I’ve never had a life changing experience, or anyone close to me die, or a life experience for that matter. The question, “what matters to you?” was a tough one but of all the things that are important, it’s probably literature. It’s important to me because if I’m having a bad day, then I can start reading a story and it’s like all my problems are gone, and the only dilemma is the one in the story. Literature to me is just as important as breathing.

When I was in kindergarten we were given little booklets with little stories, or nursery rhymes. In each were black and white illustrations to color. While everyone else was learning to sound out words and read sentences with the teacher, I was quietly sitting at my table coloring in the drawings, completely ignoring the lesson. Quickly I fell behind.

By first grade I was one of the only kids who couldn’t read things more advanced, like Magic Tree House. My teacher started to notice and sent me to a “fun” reading group during Language Arts. In the small, cramped, white, Dentist-Office-smelling, room was a young lady with jet black hair and a fake smile. The other kids assigned to that class were, trouble-makers, kids that didn’t ever show up for school, and kids that were just plain lazy. I hated it at first. How ever after actually reading a few books I loved it. I read every book I could get my hands on (and at my reading level). After about a month of being in that class I was reading at my grade level. I finally got to leave. And come back to my normal class. I was caught up and back into the flow of things. We started on our first real chapter book, while the teacher was reading to the class and everyone was following along. I would read ahead because the teacher would read extra slow to make sure everyone was following along.

In second grade, I was reading third grade level books, and stayed at that level for a while. By third grade I was reading non-stop after I finished one book I would start a new one the same day. My Mom called me a “chain reader.” I still love books and read all the time. People are saying that online books may takeover and real books will die all I can say I will never start reading online books. It loses the sense of accomplishment when you turn the last page. If it comes to the point where books stop being printed and die out, I’ll die too. I love literacy and its part of me, it’s something that really matter.