Booklover Backstory

When filling out the “Hobbies and Interests” sections on application forms and the like, I’m the kid that puts “likes to read” at the top of the list. This is the unglamorous truth – my favourite pastime is reading and it has been that way since I was nine years old. Here’s how it all started:

When I was in Grade 3, I discovered Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone and it soon became my absolute favourite book. I know, how cliché! You probably want to stop me here and say “but Katrina, we’re supposed to be avoiding clichés when we write!”. However, the truth is the truth. All of you 90s kids will know the magic that was Harry Potter when it was first released. The Philosopher’s Stone changed my life – for reals.

Reading the first HP instalment drew me to other books (Ella Enchanted was a big hit) and I became a “reader”. This likely shocked my teachers because it was a foreign concept for me to enjoy a silent activity (I really like to talk – some of you may have noticed).

By the time I was in Junior High, I was an addict. I’m sure my parents are proud that the only thing I have ever been addicted to is reading (and maybe shoes!) – it’s probably the safest addiction to have. So in the summer between Grades 7 and 8, I did what any normal book nerd would do – I entered the national “Junior Booklover” contest for Chapters, Indigo Inc. by writing a book review of Eoin Colfer’s The Supernaturalist. And by the grace of the universe, I won.

(The contest was real! Here’s a link to the website featuring my 13-year-old self with braces – it isn’t pretty. http://www.jabteam.com)

Entering that contest got me my first (and best!) job: reviewing books for youth and young adults for Chapters. Since then, I’ve never lost my love of reading  – or my passion for advocating for better literacy and education in Canada. Reading is important! Working as a “Junior Booklover” for Chapters also exposed me to several areas in the communications industry and that exposure is what got me interested in CreComm. So here I am!

So get excited for some posts about Harry Potter, other favourite books of mine, and how my life is informed by what I read/how what I read is informed by my life. Happy reading!