FOR a minimum one hour each day, 12-year-old Aisyah Sofiah Ahmad Nazmi escapes to a world shaped by her imagination, thanks to a love of reading.
The SK Taman Kota Jaya Year Six pupil said she fell in love with books when she was four years old and had since read every night before bed.
“I prefer reading at night and set a target of at least an hour.
“I enjoy getting lost in books and the main reason they keep me glued is because I can imagine a world any way I like.”
Aisyah Sofiah said she liked reading about relationships between siblings and friends, as well as fantasy.
“My little sister, who is three years younger, loves to read too, and we enjoy swapping stories.
“Our parents are very supportive and often encourage us to read more by buying books,” the avid reader, who has set her sights on 35 books this year after finishing 20 in 2025, said at the national “Jom Baca Bersama” programme at Legoland Malaysia Resort.
She was one of some 600 students from 95 primary and secondary schools across Johor who participated in the event.
Another book lover, 17-year-old S. Harschika said, “I love the horror genre, but movies are too gory and scary for me.
“So I prefer reading horror stories because I can imagine a less scary version of the characters and still enjoy the story.”
The SMK Skudai student said many teens her age tend to visit video-sharing platforms for entertainment, but she used them to look for book content and recommendations, which she also shared with others.
“Social media does not have to be a waste of time.
“It can be beneficial as online books are also easily available on smartphones, so there is no excuse for us not to read,” added the mixed parentage Form Five student who speaks fluent Mandarin.
Due to her passion for books, she has been a volunteer school librarian since Form One.
“When I am on library duty, I will catch up on reading after arranging and organising the books.
“At home, I read my novels at night after finishing my homework as a way to wind down.
“I hope to use my multilingual skills to persuade my peers to read more,” added Harschika.
