What was the first book that hooked you as a kid?

[Helen]

Horses, horses, horses! All the Black Stallion books I could get my hands on. And the Golden Stallion, too.

[Kaelin]

Peter Pan.

[Stephanie]

The first book my mom read to us kids was The Wind and the Willows that opened the door for me. I couldn't wait till I could read on my own. It took her months to read that book. It was one of my favorite memory's of my mom. My first chapter book was Harriet the Spy. I dreamed about old houses and dumb waiters for the longest time after reading that book. And then my brother introduced me to science fiction. C.S. Lewis the Ransom trilogy Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra and That Hideous Strength now I'm hook on Scifi.

[Vatsala]

The one and only Dr Seuss. My first book was Cat in a Hat and my then favorite was Hop on Pop and Green Eggs & Ham. :)

[James]

I don't really recall, but I'm pretty sure that it would have had nudes in it.

Seriously, I have NEVER been "hooked" by any book. I was able to read at age three, was reading adult books (Noir Fiction) by age eight, and have liked many books and many authors, but never found one to be outstandingly above others. Same with music or film - none are singular favourites.
The only people I have met who have favourite books read very little. I read at least one book per day - at times far more than that.
I once met a gorgeous woman who told me that her favourite book was "A Tale of Two Cities". I learned a little later that she had only read three books - she read mostly Women's Magazines. The relationship didn't last much beyond one naughty weekend. (It was a memorable weekend.)

[Rosemarie]

The four Mary Poppins books. I also liked the Bobbsey Twins and later Trixie Belden.

[Mark]

Aesop's Fables. These wonderful books: The Travels Of Magnus Pole and Fish Head. And an abridged version of Robinson Crusoe, which I've had a hard time tracking down.

It's so fun to read this thread! I volunteer with third graders to help them with literacy, and this is giving me inspiration for books that might turn them on.

[Larry]

Probably Tom Sawyer.

[Maria]

Stephanie wrote: "The first book my mom read to us kids was The Wind and the Willows that opened the door for me. I couldn't wait till I could read on my own. It took her months to read that book. It was one of my f..."

My dad used to read that to me, although he never got past the boat trip and the "shove that under your feet" and the list of food stuffs that followed as it always made me laugh so much that I wanted him to read it to me again and again. My dad was a super story teller, and he even made up his own story for me with great characters (all animals) which he used to recite to me when we were on long car journeys (this was way before we had a radio in the car). And another one of my favorites was 'Tales of Professor Popoff' by Betty Willsher , and I was delighted when for my birthday a couple of years ago he managed to find me a copy, as my childhood one had been lost or given away many years ago.

[Demetrius]

Each week I read a Happy Holisters book from the series. That is what I recall. But there were others

[Kristin]

When i first learn to read it was like magic, i read an awful lot.. i had been wearing glasses since kindergarten! Children's book that i keep reading would be athe Tower in Ho-Ho Wood by Enid Blyton.