"How did you get into reading? When and how/why did you really become a reader?"
It seems reading and libraries have always been a passion of mine. In fact, thinking on it, I can't believe I did not become a librarian or book store owner. My earliest remembrances of reading were the Little Golden Books. I remember having several of them and sitting looking at all their cute pictures before the letters made words for me. I still remember getting my very first library card and "signing" my name on that yellow card. I was so proud of that thing and used it as often as my mom would take me. If I had to pinpoint a time that I "became" a reader, I think it would have to be getting that card. It opened up a whole new world to me. I didn't just have to look at the few books we had at home, but now there was a seemingly limitless amount I had access to. I couldn't get enough.
In elementary school was when reading was really established as a lifelong love for me. I loved library time and my reading interests were varied with everything from picture books to comics. Around grade 5 I started to volunteer to help the librarian at school. I quickly learned how to shelve the books according to the Dewey Decimal numbers and I spent many a happy recess and lunch hour pouring over all the books as I shelved them. The problem was just choosing one or two when it came time to take them out. Little House on the Prairie was a favorite as was a story about a girl named Jessica that I just can't remember the title of now for the life of me.
I think about grade 6 was when the "series" bug bit me and I found the Donna Parker and Trixie Belden books. I spent every penny I had at the small department store in town on them and was so happy when I had the whole collections. I read them over and over again. I don't know whatever happened to those and was really sad when I didn't have them to give to my girls when they hit that age.
What spurred you guys on to become a reader?
4 comments:
I loved Donna Parker!! But not Trixie Beldon - I had this thing against mysteries for some strange reason. No horse books, no boy books and no mysteries. My favourite series were The Bobbsey Twins (before they were mysteries), The Happy Hollisters and The Tuckers.
I started going to the library in Gr 3 and I was in heaven! Books were always my favourite present. So I grew up to be a school librarian :)
OMGOsh....I LOVED Donna Parker, too and have almost all the Trixie Beldon books which my girls have enjoyed reading as well....
I started loving books as a very young child...one of my first memories, about age 4, is of all my Little Golden books, my Children's Bible book, and this big red book full of stories and poems that my dad bought with an encyclopedia set. I have gone to libraries my whole life and now my daughters enjoy going....I also had the Bobbsey Twins, Happy Hollisters, Cherry Ames, The Secret Garden (one of my most fave childhood classics) and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. I have the whole Heidi series too. Ok....i could go on and on about books....LOVE reading and am currently in the midst of THREE books! lol.....
This post brings back such good memories of the beginning of my love for books. In grade school, my brothers and I would sign up for the summer reading program at our local library. I remember riding our bikes there on a hot summer day, and then sitting on the floor between the stacks of books, where it was nice and cool, and choosing our favorites. I loved the Nancy Drew series and there was a series about a group of forest animals that I loved, too. I wish I could think of the name. Cherry Ames was my other favorite series.
In school, I love the biography section. I think I read through the entire section, and to this day, biographies and memoirs are a favorite genre.
Fun post!
I loved reading your story, Susanne! And it brought back memories I had long forgotten -- of libraries and helping our school librarian. Thanks for sharing!
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