What food and vitamins are to the body,

Reading is to the brain, heart and soul.

As you read you begin to collect beautiful words.

To learn new words you need a good dictionary.

Exchange words and quotations with your friends.

The golden rule is to learn one new word each day.

Parents should participate in this venture.

How do you start reading?

By simply reading the first sentence of a book

And the great journey has begun.

Read aloud beautiful paragraphs and passages.

Reading of a newspaper aloud at family talks

Can be an illuminating experience

The reading of books teaches us of events and people.

You will learn of the French Revolution, the Taj Mahal,

The Swan of Avon, bullfighting in Spain,

The Sisitine Chapel in Rome, the majesty of the Pyraminds,

And of Kings and Queens, Prince and Paupers,

Reading will take you into the caverns of your own Mind,

It will give you a glimpse of Heaven and Hell,

The stark naked hardships on Robben Island,

Tempestuous seas and roaring waves,

And the quivering heat of the Arabian Desert.

Reading will enthral you with the love stories

Of Romeo and Juliet, Laila and Majnnu,

Yusuf and Zuleikha, Beatrice and Dante –

Stories that are both bold and beautiful.

Collecting books will help you form your own library.

Books will bring to you balm and solace.

“A good book is the precious life-blood

of a Master-spirit”. (John Milton)

Reading books must give you joy and fun.

But to ask question is the beginning of wisdom.

Reading gives you an insight into the world of

Love and hate, Truth and lies, War and Peace,

Happiness and sorrow, Beauty and ugliness,

Courage and cowardice, power and meekness.

Awaiting you is the world of Shakespeare, Dickens,

Dostoyovsky, Bertrand Russell, Somerset Maugham, George Bernard Shaw,

Eskia Mphahlele, Peter Abrahams, Athol Fugard,

Ahmed Essop, Don Mattera, Rumi, and Khalil Gibran.

Reading introduces you to characters, imaginary and living:

Hamlet, Charlie Chaplin, Michael Angelo, Sir Isaac Newton,

King Lear and Cordelia and Imogen, Confucius, Mohamed Ali,

Gandhi and Madiba and Othello and Shylock.

Reading leads you into the company of the greats.

The realm of the imagination opens up the

Universe of Knowledge as you embrace

The writings of the mighty dead.

The Fountain of Literature is flowing before you,

Drink from it, quench your thirst for learning.

You shall feel cleansed and satisfied.

Reading becomes a lifelong habit

Books will be your lifelong friends.

By Yusuf Chubb Garda