Ironically, as the exam season approaches, I am spending more time reading. I think that as someone who prefers to read self-help books, I see reading such fiction books as a crash course in absorbing the lexicon of action verbs and the like.

Not too proud to admit that I picked up “tramped down the staircase” from “The Haunted Library”. And gasped at “wistful smile” because I would like to introduce my stronger writers to the concept of wistfulness. And made a mental note to teach the difference between “whirled” and “whizzed”, as well as “plodded” and “plopped”.

So, from this perspective, reading widely is useful because you just absorb all these action verbs like a sponge, even if you can’t quite articulate the difference. Such an intuitive grasp of the language cannot be artificially boosted via weekly vocabulary lists.

Okay, I hear you, Sensei. But how is the book? Well, this is about a ghost teaming up with a girl to solve the case of ghostlike noises in their client’s attic. Themes of loss and hope are discussed in kid-friendly language for middle primary students to grasp. I finished this book over two lunch sessions, so it was captivating and readable enough for saturated old me in the middle of a hectic work day. Not bad lar. Can read.