favourite books at the moment are the Hunger games, Harry Potter and Pretty little liars. They are all series and i like series because they sort of leave you hanging at the end of the book and you know there is another so you can find out what happens to the character. I like it when its a really good book and you know that there is more to it, another good book! Reading is one of my alltime favourite hobbies along with dancing and drawing.
Wonderful article and great recommendations. Yes, there are so many good books out there for middle grade readers – old and new titles too. My daughter and I have great fun blogging about our reads and new finds.
I really enjoyed this! i am a serious bookworm myself! i absoluteley LOVE books! ^_^
Thanks so much for your comments! I’m currently re-reading Susan Cooper’s “The Dark Is Rising” series – one I forgot to mention in the article! Stay away from the film adaptation though – it’s awful! 🙂
Talking about film adaptions, Animal farm (really good book I recommend it although it sounds babyish) the film adaption is so BAD i could vomit I seriously could NOT watch it!
I do recommend the Bronté books, wuthering heights by Emily Bronté and Jane Eyre by Charlottle Bronté! Really good 🙂
I agree, I love books! My favorite series are malorie blackman noughts and crosses, but I get critisised because they’re 4 teens, and I have been reading them since I was 8. Greek literature at 9 is good! I liked dickens when I was 7.
A reader lives a thousand lives, the person who never reads lives only once.