In today’s modern world, there are a plethora of technological advancements which have brought about some drastic changes in our lives. There are hundreds of different gadgets that can do almost everything, from surfing the Internet to Artificial Intelligence. We can get any information we need with just a click of a mouse. There is no need to spend hours in a library, flipping through numerous books in order to find a little piece of information. But even though technology has made things so much easier, books will still be a very important part of our lives.

Books are magical. They can pull you into a world that seems so real that you get lost in it. The poetic words weave beautiful scenes that come together into a magnificent story. You can travel around the globe by just sitting at home and reading a book. You can adventure through forests, sail across the oceans and conquer mountains. And for all this, you just need a book that whisks you away to another foreign world.

Now, you may ask me, what difference is there between books and gadgets? I mean you read the same stuff either way, right?

But, truthfully no matter how many gadgets are developed in place of a book, not even one can quite come close to the comfort that it can offer. The feel of the coarse paper beneath your fingers and the beautiful smell of the pages, all this is part of the experience of reading a book. There is nothing more relaxing than curling up in a corner with a book in your hand and a coffee by your side.

Besides when you read from a gadget, whether it’s a Kindle or an iPhone or a MacBook, we are still staring at a screen. It can be really harmful for our eyes. I tried it out myself. But downloading the pdf version of books on your laptop and reading will never give you the same feeling as curling up with a good book in the couch. So, trust me when I say that nothing can ever, truly replace the simple, beloved and trustworthy book.

Reading books has tons of benefits. First of all, there are lots of different genres. Mystery, fiction, fantasy, romance, science-fiction, non-fiction and hundreds more. Personally, my favorite is fantasy, mainly due to the wide variety of characters and worlds. We can learn something different from each and every one. And now, I am going to try to list the benefits of reading. Just brace yourself, because there are a lot.

Reading can improve your imagination. The crazy twists and turns and the plot itself can inspire us in new ways. Perhaps reading Harry Potter will inspire you to write your own book. Then, there is the matter of the words. There are thousands of words in a single book. There may only be a few new words in there but it can also teach you many other things about words. We can learn new idioms and expressions as well.

As a child, reading books helped boost my vocabulary and improve my writing style, which helped me become better in writing.

And then there is the information. In a book, there is the possibility of discovering something in each and every sentence. You can never know where knowledge lurks in the pages of a book, waiting to be discovered.

There are also numerous biographies written by great personalities. These books are worth reading too. They give us insight into a person’s life. We can travel with them as they conquer the different obstacles in their life. These biographies can teach us a lot of things. It can help us handle failure, be hard working and get through the challenges in life. Some popular biographies to try are “Wings of Fire” by A.P.J Abdul Kalam, “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank and “I am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai.

Reading books is a skill that needs to be encouraged in childhood itself. As I have explained before, it has many benefits. Along the years, there have been many great authors like J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan, Enid Blyton, Charles Dickens, Eoin Colfer and more.

So get hold of a book, sit down and get lost in a magical world. And you will surely have time because its lockdown, right? So spend your infinite time reading, because that is the best thing to do when bored.

Don’t forget,

“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.”