Why I Love Reading....

I recently saw this question posted on Book Blogs and thought it was such a great question that it deserved its own post.

Do I love to read? That question is simple for me, of course I love to read! As far back as I can remember I have always read (and before I could read or write I made picture books, ‘hand’ books, ‘foot’ books – you name it, I made it!). I vividly remember having a ‘reading time’ attached to my bedtime otherwise I would have stayed up all night reading. The library has always been a safe space for me, and I love that my children get just as excited as I used to (and still do) when we make at trip to the library.

Why do I read? Well that depends on what I am reading and what is going on in my life. The most basic reason that I read is for information. As a Childbirth Educator and Doula I read a lot of books about childbirth, breastfeeding, newborn care, baby sleep habits, postpartum depression etc. so that I can stay up to date with research in the field. One of the reasons that I like historical fiction so much is because as a history major in university I love to know about where we came from as well as the histories of other cultures. Social history is very exciting for me so reading historical fiction is another way for me to inform myself and satisfy my curious nature.

A small collection of my childbirth books

I am also a big time collector of craft and sewing books. I am a sucker for anything quilting related (especially if it showcases quilts made with bright, flashy fabrics and fun, vibrant patterns) and my “to-sew” list is growing at about the same speed of my “to-read” list (which is exponential!). I also love books about being creative with the family – I have a hard time passing up kids craft books. Sweetpea is getting to the age where she loves to create, and Ladybug is getting there… her attention span still limits her to about 5 minutes of colouring, stamping or painting at a time, but she has a great time for that 5 minutes!

A few craft/sewing books and quilting magazines

I love to read to my children because it gives them a chance to really use their imaginations. When we read we make up our own endings (ie. what did she do next, what happened when she got to the castle, why was he in the forest) and it is to thrilling for me to watch them engage and get so excited about our books. Reading is also a great chance for us to learn through play. Sweetpea learned her colours, shapes and counting from reading stories and she was never aware that she was “learning” anything (not in a formal sense at least).

The girl's downstairs reading nook. The 'big' bookshelf is in my room and I rotate these books out every few months.

Of course I also read for fun. Reading for me is an escape – a way to let go of the stresses of the day and really unwind. When I read I become completely wrapped up in the story and if it’s a really good book, or one that I really enjoy, I can actually “see” the characters and surroundings and “feel” what is happening in the story. I think this is my favourite part of reading, when you find a book that is so good you experience it on such a sensory level.

I could go on and on about why I love to read but I would love to hear from you. Do you love to read? Why do you read? What is your favourite genre?