Books are great; they have the power to transport us to different worlds, enriching our personal perspectives and often providing plenty of food for thought. Reading is a hugely important, and fundamental skill - and one that extends beyond the covers of a New York bestseller. Just how important is reading, why and where does it matter most, and how can we start encouraging our kids - and ourselves - to read more, and get the most from our reading?

Reading as a skill is very important. Illiteracy affects millions of people - adults as well as children - all over the world. Illiteracy doesn't mean that a person is stupid, or ignorant. And it doesn't automatically follow that people from poorer backgrounds or different walks of life will be any more susceptible to problems with reading, than those from more prosperous homes: some of the most intelligent people who have ever lived have been unable to read or write well. 

So the problem is big, and perhaps this is because reading itself as a skill plays a big role in our day-to-day lives. Reading is everywhere: newspapers, menus, road signs, posters, notices etc. Children in school can often be most disabled by poor reading skills, unable to work effectively with either dictionaries or textbooks for example. Workers will often have written instructions to follow, or screen displays to deal with too. 

One problem is the prevalent idea that reading revolves around the teaching of individual words. But this is misleading. Reading is much more than letter and word recognition. For one thing, words are always used in some form of context, such as sentence or grammatical structure, and this is called syntax. Learning words outside of context can be a significant barrier to proper, fluent reading skills - in children and adults alike. 

Reading also involves knowing how words behave, and this can often help a reader to anticipate information ahead of actually reading content word-for-word. This is often known as skimming a page for key points or data and is very useful for students and employees. 

Developing a sensitivity for word shape and form will also help the child or adult to acquire better dictionary and spelling skills. These contribute to solid, all-round reading prowess. 

Perhaps the most important point to bear in mind is that reading should always be fun. Choose books that reflect your personal interests or which appear colourful and well-presented. Encourage the whole family or class to get involved by reading to one another. A bedtime story is also a great way of teaching children the magic of book reading. 

Finally, as with any other skill, reading is best improved with regular practice. Library anyone?