Reading is not just a good way to spend your time. It has important and far-reaching benefits which go beyond a love of a good book. When you enjoy reading, you are more likely to create a habit and read more often, which in turn will help you build vital reading skills and bring with it a wider range of benefits.

On this page, some of the Templars' staff share why they love reading alongside some of their top books in the following categories:

• Early Readers – still developing your reading skills and love sharing stories with your friends and family
• Independent Readers – you've started to read yourself, but still love sharing books and stories with your friends and family
• Fluent Readers – you can read all by yourself at a pace which suits you. It doesn't stop you sharing your favourite books and stories with your family though!

Click on the images and it will take you to somewhere you can buy your own copy. Happy Reading!

Mrs Davies

Reading is like opening a door to another world. It lets your imagination run free, taking you to magical places, exciting adventures, and new ideas—all without leaving your chair. When life feels busy or your mind feels full, a good book can be the perfect place to pause, breathe, and feel calm again.

I love reading because it helps my racing thoughts slow down. It gives me quiet moments to relax, to think, and to dream. Every story I read teaches me something new—about people, places, and sometimes even about myself.

One of the greatest joys is sharing that love of reading with children. Watching their faces light up during a story, hearing their laughter, their questions, or their thoughtful silence—those moments are truly special. Stories help children discover the power of imagination, grow in confidence, and understand the world around them.

Books don’t just tell stories—they create them in our minds. And that’s where the magic truly begins.

 

 

Mrs King

Reading can take you to so many different places. With every page, your imagination builds entire worlds that are unique to me. The pictures you create in your mind make every story feel personal and special. That’s why films based on books often disappoint me; they can never quite match the pictures I’ve already created in my head.

Mr Brightside

What I love the most about reading is that, whatever is going on around me in life, a book takes me away to a whole new world and experiences. Through reading, I can imagine anything I like, go anywhere I like, be whomever I like. It brings the outside world into my mind and holds me there. The moment I finish a book, I always have a pile from which I can choose a new experience.

The comfort of a book takes me back to my childhood when I could curl up with my Mum or Dad, and we would share a book together, or they would read to me. Most of my favourites are from when I was young and began learning to read, and they have stayed the same. A quality book stays with you forever.

Miss Martello-Gallagher

Although I've always found reading challenging, I love reading because when reading a book you get to immerse yourself into a new and imaginary world and learn to look at the world through the eyes of others. When feeling stuck in my 'busy place', reading can help ease my mind and get to my 'happy place'.

Mrs Turk

Reading opens a window into other cultures and ways of thinking which has helped broaden my frame of reference and enriched my life.