Returning to a book you’ve read many times can feel like drinks with an old friend. There’s a welcome familiarity - but also sometimes a slight suspicion that time has changed you both, and thus the relationship. But books don’t change, people do. And that’s what makes the act of rereading so rich and transformative.

The beauty of rereading lies in the idea that our bond with the work is based on our present mental register. It’s true, the older I get, the more I feel time has wings. But with reading, it’s all about the present. It’s about the now and what one contributes to the now, because reading is a give and take between author and reader. Each has to pull their own weight.

There are three books I reread annually .The first, which I take to reading every spring is Emest Hemningway’s A Moveable Feast. Published in 1964, it’s his classic memoir of 1920s Paris. The language is almost intoxicating (令人陶醉的)，an aging writer looking back on an ambitious yet simpler time. Another is Annie Dillard’s Holy the Firm, her poetic 1975 ramble (随笔) about everything and nothing. The third book is Julio Cortazar’s Save Twilight: Selected Poems, because poetry. And because Cortazar.

While I tend to buy a lot of books, these three were given to me as gifs, which might add to the meaning I attach to them. But I imagine that, while money is indeed wonderful and necessary, rereading an author’s work is the highest currency a reader can pay them. The best books are the ones that open further as time passes. But remember, it’s you that has to grow and read and reread in order to better understand your friends.

We believe that you should read aloud to your child at least once every day. Set a special reading time during the day or evening when you can settle down (安静下来) and enjoy a book, without interruption. For most families, reading aloud at bedtime is a common practice.

We understand that it can be quite discouraging to read to a child who takes no interest. Take heart! Learning to listen takes experience. The more you read, the more your child will learn to sit for a story. Children have a natural development of responses (反应) to your reading. By the time your child reaches 6-7 months, she/he is attracted by the book in your hand, and would like to test it out by using it as a chew (咀嚼) toy. This is natural! By one year, your child is learning to listen and talk about the pages, often shouting out things she/he recognizes. Encourage this! And at the onset (起始) of walking, you have your biggest challenge yet, your child is always on the go. You need to set your reading time for a time in the day when your child is preparing to settle down. This means bedtime. Remember, it is your right and duty to teach your child about the power of books. Of course, it doesn’t happen overnight, but the returns are great!

I study English literature at university and have always been proud of Britain’s literary heritage. Some British authors that you may have heard of are Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. These writers are famous all over the world because their books have been translated into many different languages. In the UK, their novels are celebrated as some of the best that have ever been written. We say that these novels are “classic” because they are still read and enjoyed years after their publication.

I read classic novels not only because they are part of my university lessons but also because I enjoy them. They can teach you a lot about how people used to live and what society was like in the past. Novels like Hard Times by Charles Dickens remind us of the poverty in London during the Industrial Revolution while Jane Austen’s fiction (小说) shows us what family life was like in the 18th century.

Classic novels usually have memorable stories and interesting characters. One of my favourite books is Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. It is about a boy called Pip who suddenly receives a lot of money from a mysterious supporter. As he grows up, his character changes: he becomes quite selfish and mean. Another important character is Miss Havisham. When she was young, her fiancé ran away on their wedding day. She lives in a dark house and still wears her wedding dress. She is a fascinating (迷人的) character, both sad and easy to be frightened.

Reading classic novels enriches my knowledge and life experience. And it has become part of my life.