Many girls want some new clothes, but my 12-year-old cousin Lucy is very different. Her parents often take her to clothes shops, but she never asks them to buy any new clothes for her. Lucy’s sister Jenny is two years older than Lucy. She has some old clothes, and Lucy likes to wear them. She says this can help her parents save a lot of money.

However (然而), when her parents buy books for her, Lucy is always very happy. She likes reading very much. She has a lot of books, but she still wants more. Some of her friends say she is a girl of books. Maybe they are right.

In early October, the 2022 Nobel Prize (诺贝尔奖) in literature (文学) went to the 82-year-old French writer Annie Ernaux. The Nobel Prize winners’ works are the best of our time. But how many of them did you ever try to read?

I only read two Nobel Prize winners’ books in the past 10 years. Language (语言) is a big reason. The Nobel Prize winners come from different countries and areas. They write in their mother language. But I can only read in Chinese and English.

What’s more, Nobel Prize winners always write about big, world problems on things like nations, wars (战争) and history. I have to know a lot to understand them.

I hope one day I can read the books.They are surely the greatest in the world.

Reading books can be a great way to pick up new vocabulary, see grammar in action and develop your understanding of a language. The key to success is choosing the right books for you.

Beginners should start with something short and simple.

Children’s books are a great place to start. Roald Dahl has written many wonderful books (Fantastic Mr. Fox is my favorite!) and Dr. Seuss’s books always make you laugh. You may finish reading these books more easily and want to read more.

Then you can try The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. The book isn’t too long and if you’ve seen the film it may be easier to understand. If you like reading about historical events, Anne Holm’s I am David is a short story about a boy trying to find his mother during World War II.

If you’re not quite ready to read a full book, why not try Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes? There are lots of short stories in it.

My last piece of advice is to read something that interests you. Look at the blurb (封底简介) and see if you will enjoy. Think about the kind that you like in your own language. This way, you’re more possible to enjoy reading, rather than see it as a chore.