As a young reader I would read books from the Choose Your Own Adventure series. In a Choose Your Own Adventure book you make choices that determine the main character's actions and effect the plot and outcome. For example, you'll meet a dragon in a dead-end with a single door and you'd have to decide whether to fight the dragon or run for the door. You might be off to page 13 or you might be off to page 18, depending on your decision.
Today such a game would be better suited to the computer than a book. Click here to fight the dragon, click here to run to the door. Of course, today this wouldn't be a textual game at all. You'd simply use your controller to fight the dragon or head for the door.
Next time on Books Toronto Mike Read As A Kid, we'll revisit the brilliant mind of Encyclopedia Brown.
