Some books are mirrors and some are windows. Mirror books are books that you see yourself in, whether in the characters or the authors. Window books are books that let you see someone who isn’t like you and their perspective. It is good to read mirror books and window books, not just one or the other.
I recently read The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time by Mark the Haddon. I think that this book is a window book for me because the protagonist, a fifteen year old boy named Christopher, is not alike to me in many ways, other than being a human. Christopher has Asperger’s syndrome, which I do not have. This book is written in first person so it really helped me understand what might be going on in a person with Asperger’s head. Christopher is a boy, which I am not. He is also fifteen, another trait which I am not. Christopher’s parents are separated, but my parents live together. Christopher also really loves math, science, and reading books about math and science. At the end of the book he takes the A-level math tests. I like some kinds of math and science and love reading. This is one example of how this is a mirror book for me.
Sometimes, books can be mirror books and window books. However, I called this book a window book, because Christopher and I have more things that are different than the same. I think I read more window books because I like to see other people’s perspectives that are more interesting than mine. One book that would be a mirror book for me is a book starring an Indian-American girl who’s entire personality isn’t just being Indian!