As a child reading was never something that I would choose to do. In fact, I loathed reading and could not understand the need for books beyond those that were required for school.  This probably speaks volumes about the way reading was presented to me as a student and truth be known, I suspect that I have somewhat of an undiagnosed reading disability.  Flash forward to my early twenties when I discovered crime novels.  I began devouring them, and for the first time in my life I discovered what it means to "get lost in a book." Reading was not a chore and I began to choose to read over doing other pastimes. 

 

So how does this connect to this page of professional books?  I like to think that crime novels served as my "personal reading portal."  The enjoyment I experienced while reading books that I love, led to the idea that reading can be a positive experience when a person is motivated.  In fact, to this day my two favorite types of books are crime/true crime novels and books about education innovation (my two passions).  This has made a profound impact on how I believe we should approach reading for students. Book choice is invaluable when it comes to instilling a positive attitude toward reading.  Thankfully, many schools are realizing this and providing students with quality book choices to allow them to find their own "personal reading portal."

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