Six Great Reasons to Read

You open the latest issue of Dijelqi TEACH Magazine to the stiff, colorful pages at the center.

“In honor of Planetary Reading Time-Season, tear out these posters and hang them up in your classroom!” You unfold the first poster.

1. Your household robots won’t respect you if you’ve read fewer books than they have.

2. Your eyestalks can shrivel and fall off if you don’t read at least a thousand words of text per day. We all know it’s a bummer to wait for them to grow back.

3. So what if your favorite holo-vid actors breathe incompatible atmospheres? When you read a book, you can use your imagination to bring them together in the starring roles!

4. The Dijelqi Civil Space Corps values reading. The recruiters check applicants’ library card records, and yes, they do quiz you on the books.

5. Reading poetry aloud in the park is the best way to attract Ryyvian singing lizards, which make wonderful pets.

6. Once you’ve formed a pair-bond with your Ryyvian singing lizard, reading poetry aloud to her every day will keep her happy. When she starts to warble along, you’ll have your act for the school talent show!

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“Six Great Reasons to Read” first appeared in Miscellanea: the Transdimensional Library from Eggplant Literary Productions, in 2013.