My daughter has “discovered” reading. She has found her “first book”. The book in question is Girl Online by Zoe Sugg (aka Zoella). It’s not a literary classic, but a good read, an engaging novel and my daughter loves it, because she loves anything to do with Zoella.
When I say she’s discovered, I don’t mean she’s just started reading. She’s 11 – and she’s never had problems with reading either, BUT she’s never engaged. She’s never been even remotely interested or excited about reading…until now.
Girl Online has opened her eyes to the wondrous world of books. It’s been a turning point and has allowed her to discover the pleasure of reading and hopefully a lifelong relationship with books.
We all need that book. Most of us aren’t born readers, though some of us are more naturally book-wormy than others. As kids we’re more inclined to be out and about, playing with siblings, friends and toys. Or these days most likely watching something on TV or YouTube or playing on a gadget.
But, we all have an inner bookworm. It just needs awakening by “the one”, our first book love, that book that makes us look forward to getting home from school when we will be able to read the next instalment. It’s the first book we’re really sad about finishing, that we want to last forever.
Mine was Talpa: The Story of a Mole. I was 8. I read it from cover to cover in a couple of days, sitting on my bed. I have no idea what really drew me to the book. I can’t really even remember the story. But I know I loved it. And once I’d read that book, I was ready for more and my relationship with books had begun.
I love to read. Although now, of course, the only time I seem to be able to read a book from cover to cover is on holiday. When I’m at home, at the end of a busy day, I can barely get through a page before I fall asleep. So generally I don’t try. But when I’m on holiday I cram in as many as I can.
You can’t be forced to find your inner bookworm. Statistics show that children are much more likely to read and engage with books they have chosen themselves; that resonate with them for whatever reason. They will do it when the time is right, in their own time.
Book love is incredibly personal. And just like other loves in our lives, we often can’t be told which one to choose! We just hope it’s worth the effort and we don’t all like the same one;)
Do you remember your first book?
Written for and published on www.wondrousink.com/blog
The Word Bird 