March is National March into Literacy Month and worthy of our support.

But let’s also celebrate children’s literacy by remembering those books that delighted us when we were kids. What was your favorite? Perhaps it was a classic such as Charlotte’s Web or Huck Finn, or one the many books by Maurice Sendak or Madeleine L’Engle. Or did you enjoy reading about the Hardy Boys or the Little House on the Prairie? Whatever you read then (or read now), reading developed your use of spoken and written language.

Maybe your favorite “children’s” book is of more recent vintage! I recall riding BART a few years back in which every car contained dozens of adults engrossed in Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix. That was a might hefty hardback! But we commuters were willing to tote it back and forth each day. And how absorbed each man and woman was, not even glancing at anyone else’s book (probably worried lest they see into the next chapter and ruin the surprises).

Keep it up!

• The more we read, the better we write. Expand your vocabulary, sharpen your spelling accuracy, hone your syntax by enjoying a good book, be it fiction or non.

• Recognize the impact of story. Weave stories into your business communications (both written and verbal). In just a few sentences a story can pull your listeners into the time, place, or emotion that helps you make your point and solidify your message.