Let them Read Books!

Since I was very young, I loved reading. I went from picture books to chapter books, to young adult novels, and I embraced and loved them all. I believe that reading is a transformative experience. As you read a story, you envision the characters, their interactions, and the setting in your own way. It stretches your mind to imagine worlds and experiences you might not have known or considered before. And if the writing is captivating enough, it can make you deeply feel what the characters feel. It can make you react to events in the book as though they were real. A good story can transcend you in such a way that you forget your surroundings. There is no better thing to hold in my hands than the thickness of a book. There is no better material to feel on my fingers than the pages of a book. Whether the genre is non-fiction or fantasy, I believe reading makes you smarter. It expands your vocabulary, but more importantly, teaches you to be curious about other people's perspectives, to analyze situations and events skillfully, and to understand the value of sharing our voices, thoughts and opinions.

I would eagerly advocate for every young person to take an interest in reading. Stories have the power of shaping our sense of self and confidence. When a young person reads and absorbs the lifestyles, choices, and traits of others, it enhances them to embrace, mirror or maybe challenge those things. We can learn from the experiences we read about, and apply those lessons to our lives.

In addition to the life long lessons and skills that books give us, there is a certain solace one can find in a story. That transformative feeling of reading a captivating story can give you comfort. There have been many times when a reading a book was the only moment I had to truly feel at ease, and have all my anxieties taken away. Because when you read, you're no longer in your world--you're indulging in a different one.

These feeling we can get from books, these traits and skills we can learn, should be accessible to everyone. It is true that reading books makes you smart, but it's so much more that that. Reading books makes you empathetic, it makes you curious, it makes you feel connected and seen. Every child is deserving of these experiences, and I believe that it is important that I use my voice and every other power I have to ensure that every child has access to stories that expand their minds, spark their curiosity, and remind them that they matter. Let them read books! It will change their lives when they do.