Michael Morpurgo, the
former children’s laureate, has called on the government to reinstate
"story time" in all schools, saying children must have time in the
day for contemplation without being tested.
Morpurgo, the author of
Private Peaceful and War Horse, said time to hear stories without “questions,
comprehension exercises or tests” was the best way to teach children to love
reading, adding “too many pupils are introduced to books merely as a tool to
learn spelling and punctuation”. He could have a point. I can’t remember reading
for pleasure at primary school and once I got to grammar school understanding
and interpretation of the text was all that reading seemed to be about; raking
over the works of Shakespeare and Orwell, dissecting every page, sentence,
every word. Yet while I achieved good grades in English Lit I hated reading.
It was Simon Murray’s
Legionnaire, the real-life story of an Englishman in the French Foreign Legion,
that changed my view of books. I devoured the book, so much so I embarked on a
journey to join the Legion myself although I pulled out at the last minute. But
while I didn’t follow through on a dream inspired by a book, the mechanism that
created that sudden urge has never left me. Through Simon Murray’s book I
discovered the joy of reading. Now I will read almost anything, even re-reading
the Orwell books I hated at school – and enjoying them! Not until free of the
constraints of feeling obliged to stop and analyse every paragraph could I experience
the magic and love of literature. This is what books are really for, they’re supposed
to be enjoyed not simply a tool for literacy. Understanding and comprehension of
the text is important but we need a reason to fall in love with reading as
well.
Incidently, Michael
Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful was on my 11-year-old son’s school summer reading
list. My son was so moved by the story I decided to read it too. I liked the
book so much it inspired me to write my own YA novel on the effect of war. And
that’s the power of literature. It can inspire. It can change lives. You just
have to find what works for you.