The Healing Power of Reading by Michelle Kuo

QOTD: What book did you have to read in school?

I learned to read in 2nd grade. We used 'readers' sorted into different colors. The colors were different levels of reading skill. I zipped through the first color and my teacher allowed me to go to the next...and the next...and the next. Before the end of the year I was completely done and the reading bug had hit.

Our elementary librarian was the sweetest lady. She pointed me to a shelf of biographies of famous people, like Betsy Ross, Amelia Earhart and Benjamin Franklin. When I proudly exclaimed I'd read ALL the biographies in the little library, she showed me more shelves.

We didn't have TV. Reading kept me from boredom and trouble. My parents were good parents and bough the The World and Year Books, Childcraft and Annual Encyclopedia. ALL OF THEM.  I had a few favorites that I read and reread. One was the human body and the overlays that started with the skeleton. Then you turned the transparency-type overlay and the skeleton had muscles. I reread the puzzle books, how to make things, and Greek Myths.

My reading habits changed in junior high and through high school. I hated being told what to do and when I was told I HAD to read certain books, I didn't. Well, I did to get a good grade, but I didn't enjoy reading as much.

My first year of college my friends (from another school) and I were discussing the high school reading list. One of my friends mentioned they'd read JANE EYRE. I have to admit, I was jealous. That day, I went out and bought my own copy of Jane Eyre. It became my favorite book and still is to this day.

Reading helped shape some of my views, or taught me to think about them. Reading gave me friends, showed me different countries, and hopefully, made me a better person.