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So, your teacher has just suggested that you try reading “for fun” to improve your English. Is she/he serious? Well, yes. Believe it or not, recreational reading can help you understand conversational English better, collect more academic/technical words, and learn more complex structures. True or imagined, stories in books offer you a world filled with opportunities for learning.

For instance, are you studying a science or math-related topic? If so, try “” by Philip K. Dick. Sure you could watch the movie, but reading the book allows you to look at the language that creates the story rather than just the filmmaker’s interpretation.

Or maybe you’re studying law and business. If so, try a John Grisham book like “”, a book about lawsuits and lawyers in the tobacco industry.

Or a social science like psychology or sociology. If so, try “” by William Golding, a book about social order and disorder or “” by Mark Haddon, a book from the perspective of a boy with autism.

Or maybe try some Canadian literature with “” by Joy Kogawa, “” by Lucy Maud Montgomery, or “” by Thomas King.

But I’m not the person who should be giving you advice about books. There are plenty of people and places in Ottawa where you can get better advice on books that might help you enjoy recreational reading.

• : �Ӱ�ԭ��’s library has a great collection of recent and classic novels for you to choose from.
• : check here for a branch near you. Also, don’t be afraid to ask the librarians for help finding a book you might like.
• : 2^nd hand book store on Bank Street.
• : 2^nd hand stores with many books at low prices.
• : another 2^nd hand store with a big book selection.

References

Image Credit: “Reading” by Paul Bence.  Retrieved 19 August, 2016 from .  CC BY-NC 2.0