Too many children are missing out on the magic of books | Zella Compton

Books are a gateway to another world and for people my age, who grew up without the internet, without multiple television channels, or other types of entertainment, books took us to places.

We travelled to far away worlds on adventures, to comedy, to all sorts of magical encounters where possibilities grew and morphed and created so much more than the four walls of where we lived.

It breaks my heart to read that this reading passion no longer exists, but I understand it completely.

For me, it was an escape from the mundane and I was forever being told to get my nose out of a book.

Isn’t that still a sentiment we share with our children, but now it’s get your nose out of your phone?

They too are looking for adventure and excitement via their phones and the internet, connecting with all sorts of amazing people from all sorts of amazing corners of the world.

But reading . . . my passion was fuelled, in no small part, by being read to both at home and at school.

My favourite part of the day was when we’d sit around and just listen, with no expectation other than to follow along on a magical journey.

This appears to be being taken away from schools and that group activity, where no one shone externally, but all were alight with a story’s fire, is disappearing.

With libraries shutting or cutting their hours and the internet left to its own devices, where will the passion for reading be kept alive?

World Book Day is this week, but I am not convinced that the mind-numbing, body paralysis which comes with choosing a costume whether as a proper character or as an own-clothes wearing muggle is the answer.

It lies with all of us to read, to be seen to be reading and most importantly to share the reading of stories with those around us.

Donating organs once we’re dead is the least we can do

I’m delighted to read that the law on organ donation will change from May, and now we’ll have to opt out of donating organs, so that the presumption is that we’re happy to donate.

I think it is really important we discuss this with our families. Apparently about 80 per cent of us are happy to donate organs, but because we don’t tell our families they say ‘no’.

As a result the number of organ donations are horribly low.

I’ve been on the donation register for years, I’ve always carried the card in my purse.

Discuss it with your nearest and dearest and make sure that you remain opted in. It’s the least we can do for one another, especially if we’re dead.

I’m amazed we’ve brought up really quite decent children

My eldest daughter turned 18 last week, and my youngest 16 yesterday.

I can’t quite believe I’ve managed to raise three children who’ve all turned out to be quite decent.

It’s amazing really, when I look back to me as a new mother, clueless, scared and barely mature enough to own a dog, let alone have a baby.

My husband and I have muddled along as parents for 20 years now, making it up as we go and pooling our experiences of childhood to decide what we did, and didn’t want, for our children.

Could we have done better? Pushed them harder? Moulded them to clean the bathroom more effectively? Sure. But could we love them more? Simpy not possible.