Initially Ben wasn't very bright he was failing most of his classes. Until his mother turned off the TV, and handed him a book. Of course in the beginning he didn't take to it so well, he was annoyed that he couldn't watch TV or go outside and play with his friends. Until he started to persevere… You see his mother didn't put what types of books he and his brother had to read. So Ben seized his opportunity to read whatever he liked. So Ben took to it, and kept reading!