In 1986, I was eight years old when I first discovered the magic of reading through *George's Marvellous Medicine* by Roald Dahl. It was Rik Mayall's unforgettable reading on Jackanory that truly ignited my passion. I was captivated by his storytelling—especially his portrayal of the mischievous George and the wicked Grandma. That copy of George's Marvellous Medicine became a treasure of mine, one I read over and over again, and, years later, I had the joy of sharing it with my own children.
Books have always been my gateway to magical worlds. I particularly love series that take me on journeys to fantastical lands, with *The Chronicles of Narnia* by C.S. Lewis being an early favourite. Of course, like many, I have also ventured into the Wizarding World of *Harry Potter*. I'm a proud Hufflepuff (my wand is Rowan Wood with a Dragon Heartstring, 13", reasonably supple, and my Patronus is a Piebald Stallion—check out Harry Potter Wizarding World to get sorted!).
More recently, I’ve embraced the worlds of dystopian fiction. *The Hunger Games* series by Suzanne Collins stands out, especially as I raise two daughters of my own, hoping they will grow up to be as courageous and compassionate as Katniss Everdeen. As my tastes have evolved, I’ve delved into darker, imagined futures such as Margaret Atwood’s *The Handmaid’s Tale* and her Booker Prize-winning sequel, *The Testaments*—both brilliant and highly recommended for adults.
For me, books are a way to explore new worlds, expand my imagination, and connect with characters who inspire. Whether it's revisiting childhood classics or discovering new dystopian realms, reading is a lifelong journey that I love sharing with others.
I am and have always been a bookworm. Moving from Oxford to Cornwall in 2018 highlighted my book obsession as a third of our brown boxes were packed with books. My TBR pile is out of control, and I am constantly reading the weekend reviews and adding more books to my online shopping basket.
I am lucky to have a group of bookish friends. We formed our Book Club towards the end of last year and meet monthly to discuss our chosen novel. 'In Memoriam' by Alice Winn has been our most popular book to date and while we agreed it was a tough read, we were touched by the characters who have remained with us long after we put the book back on the shelf.
As a mum to a animal mad nine-year-old, we have recently started to explore nature-based adventure stories. Hannah Gold, Abi Elphinstone and Jess Butterworth are heavily featured on my daughter’s bookshelf, and I secretly love sharing a chapter or two as much as she does!
Books are a welcome escape for me. They bring me joy and help me to unwind after a busy day at school and I can't imagine my life without them.
Currently on maternity leave
My love of books dates back as far as I can remember. Saturday mornings were often spent in the children's section of Waterstones, negotiating with my Grandad as to how many I was allowed to buy. I still struggle to walk past a bookstore without a quick browse inside and I love a good rummage on a charity shop shelf to see if I can find a bargain that is begging to be read!
Books provide us with the ability to explore places that we might not visit and meet people from all walks of life. You know when a book has got under your skin when you feel like you have a new set of friends. When you are flying through the pages just to make sure they are ok. When you are crying at the end of one chapter and laughing at the next.
As a teacher, books are an important part of my classroom. We start each morning with a poem and end the day with a picture book that the children have voted for. Books are used to support subjects across the curriculum and help to bring lessons to life. There is nothing better than sharing a book with a child and watching the magic come to life in their eyes.
'I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!' - Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
In 1986 Rik Mayall read George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl for Jackanory. I was 8 years old and I was hooked. I watched silently, in awe of the mischief making George and totally transfixed by Rik Mayall's storyteller voices- most memorably the evil Grandma. I couldn't wait for the next episode to transport me to the magical world Roald Dahl had created and I still have my original copy which I read over and over and over again. Fast forward 34 years and I have just read that copy to my own
children.
I have always loved the way books can transport you to another world and love nothing more than finding a good series, usually magical fantasy lands. From CS Lewis' classic The Chronicles of Narnia, to the modern classic of Harry Potter (I'm Hufflepuff, my wand is Rowan Wood with a Dragon Heartstring 13", reasonably supple, and my patronus is a Piebald Stallion- check out Harry Potter Wizarding World to be officially sorted)
I adore the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, I have two daughters and want them to be as caring, astute and fearless as Katniss. As I've grown up, my interest in magical worlds has broadened to include the imagined dystopian futures and I have thoroughly enjoyed Margaret Attwood's dark, dystopian Handmaid's Tale and more recently her Booker Prize winning, The Testaments- a highly recommended read for adults.
As far back as I can remember I was lucky enough to be read story books as a child. I loved the feeling of being snuggled up in my bed with my mum or dad reading to me. I loved looking at the pictures and even taking it in turns to press the sounds buttons with my brother as my mum read us one of our favourites, The Billy goats gruff. Another one we loved was Little rabbit foo foo! Looking back, it wasn’t so much the story but the way our mum would make up silly voices and sing parts of the story which we loved to join in with. That was what we really loved, the fun and feelings that came with the whole experience of a book.
The first set of books I remember reading myself were the Animal Ark series, I think the first one I read was ‘kittens in the kitchen’ and after that I was hooked. I also enjoyed the famous five books as I adore an adventure and of course the Roald Dahl books. The first books that kept me up under my duvet with a torch, so my parents thought I was sleeping, were the Harry Potter books. I read the pages until my eyes stung and just couldn’t stay open any longer. I just wanted to know what happened next and this continued into adulthood. One book in particular was Jamacia inn, which I read whenever I had a spare minute. Of course it didn’t take long to finish. It’s funny how you can’t wait to turn the next page but are slightly disappointed when it ends as the excitement is over. Luckily, there is always another great book to start reading.
Just like being read to as a child, I think as an adult it’s the feelings the story can evoke in each of us that makes it so enjoyable. The excitement, the anticipation, the possibilities that just aren’t tangible in our own lives. You can be any character in any world and experience any adventure when you choose the right book. That’s what I love most about reading.
I adore reading! I can remember my Mum and Dad reading to me when I was very young and I was hooked on reading anything and everything as soon as I could read myself. If I didn’t have a book to read, I would read the cereal packets when I ate my breakfast! I loved the author Enid Blyton as I was transported to a magical world, full of strange and wonderful characters visiting mysterious, fantasy lands. I also read all The Famous Five books - full of mysteries to investigate and solve. I thought I would make a great detective. My Mum and Dad remember every night having to come into my bedroom, turn off the light and take off my glasses as I’d fallen asleep reading - I still do that now! In a perfect world I would read every day - I usually have my nose in a book if I have the chance and I prefer a good book to any film. I love crime and thriller books, as well as biographies - it’s always fascinating learning about other people and their life experiences. I have a kindle with hundreds of books downloaded but I still prefer an actual real-life book to hold and I, strangely, love the smell of a brand-new book! Reading really is the best.
Josh Parmenter
ITT Student
My enjoyment of books started as a child when I began to read Enid Blyton, (still have the books). I also liked the Wind & the Willows and the collection of tales by Beatrix Potter.
Whilst away travelling, exploring and working I used to read various travel guides and fiction books in my spare time. More recently, I choose to listen to audiobooks and read daily with my two boys in the evenings. We take turns to choose a book or continue a story we have started.
I love their choice of books, which often range from popular author's like David Walliams and Roald Dahl, to Dinosaur facts, Star Wars and The Titanic.
Lately, we have been enjoying reading books by Michael Morpurgo.
