I am not ashamed to say that I am a book lover. Despite my love for thrilling stories now, I wasn’t always passionate toward books.

When I was a kid, I loved hearing fun, adventure-filled stories. Having the creative imagination I do, I loved picturing what the characters looked like or creating movies in my head. Sometimes I would pretend I was the hero of the story, creating new twists and turns in the plot for own version of the story. I loved pretending I was the princess, wearing a long, elegant dress, and being swept off my feet by a brave rescuer.

Though my mind ran wild the stories I heard, reading the stories didn’t quite have the same effect. I was good at reading, no doubt, ahead of most of the kids in my class. However, the motivation to pursue through the first few chapters of a book was lacking. I felt bored, uninterested of the setting and character development.

When I hit third grade, I was encouraged to read various books and explore my taste. I really, honestly hated the idea of venturing out into unknown book territory. I read many different genres written by authors of many different cultures. Though I slowly trudged through the novels at first, by the end, I had become passionate about reading.

“What changed?” you might ask.

Previous to this little venture, I easily gave up on books that didn’t immediately interest me. Through discovering new writing styles, I learned to stick with books through the rough parts, because they might make the good parts even better! I also learned about new devices authors utilize, including symbolism. Through paying attention to the details throughout a book, I could piece things together to find a greater meaning, one deeply applicable to my life. I became really interested in how authors chose to utilize diction to communicate their point. It inspired me.

Over my time of reading outside my comfort zone, I became a stronger reader. Many things that wouldn’t have made sense at the beginning of my book journey suddenly made sense by the end. I became more intelligent and increased my vocabulary. I enjoyed compliments from my peers on my knowledge. Being a better reader enabled me to create those same metal images I created when being read to. Previous to my reading adventure, I had difficulty doing so, but after, it was as if I unlocked a whole new whole. Reading also helped become a better student, and it helped me understand ways in which the world worked. These are things I, otherwise, would not have learned.

Reading various, unfamiliar novels really benefited me. Now, I am passionate about reading, something my elementary self didn’t think would happen. I approach books with a broader mind, and closely abide by the quote, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” I challenge you to get outside your literary comfort zone. If you hate reading, give it a second chance. You might be surprisingly impressed by the outcome.