I have decided that this year, I want to watch less television and get back into my reading. I love to read! When I was a kid, you would never see me without my nose in a book. The first (proper) book that I read all the way through was Matilda. I was 7 and it took me 3 weeks but I was so proud of myself. Although I had always enjoyed reading, I think the person I really need to thank for my love of reading is Mr Williamson, my class teacher in Year 4 (when I was 9 years old). He used to get books out of the local library for us to read that were generally more interesting than the ones that we had at school (especially because I had read most of them). I remember reading my first Jacqueline Wilson book (Sleepovers – though closely followed by Tracy Beaker) and being hooked. Even when I was far too old for Jacqueline Wilson’s books, I still got her new releases to read. It was a dream come true when (aged 12) I went to one of Jacqueline Wilson’s book signings as she toured her new book, Best Friends.
In fact, the only New Year’s Resolution that I have ever managed to keep was to do with reading…and again, thanks to Mr Williamson: only read one book at a time!!! I must confess that at the minute I am reading two books at the same time. But one of those is the Iliad, and I find that with that book, I have to be in the right mood for it because it is so hard going and I can go for weeks without wanting to pick it up.
My dresser is completely full of books!!! And I mean full! I can’t fit any more in. And that was after a clear out taking a load of books down to the charity shop – problem was I bought more while I was there. So hopefully, with this challenge I can get through some of them.
Although 52 books should be about one a week, I aim that some weeks I will read more than one book so that sometimes I can take a bit longer on a book. This is mainly because I was bought the Game of Thrones books 2 years ago for Christmas and so far have read 3 of them…they definitely take longer than a week to read. So we will see how I get on.
Books so far:
- Land Rover by Ben Fogle
- The Witch Finder’s Sister by Beth Underwood
- Adventures of a Young Naturalist by David Attenborough
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K Rowling
- Game of Thrones: A Storm of Swords: Part 2: Blood and Gold by George R. R. Martin
- Changeling by Philippa Gregory
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
- The Truth and Lies of Ella Black by Emily Barr
Traveller Teddy 