This blog should give teachers a starting point for a class discussion on the power of reading.

When visiting a school recently a year 3 child asked me “Why should I read books ?”. It's such an obvious question, but in all my thousands of school visits nobody has ever asked me that before. I was more than happy to answer though as being such a keen reader since my early years was my first step to becoming a poet/author as an adult.

Reading extends your vocabulary. Learning new words will help your writing, speaking and listening skills at school, at home, in college and in whatever job you finally choose to do.

Reading teaches you new facts. For example, you might never travel to Jupiter but if you read a book you can learn many things about it, see pictures of it and further develop your knowledge and intelligence.

Reading develops your imagination. When I run my poetry workshops, the children, teens and adults who don't read have limited imaginations, find it much harder to picture things in their heads and, therefore, struggle to express themselves when writing.

Reading is great fun and relaxing. While using computers, tablets, phones etc is something we all like to do, it's healthy for our eyes and brains to have a break from them. So books can be enjoyable diversions from our IT and a great way to chill out too.

Reading is a fantastic social activity. When my parents used to read to me in bed at night, it was a wonderful way for me to spend some private and memorable time with them, and a relaxing activity before shutting my eyes before going to sleep. Older children and teens can also form stronger bonds with their younger siblings by reading to them.

Reading can be free. It's great to buy a book and keep it forever, but if you join your local library you can take out around 25 books at a time and it will cost you absolutely nothing! There will be comics, magazines, graphic novels etc there for you too (all reading = good reading!). And if your eyes are tired or you find reading words from a page challenging, borrow audio books – they are also completely free and all libraries stock them

So go on – as my poem says - get addicted to books:

Cool Addiction

My head is stuck inside this book

I only meant to take a look

Till I saw what had been written

Instantly my mind was smitten

In a land of fascination

Sparking my imagination

Passions burning like a flame

Pictures dancing in my brain

My head is stuck inside this book

Just one page was all it took

I was focused and engaged

Thrilled, enthralled and entertained

Title, cover - so inviting

Words speak to me - so exciting

Such adventure, such intrigue

In a world of make believe

My head is stuck inside this book

Superglued, completely hooked

Unaware of all around me

Once this magic story found me

Characters feel like my friends

Plot unfolding till the end

Whether fact or whether fiction

Reading is a cool addiction

By NZ