As I dive more into my author’s journey, I’m starting to discover myself even more. One thing I have learnt is… I am not and never was a big reader. Well, at least not in the typical sense. It is not that I didn’t try to read ‘big’ books, but books with just words used to bore me. My definition of a good reader was someone who could read books like Roots, Pride and Prejudice, and Shantaram without blinking. But I couldn’t read beyond a few chapters without getting distracted. I could never actively engage with the story and identify with the characters. It is not that I didn’t try. My efforts are evident from the collection of semi-completed novels on my shelves. I, for some reason, could never visualise the scenes in my head. But give me a Tintin or a Chacha Chaudhary comic book(i.e. graphic novel), and I could sit in the bookstore the whole day and finish the entire series in a go. Not too sure what type of reader that makes me… I guess it's a visual one. I wish I had known this when I struggled to understand the Pythagorean theorem and the SUVAT principles in school.
I used to, and still do, love reading the newspaper and magazines, and my newfound love is audiobooks. Oh, and how can I forget picture books? I think adults should read them too. Or maybe one day I will create a picture book for adults 😀
If you have a kid, read/listen to the book ‘Wild Things- How We Learn to Read and What Can Happen if we don’t’ by Sally Rippin. She talks about her dyslexic son’s journey and how being unable to read impacted him mentally. She also talks about the importance of recognising the patterns and early intervention.
I am not too sure what the purpose of this article is. I guess I want parents to understand that reading is vital as it allows our children to understand and navigate the world around us. However, there are multiple ways and forms to achieve this. The traditional way of reading is a bit overrated.
FUN FACT: “Research from the University of Oregon found that comic books averaged 53.5 rare or more complex words per 1,000. That's more than children's books, which average 30.9, and even adult books at 52.7.”
