Reading Books To You Novels & Stories

“Come on kids! We’re getting late.” With hesitance, I looked over at Brett who refused to meet my eyes. With his head hung low, he got off the bench and walked toward his mother, without bothering to wait for me. Reluctantly, I followed him. Once I reached them, I held up the cover I was holding out to Linda. “What have you got for us, honey?” Linda asked with a smile. “Hello, Linda,” I said. “These are a few of my favourite books and some cookies. My mom used to read these out every day so I could sleep. Little Anne always gets bored and cries at night. You can read them out for her. They are very interesting stories.”

Brianna’s little hands grasp ours like we're a family. “Alright, Bri,” I start, holding the book out in front of us. “What story are we reading tonight?” “The princess and the frog!” she declares, eyes sparkling. Kevin groans dramatically. “You always read that!” I smirk, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “How dare you complain about such a masterpiece?” As I read, I exaggerate voices, making Kevin act as a cute frog, Brianna squeals in delight, clutching her blanket tighter when I narrate the part where Tiana becomes a frog too.

She led him between the aisles, her hand running lightly over the spines. Julian lagged behind, his gaze snagging on the swing of her hips beneath her skirt. Hell. He dragged his eyes upward, to the back of her head instead. She stood in front of a shelf designated *Young Readers* and drew out books, stacking them with precision. "You really should read to her, you know," Lena said over her shoulder. Julian raised an eyebrow. "I pay people to do that." She glanced at him, her mouth twitching. "But it’s not the same," she said quietly. "She’d rather have you."

My body sliding down to the floor as I sit on the floor, my back resting on it and somehow, I can tell he is doing the same. After some minutes, I see a book slide under the door, a favorite book of mine as I pick it, his voice saying from the other side of the door "Read to me" Read to me. Just like how he always asks me to. I want to not read, I want to tell him to go away. I know he does not ever listen and actually understand what I say, but he still keeps asking me to read. So I do that. I pick the book, my hands trembling as I flip open a page, my eyes landing on the it as I begin to read "Ben h-has to learn about s-surviving on h-his own. He would miss his g-grandma and her c-cookies

He lay down on the bed, placing his head on her legs. A moment later, Vivian heard his monotonous voice. "She clung to the broken pieces, praying for light to come tomorrow..." Frowning, she lowered her book to catch a glimpse of him. "What the hell are you reading?" "A book I bought from the bookstore." "For what?" "I heard that children like to hear their father's voice, so I will read to them." Vivian scoffed in disbelief. "What books are you reading? Peanuts won't understand."

You deserve it. You know, I hated the idea of reading books. It felt boring and static. Well guess who is a book worm now. I still am on the ones you brought 6 months ago. I know you would have mouthed the words, slow reader. I agree I am slow but I feel I have to be, because I am a new reader. You know, I can liken reading a book to having a wizard’s broom. While reading, I have travelled to different places and felt a rush of different emotions. Books are magical. I now see what makes you stick your nose in them all the time.

I said. “Adea, you don’t like books. You love them. You read for hours at a time, you go to the library whenever you have any spare time, and you escape into the worlds written on the page as much as wolves get high on moony,” he says. “Moony?” I ask. “It‘s nothing. You’re not going to convince me that you don’t like to read. Either you choose the books you want, or I’m going to buy this entire section,” he says.

I asked. He nodded. “I think so. They just wanted me to read to them, not compute something, so I guess I could do that.” I smiled. “The book’s on the side table. Thank you, Finn.” He waved happily before turning his back on us. “Please tell me it’s a fairy tale book, not the Introduction to Chemistry textbook?” Anya asked me. “I didn’t see any book except that,” Sky chimed in. “Why are you reading that to the kids?” He asked like he was accusing me again of giving my children a hard time.

"It was a typical Monday morning, and Robbie was running late for work. He dashed out of his apartment building and onto the busy city street, his heart racing as he..." I stare at Logan in awe as he reads me from the book. He has a serious look on his face as if he is on an important mission. I'm not even remotely sleepy and should probably tell him that his storytelling method isn't working. But he just looks so excited to read to me, so I don't want to interrupt! I stare at his lips while he reads. They look soft and luscious. His voice is deep and smooth, with a hint of gravel that made it impossible to ignore.

A bookstore in the Chiado district, the one that's been stocking my books since the first one came out. "A reading," I say to Celeste. "In front of people." "That's what readings are." "What if I freeze?" "Then you freeze. And then you keep going." "That's not an answer." "It's the only one I have." --- I have been preparing for weeks. Not the way I used to prepare for cons — memorizing lies, rehearsing performances. I just... practice. Reading aloud to Celeste, to the dogs, to the empty garden. The words are mine. The voice is mine. There's nothing to pretend.