Why do I read? #Ireadbecause

Um, first of all, is that title really a question? Why do you breathe? Because you need to! So, why do I read? Because I need to.

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Everyone had to learn to read at some point in their life and while others may have had it come to them naturally, there are those who struggled more with the learning process. That was me.  Reading was a difficult thing for me to pick up while I was able to read I wasn’t able to comprehend what it was that I was reading. I knew that I had learning disabilities, but that didn’t mean that I couldn’t read it just meant that reading would take a little longer for me to pick up, that I would have to learn differently than the other children my age.

God bless my mother for being patient because I certainly wasn’t and because it was difficult why did I want to even learn?! She stuck with me and eventually purchased a package of Dr. Seuss, Clifford, Mr. Frog & Mr. Toad.

I had an active imagination from a young age and always used it. It took a while for me to get into reading books or rather consuming them. I found myself reading Julie of the Wolves, I became obsessed with these books. I devoured anything by Marguerite Henry. These were easy reads and helped me chug along with my difficulties with reading. Soon after I was finding reading easier, I was able to delve into these worlds much better than I had before.

Don’t you know by the time I was 13 I was branching off into fantasy worlds? We’re talking about books such as I am Mordred, The Once and Future King, Mists of Avalon, Wizard’s First Rule  and The Dark Elf Trilogy.

I read so much when I was a teenager that I could spit authors and books at you, recall the plots and gush about them. Books are really one thing that opens me right up [that and animals!]

• Tamora Pierce
• Garth Nix
• Neil Gaiman
• Jacqueline Carey

Honestly, the list goes on, but to go back to the question. Why do I read? Because I really need to! I have such an active mind that reading books calm me, they relax me, help me breathe and take me away to places I would never have dreamed [or maybe I would because I have bizarro dreams..]

I guess the real question is… why wouldn’t I read? It’s a joy to me now, something I smile back and remember how hard it was for me when now I’m teaching my oldest [4-year-old] how to read and he’s picking it up far easier than I ever did. I smile! I think, ‘Wow! This is something we can bond over, this is something that will help his little brain grow…this is just the start.’

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So, to my  chosen ones… why do you read?

Renee @ A Bookish Delight

Klinta @ Book Owly

A. Marie Silver

Eve @ Eve Messenger’s OtherWORDly Endeavours

Jennifer Hamilton

Samantha @ Dream by Day