I’ve never had a problem with learning to read, but I know of so many who have – either because of dyslexia or because they simply weren’t interested in learning it.
My parents brought me to either the library or the library bus from a very early age, they read to me and my babysitters had to read to me, until the point where I could do it myself. The first thicker book I remember reading myself was Anne of Green Gables, fittingly enough.
I was the sort of kid who brought a tome (Agatha Christie’s collected works) with me out to read during recess in 5th grade, because it was so exciting.
When I worked as an aide in the children’s department, we had so many parents come in, either with their child or without them, and say: “My child does not like to read. Can you help me find something interesting to get them reading?”
I’m very happy to hear Princess Beatrice of York’s story when she says that ‘Harry Potter helped her overcome dyslexia,’ because it shows that reading can be fun if you just find the right trigger to do it. (Incidentally, I have a dyslectic former classmate who had a similar experience as Beatrice in that the Harry Potter series was her trigger as well in the world of reading for fun. )
As a corporate librarian, I don’t get those moments much anymore.
