What books mean for me? Essay

understand what I mean, I need to rewind back to that day in 2010.
April 10, 2010. The day my life took a major detour. It was just like any another wet and grey day in London for everyone except me. It was my first day of school in London. I had moved there from India a few months ago. India is my motherland and I truly miss it. I missed the beauteous and harlequin green forests. I missed the varied variety of flora and fauna in my Grandpa's village. Most of all, I missed my friends and family in India, who are always warm and welcoming. It was hard to adjust to a foreign land and start a new life amidst radically different culture, new language, alien rules and social norms. I often missed the convenience and warmth of home, the familiar roads, the warm smiles and the company of my friends I had known and played with all my life. My friends and I used to think of ourselves as being brother from different mothers. That did not matter now as I was halfway around the world from my beloved friends. It was nervous meeting new people, especially when I was the only Indian in the school. The only thing I had in common with my fellow peers was the crazy love of Horrid Henry. Horrid Henry is a series of books about a horrid boy who loves doing unimaginable horrible things. I hadn't even made any friends. Sure, I had the "friends" that I ate lunch with, but that was the only time we ever talked to each other. When Robert, a quiet and reclusive boy, brought up Horrible Henry, I unthinkingly exclaimed my love for Horrid Henry. I exclaimed, "Really? I love Horrid Henry too." And luckily for me, the next thing I heard was a series of enthusiastic and animated exclamations. Since that day, we've been close friends and often went to the library together. Horrid Henry helped changed what might have been a horrid school year into a wonderful one. Reading handed me an umbrella when life was about to pour challenges on me.
Books were also there for me on another occasion. At twelve years old, my obsession with the world of Hogwarts distracted me from the difficulties of moving across the world. Upon arriving in California from India, I was hell-bent on finishing Prisoner of Azkaban. An otherwise lonely summer turned into an adventure, as I read the books over and over again for clues to unsolved mysteries, getting familiarized with the characters. I have always wanted to settled down. After finishing the book, I realized that even though the series is based on witchcraft and wizardry, they're just based on the magic and goodness that can be found around us in the real world if we look close enough. The Harry Potter books gave me hope for a magical future a home, a place I can settle down and cherish.