Literacy Narrative

Hannah Kennedy
Mrs. Tillotson
College Lit & Composition
28th January 2020
When I was 13, going against my parents didn’t involve any acts of typical teenage rebellion. Instead of engaging in a bad attitude or risky behavior, I was secretly reading the Harry Potter series. I had been banned from reading the series due to their alleged inappropriateness, but I knew they weren’t bad, and my love of reading trumped the wishes of my parents. I would stay up every night reading as late as my eyes could stay open. I was “almost finished” with a novel when there was about 150 pages left. I cleverly took the covers off of the Eragon books and replaced the Harry Potter ones to hide from my family. My crime was never uncovered, and my hunger for a good story was quenched.
Having grown up around fellow book lovers, my appreciation of literature was no surprise. My sisters passed down Wishbone and Hank, the Cowdog books for me to have as a child. I didn’t only enjoy reading with my family but took every chance I got to continue the habit. Every summer, I participated in the local library’s reading program, and my comprehension and abilities grew. My imagination was encouraged by any teacher I had, and I flourished in reading and writing in school.
During middle school, I continued to enjoy literature immensely. I had to read every book before seeing the movie and followed certain series and authors religiously. I became a huge fan of John Green and how he captured the feeling of growing up in his novels. I adored Suzanne Collins and her riveting battle scenes in The Hunger Games. No journey was as epic to me as Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Reading became my favorite hobby and even got me in trouble for not paying attention during class. I had a circle of friends who fully embraced the “nerd” title and constantly chatted about books with me.
The busy schedule and stress of high school has slowed down my reading habits significantly, but I am constantly thankful that I was such an avid reader in my youth. Reading built my vocabulary which has been useful to me in every class I have taken as well, as in everyday life. Reading instilled in me the passion for creativity and knowledge that has been vital to my success as a student. Harry Potter, and a myriad of other fantastic stories, have taught me to follow my heart and fight for what’s right. I’m extremely grateful for the many ways literature has affected me personally and academically.