I was in my grade five class in elementary school. At this age, I had always enjoyed reading, but I saw it more as a task to be completed than as something to enjoy. Reading and comprehension were the ever-present goals of our learning. Can you not only read this text but also understand it and then regurgitate the relevant facts back to us? Furthermore, can you create your own opinion of the text and understand things like Metaphor and allusion? I almost always could. It wasnt until an instructor of mine asked me if I had ever read any fantasy that I became more curious. He recommended the book Salamandastron by Brian Jacques. It felt like such a special moment. This book didn’t come from the library or a recommended list. My teacher carefully leafed through his private collection behind his desk and picked it out. When he handed it to me, he said, “I think you’re mature enough to really appreciate a story like this.” Grade 5 me felt so grown up. having this adult conversation about books and fantasy almost being invited to share something between my teacher and I that no one else in the class had. something of my own. more than that, he added, “If you like it, I want you to keep it.” I think this was the first time in my life I had been given a gift from an adult that wasn’t for my birthday or Christmas, and more than that, it was completely unprompted. I began to read this book voraciously. Really whats not to like, a badger in full plate mail is pretty metal! The characters and conflict all felt so exciting and real. This book was the first time I could read and felt like I was watching a movie in my mind. Some more details and a synopsis of the book can be found here. I still have this book, it sits quielty on my shelf I have read it a number of times and the cover is well worn and its pages turning yellow with age, some of them dog eared. I am waiting until I can give it to one of my friends’ children or read it with them, hopefully sparking their interest in reading. This book was a fantastic read, but the important parts of the story are more about the interaction. My instructor took an interest in me, knew I would like the genre, and then presented the book as a gift and an invitation to connect over something we both enjoyed.
The next part of this post will be dedicated to answering Promts around reading from the text “Sometimes reading is hard” that we are working with in class
How do you feel about reading? Tell me about it.
I have enjoyed reading since my grade five teacher gave me the book Salamandastron. I think strength in reading and comprehension has helped me in school and, as a young reader, has helped me punch above my weight when it comes to reading novels and fantasy books. I was 11 when the first Harry Potter book came out, so I grew up with that series, which was a delight.
What types of books do you like to read?
I read a lot for school, which gives me a wide variety of material, but for pleasure, I mostly read fantasy books or graphic novels. I recently read the 7 Books in the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman, as well as many manuals and game companions for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), since I run a campaign and play in one.
List some hobbies and things you like to do outside of school.
Outside of school, I play basketball frequently and volunteer my time assisting with coaching in the community. I am big into all types of games, mainly board games and League of Legends. I also run a D&D Campaign where I DM (dungeon master) for five people bi-weekly. This is something I’m very passionate about, as it’s a great tool for comedic improv and for developing my skills as an educator. Coinciding with my campaign, I 3d print and paint minatures. I also spend time with my partner of 8 years exploring the Kootenays, skiing, and going to concerts.
Who are your favourite authors?
My favorite authors are probably Brian Jaques, who wrote the Redwall series and Gylian Flynn, who wrote Gone Girl and Sharp Objects.
Tell me a bit about the last book you read that you really enjoyed.
The last book I really enjoyed was Strong Female Protagonist. The book was written by one of my all-time favorite authors, DM’s Brennan Lee Mulligan. The book follows the life of a college student with super strength who was part of a superhero team in her youth. The book flips many common superhero tropes on their head as Allison reflects on her time as a superhero through the lens of a child soldier employed by the American government. This experience leads her to ask more philosophical questions about her time, like: Does might make right? and did she become a superhero because of her powers or because of the circumstances of her upbringing and good parents? Oftentimes, the line between becoming the hero or villain in one’s own story is very thin, and it’s the people around us who help to keep us on the right side. The book is about loss, finding oneself, and sacrifice.
Tell me a bit about what you have been doing since last semester during your winter break. How have you been spending your time?
I have spent most of my time working since winter break, saving money for this semester and spending time with my family and my partner.
What subjects or topics do you like learning about?
I like learning about psychology. I’ll likely take a master’s in counselling psychology after I finish my bachelor’s. I also enjoy history and social studies.
If you could read a book about one thing, what would that be?
There is a fan theory in the Pokémon universe about a war that occurred before the Gen I games, Red, Blue, and Yellow. I think a book about that would be very interesting, especially if it were more of a gritty reimagining of the manga. Perhaps this could be George Martin’s (the writer for Game of Thrones) next project.