“My friend Dr. Samantha Boardman just wrote a piece about how reading a good book — specifically fiction with a strong main character — has benefits far beyond entertainment. Sam, a clinical instructor in psychiatry and assistant attending psychiatrist at Weill-Cornell Medical College in New York City, uses the example of Harry Potter and the effect on children. ‘Research suggests that tales of the young wizard engender empathy,’ she writes. ‘Children who read Harry Potter seem to be less prejudiced towards minority groups and to have more open minds.’ And it gets better: positive fictional role models, Sam says, can help children make better decisions and also boost creativity. Her thoughtful piece, here on Positive Prescription, had me thinking about the books that had an impact on me as a child. I read The Little Prince when I was very young. Some of the things he said were lost on me at the time, but I loved the story. I kept coming back to it as I got older. I took a copy to college and later when I moved to New York City, and every time I reread it, I found new meaning. One of my favorite quotes: ‘And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.'” — Tory