Reading is fun and good for you too!

Reading is one of many people’s favorite pastimes, including my own. Some of the reasons why people read are easing stress, learn about different cultures or interesting topics, have a good laugh or a good cry, or simply just escape into another world. Many people do not like to read because it takes up a lot of time, and sometimes it is just more fun to go outside and run around or play video games. You may even think that reading is boring, but it all depends on what you are reading. In order to make reading enjoyable, you must try to decide what kinds of books you would like. Check out your local or school library, and ask the librarian to show you where you can find books about your chosen subject. When you find a book that looks good, read the back cover or the first few pages; this way, you decide whether it seems interesting to you or not. Some of you may prefer to have someone read the book to you; the book may be easier to understand if you hear it rather than see it. While you read, set goals for yourself. Try to read one chapter a night or 10 pages at a time (unless of course you just can’t put it down). The best part about borrowing from a library is that if you don’t like the book, you can take it back and get a new, better one. When you discover that reading can be fun when you can choose your own books, you will be able to expand your mind and find even more topics that interest you. Not only can reading be a way to have fun, you will also find that many benefits will go along with your new activity. Your vocabulary will increase, and you will begin to see better scores on your English, spelling tests and you will be able to comprehend subjects that are more challenging. Studies show that people who read show an increased ability to learn new things faster. There are also studies that suggest that avid readers are able to handle stress and life changes better than people who do not enjoy reading. Research has discovered that readers also have a wider range of interests, have an increased ability to understand how other people think and feel, and tend to be more flexible thinkers. If you get bored or just want to have fun, picking up a book is easier than messing with a Playstation 2 or desperately trying to find something to watch on TV. Pick up a good book and learn about unique people or places, join the characters on an adventure, or escape into a mysterious world that you may not otherwise find. Some reading suggestions: *The Secret Garden-Frances Hodgsen Burnett, *The Wonderful Wizard of Oz-Frank L. Baum, *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-Roald Dahl, *The Chronicles of Narnia series-C.S. Lewis, *A Walk to Remember- Nicholas Sparks, *Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry- Mildred D. Taylor, *The Animorphs series- K.A. Applegate, *The Outsiders-S.E. Hinton, *Bud, Not Buddy-Christopher Paul Curtis, *Holes-Louis Sachar, *Within Reach: My Everest Story-Mark Pfetzer and Jack Galvin, *Dove-Robin Lee Graham, *Guts: the true stories behind Hatchet and the Brian books-Gary Paulsen.