In his talk here in Bangkok, Thailand last September 20, 2008, Dr. Stephen Krashen (www.sdkrashen.com) talked about the homerun book for every reader, and how crucial it is to jumpstart ALL other reading interests in the future.

He says for every lifelong reader, there is that one book or one reading experience that started it all. And it could happen at any age. This homerun experience is so special or distinct that many readers could still remember the title, or the author, or the characters of the first story/book that ever got them started on reading. It’s the one book/story that they could hardly put down, that they were most probably not ‘told’ to read, and one they definitely read up to the very end.

In my adult reading program, I asked students what their homerun books were. Not surprisingly, those who can identify their homerun books are the strong readers. And so it occurred to me… if you wish to improve your reading, and actually, improve your overall language abilities, find your homerun book!

It doesn’t have to be a novel the likes John Grisham writes. It could be your Sweet Valley High series, or The Hardy Boys. It can even be Captain Underpants, Scooby-Doo or Archie’s Digest/Betty and Veronica. The catch is, you have to really want to read it; you can hardly put it down to go relieve yourself in the restroom. You find it so exciting you can hardly wait to know what happens next.

That’s the kind of anticipation that builds reading interest. And so, if you wish for your learners to become lifelong readers, or you have children of your own whom you want to motivate to read, or you yourself wish to BE a reader, then find that homerun book today!

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