Reading as a Hobby

I just cannot stop buying books for my girl.

Even though i can get e-books now, i still prefer the feel and smell of the good old book in my hands. I always feel that looking at e-books will spoil the eyes (is that true?). I grew up reading many books and I have a particular love for Enid Blyton, The Picture Bible, encyclopedias, Roald Dahl and Christopher Pike. I remember my very first encounter with books. I was probably primary 2 then. i was with my dad's relatives and was given a huge bag filled with Enid Blyton's books. I was so awed by them that I actually still remember it now. As I'm the only child, these books occupied a lot of my time and i just get immersed in storyworld. Pixies, elves, goblins, throlls and fairies were one of my favourite themes! Reading storybooks improved my English by leaps and bounds. When I entered primary 1, I knew not a single word of English. So now I firmly believe that reading is a great tool to improve one's language.

I love it whenever my girl just sits on the sofa quietly and read on and on. I would often wonder what's going on in her little mind. Sometimes, she will tell me what she learns from all her reading and sometimes i am amazed by what she has picked up. Whenever we are at the bookshop e.g. Popular, I will just tell my girl, ok choose any 2 books and I'll buy them for you. I just want to give her more and more knowledge!

As I entered secondary school, my reading decreased as I got involved in ECAs (now known as CCAs) and BGRs lol. But I was still reading, in particular Roald Dahl (imaginative and light-hearted) and Christopher Pike (thrilling and mysterious). My reading habit literally disappeared as I started my diploma. By then my English is really not bad already la.. Got an A2 for O levels, managed to get into Legal Studies Diploma. ;P

Ya so, I really want my girl to gain her knowledge from her love of reading. Just that books take up space and my shelf is really not that big. Maybe my stuff have to go. I still keep my Japanese language books and materials.. I was learning Japanese for a good one year and i have many worksheets that I can't bear to throw. Maybe i really should just throw now.. no point keeping them right? In fact hubby is at home right now clearing some stuff from the console that we are going to give away to make space for our girl's new ergonomic table & chair set, plus her bed. Early CNY spring cleaning!