Unbelievable! All of a sudden by the time I reached fifth grade I went from the bottom-reading group to the highest. Yes, it is true. There was no miracle or magic at work here, simply the power of books. My world changed dramatically, school was easy, A’s were flowing in, and everyone was happy.
Then one day, around February of the fifth grade, I finished another mystery book and thought, “I can do this. It’s not that hard.”
And that was the first story I ever wrote. A mystery on Valentines. Once I finished the short story, I handed it to my first fan, my mother. I remember still to this day the minute she finished the story. The priceless look of shock on her face as she uttered the words, “Oh, you have talent.”
I don’t believe people are born able to walk we have to learn to do it. Same as intelligence, you can get smart. I would have never known I had a natural ability to spin words into stories if I hadn’t read those books in the first place.
My success in my academics didn’t stop with just the high reading group. I went further. By middle school, I was a swift composer of words. In the sixth grade, I wrote a two-page essay that paid me my first wage as a writer, two thousand dollars. After winning this prestigious award, my seventh grade English teacher asked if she could read my short novella. Proud of this fifty-page medieval love story, I more than eagerly handed it over to her. I recall that English class when she gave the whole class seatwork so that she could sit there in front of us and read the story. She sighed and giggled through parts. Everyone glanced at me, and beamed. She was utterly in awe. The story must have left an impression because the next thing I knew they were testing me for gifted.
Me, gifted? Not a chance! I was the kid who was the oldest in the class because I repeated first grade. I had been in the lowest reading groups and had to do summer school. Me…Gifted. How?
The answer is simple, I read myself smart. Yes, I passed that gifted test and went from the lowest of lows to the highest you could go.
Books changed my academic life. I went on to college and attained an English degree in writing from the University of Central Florida. I became a teacher enjoying every day when I hooked kids into books. Now I’m an author hoping that my books one day could do the same for a child who hasn’t felt the power of the hook, yet.
Why read you ask, because it’s simple, it can change your life!
Marisette Burgess is available for book events, guest speaking, and author interviews.
To contact Marisette go to
Marisetteburgess.com
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