My Occassional Love, But Forever Hatred of Reading.

 As a toddler, before pre-school, I can recall my mom reading "bedtime stories" to my brother and I. Most of the books were filled with pictures full of radiant colors that seemed to flow straight off the page and into my imagination. We read Dr. Seuss' books the most. The rhyming captured my attention and I was always very amused in the books we read.
         While entering pre-school, reading was still considered a "time". "Story time" held place right before "nap time", every day in pre-school. I never would pick up my own book to look at pictures like some other kids did. I was that shy girl that hid behind her teachers seemingly over-sized legs to escape from boys wanting to play.
         During 3rd and 4th grade I can commemorate a program called "Accelerated Reading" and I absolutely hated it. Mostly known as "AR", Accelerated Reading was a program that included the students reading a book, then taking a computerized test to make sure you read and understood the book. Each test you took, you got so many points for it. Many kids would get into the 50 point club, 75 point club, some even 100 point club. Me? The highest I ever reached was the 10 point club.
          Still not very interested in reading, I entered the 4th and 5th grade. Although it was not a place for kids who didn't enjoy reading, I loved to go in the library. Here, I found books that I could actually enjoy reading.. that is, on the occassion of course. Unlike most kids who filled their minds with unrealistic, fictional books, I found my interest in non-fiction novels. I rememeber reading books like An Uphill Climb by Dave Sargent and The Diary of Anne Frank. I even was interested in historical fiction books such as Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson.
          Soon enough though, my interest in non-fictional novels fadded. I was now probably in the 6th and 7th grade when I discovered my interest that would cling to me forever. Meteorology. I found any kind of non fiction book, some even fiction, that was weather related in any way. My personal favorites were ones on the topic of storms and tornadoes. Not many kids understood why I read these "hard" books or "books with no pictures". I went through almost all of the weather related books in the library fairly quick and thirsted for more. I began finding informational books at the store with my mom and would beg for her to buy me more. Of course I had 100 different weather books at home, yet I would always plead, "Just one more, mom!".
         Now at age 15, I hate reading. Reading has left the building! Occasionally I find a good book. I can't read the books my friends enjoy. Books such as The Fault In Our Stars by John Greene and The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen. These teenager seeming books never interested me and I could never stay engaged. The only good books I read now are what my friends call, "adult books". Books such as Alex Cross by James Patterson and To Kill A Mocking Bird by Nelle Lee Harper.
          I soon hope to be a better reader. I've always wanted to be an excessive reader, but that's just not me. My goal is to finish the James Patterson series Alex Cross by the end of the school year. My vocabulary, I hope, will expand as I keep reading.