The Magical World of Reading by Haleigh

The Magical World of Reading by Haleigh - May 2017 Scholarship Essay

“Mom, do I have to?” was the question I asked a lot as a little kid. Especially when I was told to go read a book. I always struggled with reading and was put into a reading development class when I was in elementary school. Reading was always a struggle for me, that was until I was in fourth grade and Harry Potter had just come out.
My mom had volunteered to come in to my class and read us a story. So, we set out to the book store to find a book that I thought my class would enjoy. While looking through the shelves I found myself getting board until I came across an unusual book. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, I don’t know if it was because I had a hard time sounding out the word “sorcerer’s,” or the picture of a boy on the cover, but I grabbed it and gave it to my mom. The next day she came to my class and started reading; from the first sentence I was hooked.
The story of a boy who felt alone and as if he didn’t belong touched my soul. I was not alone but did feel alone because I was the only one in the class that would have to leave during reading time to go to my “special” class. In this class we would work on phonograms and simple stories. We had lot of books we would read in there, but it wasn’t until I read Harry Potter with my mom that I found a love of reading. I connected with Harry and found a love for the funny words and magical place I was taken into as we read. I choose Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone as the book that most influenced my life because it opened my eyes to the enchanted world that books can take me. It helped me to learn hard words and to want to try to become a better reader. When I would get home from school I would beg my mom to let me see the Harry Potter book so I could continue read. I thirsted and yearned to read on.
Without this book, I might still be the girl who would dread reading in front of the class. Or being called on to read a section from a text book. Reading can open one’s eyes to the many opportunities of life. As my mother did for me, I hope to help my children find a love for reading. Whether that is through fun magical stories, or from learning new concepts through text books everyone should have the opportunity to read.