Fictitious Worlds are Better than the Real World

Learning to read is right up there with learning how to speak. It is something that everyone should be able to do. Now, at one point in time, it wasn't something that everyone was ALLOWED to learn but it has always been something that everyone should learn in my opinion. Being able to read is being able to communicate. Being able to read is being able to discover and be knowledgeable. Being able to read is being able to escape reality and explore within yourself. 

It's hard to recall what started me on reading or what my first book was. I'm sure my parents played a role though. My mother has always loved to read too. She has always encouraged us to read and has pushed us to explore new stories. Even those which may be controversial and banned in schools nowadays. If I'm being honest though, even without her encouragement, I don't think I wouldn't have loved reading. Yes, that is a lot of negatives in a single sentence. Let's just put it this way; do you remember the 100 Book Challenge reading assignments we would receive for homework? All the different colored levels are based on your reading comprehension. Or how about the Reading Olympics groups? The kids who would essentially be in a book club and read books in a certain time and then have to answer questions on the books and proceed to compete their knowledge against kids in other schools? I was one of those kids. I was the kid who reached 100 books within the first month of being back to school and I'm not just talking about the easy 20-page picture books, I'm talking about those two and three-hundred-page chapter books with the tiny print. 

Growing up, I definitely started out on books like The Magic Tree House and Goosebumps, The Castle in the Attic, Series of Unfortunate Events, etc. And I loved every second of them, I still do. In fact, I recently came across my copy of Castle in the Attic and have the urge to re-read it now. Being able to read about these fantasy worlds allows you to grow your imagination, grow your vocabulary, grow your general knowledge of the world, and your social skills. It can even broaden your horizons and allow you to remain open to the opinions of others. 

Exploring those fictitious worlds contained within the pages of books can often be better than experiencing the real world and the drama. Being able to acknowledge chivalrous deeds. Witnessing people living in harmony with the planet and nature rather than trying to run it over and take control. Seeing bonds form and romances blossom which you likely wouldn't be able to do yourself. Seeing how countries are run and how they collapse under pressure. Not to mention it takes significantly less time to see the events come to fruition than it does for you to see the outcomes of real-life events and changes. The real world can be boring and slow or it can be fast and disappointing, maybe you'll luck out and have an exciting adventure for a day or two. Books are going to be quicker, more fulfilling, and consistent.

Unless of course, you're reading one of those choose your own adventure books. I can't help you explain those ones. They just show you how mentally you adjust and seek out certain things depending on the events going on in your own personal journey.