Some people consider reading to be something that they would rather not do, but reading is part of everyday life and has many benefits. Some people read to gain information while others read books for relaxation and enjoyment. Reading the daily newspaper allows people to find out what is happening around the world, in their own country and in their local area. People have read for generations and will continue to read for many more to come. The four books that I have read throughout the year are the following; Boy by Roald Dahl which informs the reader about Dahl's own childhood stories; Survival written by Simon Bouda about the inspirational story of Stuart Diver the sole survivor of the Thredbo disaster; Hero Of Lesser Causes, about a sister trying to save her brothers life and Checkers written by the prominent children's author John Marsden.
             Boy is about Roald Dahl's childhood. Dahl was one of six children. He describes the ups and downs of his childhood life, including coming to terms with the deaths of both his father and sister. The loss and grief he experienced from these deaths was a huge shock to him. This book also explains how different life was for a boy growing up in the early twentieth century. Reading this book I learnt that Dahl went to boarding school and was not given adequate food or cared for properly. He was even hit with the cane at school by the headmaster as a punishment. This type of punishment at any school would now be called assault. The discipline and treatment that Dahl experienced at boarding school shows how different Dahl's school life was compared to the school life of a boy today. Boy was an enjoyable book as Dahl adds humour to the sweetshop and mouse stories. He even uses humour to describe horror stories such as having his nose almost ripped off when his sister was learning to drive and the pain he experienced when his adenoids were removed without anaesthetic.
             ...