A love of reading doesn’t always arrive with a grand announcement. Sometimes it begins with a bedtime story, a character who feels like a friend, or a single sentence that makes you wonder, What happens next?
At Mister Quill’s, we believe that little spark of curiosity is worth following. Because the reader turning pages today may be the storyteller filling them tomorrow.
Find the stories that feel like yours
There is no single right way to fall in love with reading. You might find your doorway in a funny picture book, a comic packed with adventure, a poem read aloud, or a tale about a place you’ve never been. Some stories ask you to slow down. Others make you race to the next page.
Start with what makes you curious, not what you think you’re supposed to enjoy. Read together. Try a different kind of book. Return to a favorite as often as you like. A well-loved story can still have something new to tell you.
Notice the stories around you
Books aren’t the only places stories live. They’re tucked into family memories, rainy afternoons, walks through the neighborhood, and the wonderfully unusual questions that pop into your head.
What would the tree outside your window say if it could talk? Where does a lost button go? What if the smallest person in the room were the only one who could solve the mystery?
You don’t need all the answers. A storyteller often begins by noticing something ordinary and asking one extraordinary question.
You don’t have to wait to become a storyteller
You don’t need a published book, perfect spelling, or a desk full of notebooks to begin. You can tell a story out loud, draw it in pictures, or write a few sentences and see where they lead.
Give someone in your story something they want. Put a small problem in their path. Then ask yourself what they’ll do next. Maybe they’ll be brave. Maybe they’ll make a mistake. Maybe they’ll discover something you weren’t expecting, either.
Your first attempt doesn’t have to be perfect. It only has to be a beginning. Every time you read, imagine, listen, or try again, you’re giving your storyteller’s voice a little more room to grow.
Write a letter to Mister Quill’s
We invite future storytellers to put a little of that wonder on paper. Tell us about a book that made you love reading, a character you can’t forget, or a story you dream of telling someday. You could even introduce a character of your own or share the beginning of an adventure.
Need a place to start? Try one of these:
- “The story that made me want to keep reading was…”
- “If I could step inside any book, I would…”
- “One day, I want to tell a story about…”
- “My character has a secret…”
Download the Mister Quill’s letterhead, print it, and make it your own with words, drawings, or a little of both.
Send your future storyteller’s letter
When your letter is ready, choose whichever way works best for you. Young storytellers, ask a parent or guardian to help you send it.
Send it by mail:
Mister Quill’s
2603 Inverness Lndg
Birmingham, AL 35242
Please note: this is a mailing address, not a physical store address.
Send it online: Use the Send a Future Storyteller Form to submit your letter. Attach a scanned copy or a clear photo of your completed letter so we can read your words and see your drawings.
Your next chapter starts with you
Somewhere, there is a story only you would think to tell. It might begin with a dragon, a missing library book, a talking teacup, or a person learning to be brave.
Keep reading. Keep asking questions. Keep collecting those little moments of wonder.
And when you’re ready, pick up your pencil. Your story can begin right here.
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