Reading History Essay
Literacy. There are so many different definitions and ways to explain this one little word. In the dictionary, literacy is written as : the quality or state of being literate, esp. the ability to read and write. I believe that having literacy or being a literate person is saying that you have “a way with words”. Being literate means being able to say, express, or re-tell something that you saw or learned. You apply literacy when you speak, read, and write. Everyone is literate. Some people just may not know it. I believe that the roots of literacy are planted when people start realizing that they are gaining knowledge. When your mind grows and learns, you become more knowledgeable of your surroundings and you can better understand and express ideas, questions, and concerns. When people started learning things and communicating, they could record the things they learned, becoming a literate society. People start becoming literate at a very young age, when they learn to talk, write, and read.
When I was a child, I was always an avid reader. I think that my family really influenced me to start reading, because for as long as I can remember, I had a book in my hands. My first experiences with reading were having my family read to me, and teaching me how to read. When I was in Kindergarten, I was reading at a first/second grade level. Some of my favorite books to read back then were Goodnight Moon, The Cat In The Hat, and No, David.
After Kindergarten, Elementary School came. We were no longer reading just picture books, but starting to read books with long chapters and smaller words on each page. In 1st grade I transferred into Folsom Elementary School through the Choice Program, a program designed for kids who lived farther away from the school, but still wished to attend. All kinds of books sparked my interest from first to fifth grade. The ones that stand out are Superfudge, Blubber (and basically every other Judy Blume book ever written) the Harry Potter series, and Just a Little Bit Lost. Teachers influenced me every year to read. Countless book reports and Guided Reading opened new doors to literature.
When middle school came around, much too quickly, I was still in Folsom (it was Pre-K to 8th grade in one building). These years were the turning point in my literate life. I learned to read, and love, genres that I never thought I would read. I read mystery, for the first time, and fell in love with it. Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews was an amazing book full of mystery, suspense, and a little horror. It was by far the best book that I have ever read. Then, I was craving a mysterious book that made me think. I read other mystery novels like Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten and 13 Little Blue Envelopes. This was also a great mystery book. I also read a lot of Sarah Dessen novels, which were all very good.
And now we have come to the present. High School. I hope to read even more great books in high school, and ones that I never thought that I would read. Most of the time, whenever I read a book, I love it, no matter what genre. I know that I will read forms of poetry along with the many novels I read on a monthly basis. I believe that I am a very literate person, and always will be. I love to read, write, and express myself on paper, and verbally. Literacy has been, and always will be, a huge part of my life.
At this moment in time, I feel that reading is a great thing for everyone. I love to read, and I hope to be able to share my love of reading. Right now, I am not reading anything, but just finished reading Speak and Wintergirls, and I am hoping that my literate mind will guide me to another great novel to read very soon. Literacy is a very important thing to have, because nobody would be able to get through this world without it. If people couldn’t read, write, or express themselves, the world would be dull, and unorganised. I know that literacy has helped me in life by giving me many opportunities to learn more, and spread my knowledge, and everyone should have the chance to do the same. Literacy is like a tree. Once the roots of literacy are embedded into you, they won’t ever go away. Even if the tree itself is damaged, the roots still remain.
*Below are links to the books that I have mentioned above*
Goodnight Moon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight_Moon
The Cat in the Hat: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cat_in_the_Hat
Superfudge: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superfudge
Harry Potter: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter
Just a Little Bit Lost: http://www.amazon.com/Just-Little-Lost-Laurel-Trivelpiece/dp/0590414658
Flowers in the Attic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowers_in_the_Attic
Wherever Nina Lies: http://www.thisispoint.com/books/whereverninalies.asp
13 Little Blue Envelopes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13_Little_Blue_Envelopes
