Discovering the Joy of Reading, circa 1944

by Jackie King
People talk about the books that changed their lives, and many books have influenced me. But what changed my life, and at a very early age, was discovering books in general.
I remember the first time that I fell into the pages of a book all by myself. I can still recall the awe of it all. Between my hands I held the promise of a lifetime filled with adventure and pleasure and comfort. I was overcome by the wonder of it all, and, much like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, my world tur...