World Book Day is today! Reading has always been an integral part of my life, ever since I was a little girl. My mom especially was a particularly active reader and encouraged all of us to take up the hobby.

I remember as a child, she would usually read a story to me before bedtime. Occasionally my mom would drift off to sleep while reading. She would sometimes even start reciting sentences that didn’t even make sense. I would laugh and nudge her, “Mommy, you’re falling asleep!”

There was one book in particular that I would have her read on a recurring basis. The book was called Obstreperous by Ted Greenwood written in the 1970s.

By the time I had inherited it, it was old, discolored and worn out. The stitched binding was loose, but the pages were still in good condition. From what I remember my mom telling me, it was actually my brother’s book before it ended up on my bookshelf instead.

I don’t know why I loved it so much. Maybe it was the illustrations and how they looked like paper collages. Or it could’ve just been the title. In fact, the book was written so as to encourage an interest in vocabulary. This is amusing, particularly because as I got older, I became obsessed with words, often hoarding our family’s 3-volume Webster’s Dictionary in my bedroom so that I could read random pages and learn as many new words as possible.

Strange, I know, but by the time I finished high school, my vocabulary and command of the English language was exponential.

Books have the power to do so many things. They can open minds, create memories and establish strong bonds between people. They can change lives. What about you? What was the last book that changed your life?