No doubt you've been told that reading is good for you. Growing up, you were likely told that the more you read, the better a reader you would become. However, if you aren't interested in being a good reader in the first place, this really isn't much incentive to read more. Neuroscientific research by Berns indicates that reading stories actually has a noticeable effect on brain function. This study showed how reading a compelling novel changed participants' neuron activity not only while they were reading but also for several days after they finished the novel that was assigned to them.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Batman. Wolverine. Green Lantern. Superman. The Incredible Hulk. Men in Black. Captain America. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've likely heard of all of these characters. You've probably even seen most of their movies. Because superheroes are cool. And where do superheroes originate from? Comic books. If you enjoy big superhero blockbusters, such as The Avengers or The Dark Knight, there's no reason you won't enjoy the stories from whence these adaptations came. There is a whole culture to explore surrounding comic books and their adaptations.

Okay, so maybe you're not into superheroes. That's fair. But did you know that you can read comic books and graphic novels about lots of other topics, too. There are also tons of great graphic novels and graphic nonfiction books out there, such as Alison Bechdel's autobiography, Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis; and many more. The visual nature of graphic novels allows you, as the reader, to experience these themes in different ways than you do when reading a traditional book. Don't limit yourself to regular prose; explore everything the world of comic books and graphic novels has to offer.