Late last year, we introduced just a handful of students who received books through our ‘A Book for Your Look’ program and shared their sentiments on books and reading. These students had so much to say - more than we could fit into one blog post! Here, we present the second part of our series and offer even more of their insights and thoughts. Thank you once again to all of our customers who have supported AUrate and the ‘A Book for Your Look’ program. We, along with our charity partner, Mastery Charter, are so grateful and with your help, we look forward to delivering thousands of more books in the future.
I read to live more than one life
"My family hails from West Africa, Mali, and even though I have been there only a couple of times, it’s different from what most people seem to believe. At the moment, I want to be a biochemist. I've always loved the idea of helping people, and biology and chemistry are always my favorite science subjects. Being able to meld the two and help people is what I really love to do and aspire to be.
I would say my favorite thing about reading is each book is a different perspective or story that’s being told. So each book is the life of another person, and I feel like when you read, you get to live the life of another person. My favorite quote is "I read to live more than one life".
My favorite book at the moment is Dan Brown's Inferno. I think it's a marvelous book which brings out an old classic, Dante Alighieri’s the Divine Comedy: Inferno. I have it, and I'm at the level where I can read it and understand it fully, but Dan Brown simplifies it and tells his own story around this old, great literature.
I think A Book for Your Look is a great program, because some people don't have access to books or libraries all the time, and this really gives people a chance to go out there and learn something new. When I receive a new book I feel so elated because it's like being able to see a new adventure coming before me, some people may think that a book is just words on a paper, but it's so much more than that. Being able to see through another person's eyes, and see how they think, you can't really do that with actual people but in a book you can do so many more, so much more things, and it's just great."
I am mostly just grateful
"My name is Robert. I mostly read to pass the time, but I do see myself as a pretty good leader, so being a leader at the school I joined as a book ambassador.
I want to be a veterinarian. The only real experience I've had is with cats and dogs, and birds in some cases. I had two cats, right now I have a dog, and I've also had three pit bulls.
Personally, I read something to lose time. Reading helps me to pass time so I won't be sleeping all the time! I also get to learn new words and improve my vocabulary a little more.
Whenever I receive a new book I am mostly just grateful!"
Reading puts me in a different place
"My name is Jada Nicole, but everyone calls me Jada. I’m one of the meanest, nice people you'll ever meet. I am secretly creative and do a lot of things with my free time. I build things for my little sister and my little cousin, I actually built a doll house out of a refrigerator box for my little cousin for Christmas. And I like photography, especially scenery like sunsets, nature and oceans. I want be a photographer when I grow up.
I like reading because it allows me to break away from the world, reading puts me in a different place. My favorite book is The Grimm Conclusion, because it's a twist on original fairytales and it's told by two little kids, it's really creative. I get excited when I receive a new book, because I get to see a new movie playing out in my head.
I think A Book for Your Look is one of the cheesiest, exciting things I have ever heard of! When you think of books you don't really think of jewelry, but with AUrate and A Book for Your Look, it gives you a greater image, you think of jewelry and books."
What I like about reading is the pictures with words
"My name is Ajah. I'm in seventh grade, I am 12 years old and I've got sickle cell. I want to be a teacher, or something that's going to give me a lot of money so I can be rich!
What I like about reading is the pictures with the words - I like comics but I also like books because I love to read words
My favorite book is 'A Diary of a Wimpy Kid' because I love the pictures! You can also watch the movie, it's funny.
I feel good when I get a new book to take home. If it's a book that I like then I will read the whole thing, and if people interrupt me I am not very happy!"
I just like the fun of it!
"My name is Samuel, and I want to be a doctor when I grow up. I really like reading books, especially when I am mad because it let's you get to another world, I just like the fun of it!
My favorite book is Middle School, because it teaches you about middle school and it's a fun book. I feel awesome when I receive a new book, it’s like going to another world."
You can find out more about our A Book for Your Look program, and our charity partner Mastery Charter, by visiting ‘Real Giving’ on our website and ‘The Giving’ section on our blog. Already supported our giving? Show us how you style your favorite AUrate pieces by tagging @AUrateNewYork and using #RealGiving.
