Youngster began enjoying reading at the age of 8
Published in the Jan. 7 – 23, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Lim Deng
Lim Deng
As a child, I never enjoyed reading. Like many children, I was forced to read for my own benefit. I thought it was boring and I always seemed to have something better to do than read.
But as time went on, my mindset began to change. Around the age of 8, I discovered what topics and genres interested me.
I particularly like fiction and fantasy books because it was my escape. Through reading, I did not get to live just one life, but many. The lives I lived were endless. I could imagine beyond. I got more and more into books and started appreciating other genres of literature. Pick a genre or anything that interests you, and try it!
Of the 41 Developmental Assets, Developmental Asset #25, reading for pleasure, states: youth should read three to four times a week.
Many young people do not like making a habit of reading because they think they have other things to do or simply do not like to read at all. Youth and others as well should read books because they can educate you, strengthen your vocabulary, and build up your imagination.
There are a variety of books and novels ranging from fantasy to historical. Pick a genre or anything that interests you, and try it! After a stressful week of school, being able to relax and not needing to give a care in the world feels nice.
Personally, I like to read on Sundays. After everything I needed to do that day is done, I pick up a book that I am currently reading, take a beverage and snack, dive into my cozy bed and start living another life. As the “Game of Thrones” novelist George R.R. Martin said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads only lives one life.”
Lim Deng is a member of the Youth Action Council.
