When I think of the books I read growing up, I separate them into two categories: books that I had to read, and books that I wanted to read.

Now, as an adult, I’ve revisited some of the books I studied in school or college and appreciated their brilliance -The Catcher in the Rye, Death of a Salesman, George Orwell’s 1984. When I was studying these books it didn’t ever occur to me that anyone would ever read them for pleasure. Even though English was my favourite subject at school and I’d always been a keen reader, I thought of these books as part of the curriculum and not something I was supposed to enjoy, just something I merely had to survive.

I think people can be put off reading at a young age because we are told it’s so good for our learning and development - in the same way, we detest vegetables even more because we are told we have to eat five a day. But reading for pleasure can be the chocolate-covered strawberry that enhances your life in so many ways.

I’m such a firm believer that reading is good for you. It teaches you about the world, about history, about geography, about people and emotions. It can give you empathy and understanding. It helps you to understand yourself and others and your own life better, and puts things into perspective. It gives you a better vocabulary, and makes you a better writer and conversationalist.

At the point in your life when you’re still in education and feel inundated with learning, this might seem like it’s not necessary - but getting these skills from reading can mean you will be more interesting and you will form and keep better friendships. You will be cooler, in short. 

It isn’t just good for you, though. It’s also enjoyable, if done correctly.

Stamp out book snobbery

Something I feel very strongly about is resisting and stamping out book snobbery. Read whatever you want to read. Try a few different books and genres and see what you like. Read for whatever mood you’re in. It can be non-fiction, it can have pictures in it, it can be scary and thrilling, or romantic, or be a bestseller or something you stumbled across on the shelf but never heard of, or have a pink cover or a blue cover or a yellow cover, or be written by a celebrity. It doesn’t have to be what everyone else is reading or something that makes you appear intelligent. As long as you’re reading, you’ll be doing something worthwhile for your mind.

Reading for pleasure has helped me so much when I’ve been struggling with my mental health. Whilst we often feel alone in our worries, there isn’t a single problem you could experience that someone somewhere hasn’t already experienced and written about. Reading about someone in your position is therapy, and this is one of the reasons I wanted to put real letters from real young people in my book, Dear Katie. Reading makes you think about others’ lives which aren’t your own and it’s often done alone, silently in relaxation.

I spend a lot of time on social media on my phone. I have started putting my phone down and reading for half an hour in bed each night once again, like I did before smartphones, and I can’t tell you how much better it makes me feel. You can catch up with what’s happening online in the morning - you’re not missing as much as you think.

No matter who you are and what you’re into, there are books for you and they will enhance your life in all the ways you desire. Don’t think of them as something just for school. 

Reading is the chocolate strawberry. There’s goodness in there somewhere, but it’s still one of life’s treats.

Katie Thistleton is a journalist, broadcaster and author of Dear Katie: Real Problems, Real Advice

Katie Thistleton is taking part in the Hay Festival Schools’ Days programme on Thursday 24 May. Live stream Hay Festival Schools Days events for free at hayfestival.org/livestream