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Getting lost in stories was always something I looked forward to. It didn’t always entail a book, but it was just as exciting. We had an old record player in our room and every night, I would fall asleep to the story of Magilla Gorilla, playing in the background. This lovable character made me want to find other stories that made me burst into a fit of giggles, just like Magilla. I was hooked.

Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/84568447@N00/2057874131

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As if looking at a picture, I can still see myself sitting on the floor with my older sister, staring at the book she had in her hand. I was probably about five years old, and I remember feeling so excited at the prospect of reading my first book. She would read through each sentence first, and then I would repeat it. We did this until we finished the book. Each day after, she would help me sound out the words and repeat sentences until I was able to recite the book on my own. Reflecting on those moments, it wasn’t necessarily that I was learning to read, but it was building a love of literacy that would stick with me forever.

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As a teen, my favorite authors were Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine. I would check out books from my school library, and my mom and I would frequent the public library. At any given time, I would have five or six books to read. I loved reading and would sit outside near our horses and get lost in the stories. Although I mostly stuck to the horror genre (which is still my favorite,) I also enjoyed reading mysteries. With my mom being a big reader, we started frequenting bookstores together, as I got older.

Lost, but now I’m found…

When I became a young adult, and a new mother, there was a large gap in time where I didn’t read for pleasure. It wasn’t until my children were older that I started getting back into reading. While I still love horror, my tastes as an adult tend to be more on the weird side. My favorite author is Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club. I also enjoy books centered around post-apocalyptic themes.

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In the classroom, reading played a big role in our routines. I made sure to incorporate independent reading time and read alouds. I think my own excitement while reading would grab their attention. I would carefully plan places to stop, leaving the kids wanting more of the story. My classroom library consisted of nearly seven hundred books. The students and I would talk about their interests and favorite books, so I would use it to guide my purchases. I would also let the kids take turns picking upcoming purchases. I believe that in order to foster a love of reading in our students, you need to be the example.

I can’t imagine a life without reading. With books, the impossible becomes possible. It will always play a big role in our society, whether for continuing education or just taking a time out from the real world.