I read a lot. Not as much as some avid readers, but there are several hours of my day devoted to reading. I read when I’m bored. I read when I need inspiration. Sometimes, I read to study the art of writing. Other times, I read to enter new worlds. But I cannot say I was always that way. In fact, I used to greatly dislike reading.
Before developing a love of books, I used to think: Why should I read? Reading is boring. Books are dull wastes of paper. Books are bland. My past relationships with reading left me uninterested. When I was in elementary school, my teachers made me read historical books, which at my age and imagination at the time, were boring. Admittedly, the type of books they gave us during my early school years were strenuous and lacking in imagination. I just didn’t like the stories, if they had any. I found the plot and themes of the narrative books confusing. The nonfiction books were loaded with too much information and not enough imagination. For a kid whose mind was on drawing ninjas and dragons, the reason for reading the books my school gave me was pointless. All throughout elementary and middle school, I thought of reading as a bland waste of forced time – time I could easily devote to other things in my life (like the aforementioned ninjas and dragons).
How did I go from hating reading to loving it? Well, my mom said very wise words (she says wise words often, but these words changed my life). She said, “Everybody likes reading. They just have to find the right genre.” That was it. Just those few words, yet they impacted me in ways I cannot imagine.
I don’t really know when my love for reading really kicked off. I believe it might have started a few years back when I bought a book titled “Daughter of the Deep'' by Rick Riordan. It was a very interesting book, especially for a high school freshman such as myself at the time. Soon, my mind was satisfied and intrigued by plot twists, hidden secret societies, and spies. Faucets of inspiration were being poured into me; from “A Series of Unfortunate Events” by Lemony Snicket to fantasy worlds like “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis, or the “How to Train Your Dragon” series by Cressida Cowell. I must mention the “Gallagher Girls” series by Ally Carter, my favorite series of them all so far.
The books that catch my attention the most are those that have secrets like how the VFD was (literally) a secret society. Or how the key to the names of the Circle of Cavan was hidden in a stained glass window of the Gallagher Mansion. Or how Fishlegs’ dad was really ... Okay, so you get the point. I love mysteries and unanswered questions. It’s not just the intrigue of the unknown that I find enjoyment from. It is also the enjoyment of worlds that do not exist and lives I cannot experience except by reading books and living through their characters. Books, I have come to realize, are like worlds. They are, in their purest forms, stories, but in the imagination they are so much more. And that is what makes reading so worthwhile.
Maybe you won’t like the same books as I. Maybe you are one of those people who prefer historical literature, or even nonfiction. Maybe you like crime, thriller, or comedy. You could prefer romance, sci-fi, or cartoons, Manga, anime, or comics. There are lots of different genres out there you can explore. You may, like me, find out you like multiple genres. These just may not be the ones your school prescribes to you.
So, my reader, if you find yourself someone who thinks you don’t like reading books, my answer and guide to you is this; as mom said, “Everybody likes reading. They just have to find the right genre.” Explore. Try again. Even in a single genre there may be authors who you like and those you don’t, and that’s okay. Do not give up. Find a topic you are interested in and read. Read, and soon you will find that you won’t be able to stop.
Just as Belle enjoyed reading books, there's something for everyone to enjoy, and I particularly enjoy reading each blog post of yours 😄