What Was "THE BOOK" That Made You A Reader?

[Darla]

Cherry Ames, Student Nurse

[Chris]

The Winds of War. I keep looking for a book as good as that one

[Karl]

White Fang and Oliver Twist were probably the two books that hooked me.

[Cendaquenta]

I am... perpetually astounded that anyone can remember this. I don't remember a time before I was a reader.

[Brooke]

Twister on Tuesday from the Magic Tree House series. It's on hold from the library right now but I'm excited to read it again after all of these years.

[Michelle]

Dolores Claiborne
I found this book at a used book store for $4 when I was a young teen and bought it on a whim. It took me a month to finish because I was a slower reader at the time, but it hooked me completely.

[Cindy (BKind2Books)]

Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint - a school librarian gave this to me because I was really into space / astronauts and all things science-y. It was years later that I figure out this book inspired "Flubber". This was the beginning of a love of reading that continues to this day. I found out that there were worlds to be explored...all from wherever I was, anytime I had the time. It was a grand thing especially when I became sick and had to spend a summer in bed a few years down the road.

[Michael]

I had to answer this question the other day and I had to Google the book. So, the answer is fresh on my mind. I remember reading “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles, published in 1959. That's what turned me into a reader. The imagery of Gene returning to his old school and remembering his friend Finny. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't read it, but that's what got me hooked that books can take me anywhere.

A Separate Peace

[Melissa]

The Secret Garden

[Kel]

I learned from an early age that reading was a way to connect with my Dad. Though I don't recall him ever reading to me, he was always interested in what I was reading and though $$ was tight, the Book Fair at school was an open ticket. In the 5th grade I loved From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and in the 6th grade I brought home Of Mice and Men, thinking it was a children's book. Dad loved it & I was a Steinbeck gal from then on.

[Lauren]

shiver by maggie stiefvater was the book for me! I remember going to BJ’S with my dad and I started to read to see if I would like it and I couldn’t stop. 😁

[Kristin]

The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright was my favorite book when I was a kid, I read it a million times! Have been a life-long avid reader ever since.

[Danielle]

Any and all Beverly Cleary books!

[Thalassophile_takemetotheocean]

The Babysitters Club series by Ann M. Martin. I forget which one I read first but I found them so interesting as a middle schooler.

[Chris]

Rich Man Poor Man in Grade 5

[Flyleaf ❥]

Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer.

[Federica]

I used to read some small books (those you read when you are learning to read) before, but I think THE book was Harry Potter, when I was 6 or 7 yo. Also Neverending Story by Michael Ende, same age, I'm not really sure which one I read first but I loved them both ad definetely got me into reading

[Daniel Bohunický]

I thnik it was E.M. Remarque - All Quiet on the Western Front in high school before 7 years.

[Tamir]

The Tie that Binds by Kent Haruf, his first novel. I love his writing style and his fictional town of Holt, Colorado. I read all 6 of his novels, and the Plainsong trilogy is my favorite of his work.

[Julie]

A Wrinkle in Time.

[Synbiotic 365]

I got older I started reading Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Judy Blume (along with many others) and then picked up Stephen King when I got into high school. I use to love the book fairs when they came to my school.

[Butch]

Charlie wrote: "Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. My dad gave it to me to read when I was a Jr. in high school."

Meredith wrote: "Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson was it for me."

Other than Hardy Boys books when really young, I would concur with Charlie.

[The Ravishing]

mine wasn't necessarily a book but a book series... the earliest books that I remember reading and collecting was The Babysitters Club series in elementary school. I had most if not all of the collection, followed by The Goosebumps collection and the Judy Blume collection by middle school. I had my own library in my room. a fun weekend day for me would be spending hours at the Kid's Corner at Border's bookstore and Barnes and Nobles. or spending my day parked at the library reading from the "New Release" section.

[Astha]

There was never one book in particular. My parents have always been buying books for me as far as I remember. I had this big hardcover Pinocchio with pictures and I would carry it around (it was my favourite, and I could barely read full sentences). My parents showered me with comics, short story books with morals, graphic novels about history, famous people, gods and what not. I still remember reading books full of one line facts about animals and plants (I think there was another one as well about people and culture). My father had prized possessions of two encyclopedias (which are so big and heavy, I still can't hold even one properly) and I would flip through them as a kid. When, I was about 9-10 yrs old, they subscribed Reader's Digest and would often buy their books about History, Food, English Grammar and novels. At school, we had one library class per week and we could borrow one book at a time. There was not a week, I would not borrow a book and take home. I still believe, parents should hand out books to kids when they are beginning to read, or better read out to them even before. I am indebted to my parents for many things (obviously) but specially this; buying me books even before I knew about reading as a hobby.

[Mesca Elin]

An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser

[Judy]

The Hobbit Trilogy

[Karen]

Spent my childhood in the library, but THE BOOK that opened my eyes to the powerful effect of reading: The Thorn Birds.

[Debra]

When we were small (3 to 5 years old) Mom used to read to us from 101 Famous Poems. I really loved The Raven by Poe. She bought my first adult book at age 4, The Complete Tales & Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. I was immediately fascinated and enthralled!

I grew up in a small Southern town and my only experience of life was that which was found in my small town. When I started reading for pleasure, I discovered worlds of experiences and folks (characters) far beyond my limited experiences. My mind, my intellect, my life experiences, and my vocabulary grew with each book I read.

Reading was a good friend to me through all the years of my life. I am now 67 and have read thousands of books and now have a sizable personal library full of well-read books waiting to be reread and new books waiting to be discovered. I read a quote a number of years ago, "I have always imagined Paradise to be a kind of library." by Jorge Luis Borges that inspired me to begin my book collection in anticipation of my retirement years. I have thousands of books in my collection. Many are signed first editions by favorite authors. Many are fine bound (signed and unsigned). Many are signed and unsigned trade editions (generally first editions though I have some "standard" books as well...). I tend to read through authors. If I read a book that I particularly enjoy, I will begin buying books by the author and read through their catalog of books. Some books refer other books. For example, I once bought a copy of FDR, The Early Years at a local used book store. When I got home, I leaned against my front door and flipped through the book, and out fell a signed notecard from Eleanor Roosevelt gifting the book to her niece Alice. The note was written on a card designed by Fritz Kredel. I discovered that he and Eleanor produced a book together (she wrote the book, he illustrated it) called Christmas. I found a pristine copy of Christmas and added it to my collection as well. One book referred another as you can see... I am particularly proud of my author-signed first editions which include books by Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen King, Harry Crews, Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and many others. I have a list of "want to haves" including a signed book by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the additional signed books by Truman Capote that I do not currently own.

Reading has been one of the great joys of my life. It has kept me company, entertained, educated, comforted me, and been a good companion all the days of my life. My wife is also a reader and I find that my friends tend to be readers as well.

[Kamaria]

It has to be The Lightning Thief. My mom really new what she was doing when she randomly yeeted that book my way

[Mary]

I have enjoyed reading from a very young age. I remember reading Ramona Quimby, Age 8 when I was in 1st grade and loving it. I soon read all of the Ramona series and any other Beverly Cleary book I could get my hands on. By 4th grade I included many Judy Blume & The Babysitters Club books on my bookshelf. My friends knew I was the one to go to for book recommendations and I loaned out mine more than once. I loved Christopher Pike books in Jr. High and collected all I could find.
I credit my parents for my love of reading. When we went to the store and I was good my reward was a new book. I am thankful that they helped me see how valuable reading is at such a young age.

[Alicja]

I always enjoyed being read to and started to like reading by extension, but the first book I REALLY loved and a book that made me want to read more was The Chronicles of Narnia. I remember being in 3rd grade and trying to read all 7 books instead of doing my school work. BUT the first book that I remember reading is a polish kids book called Karolcia. It is a story about a girl who found a magic bead that made any wish she had come true. So maybe that was the book that got me hooked on reading. Also I used to reread The Children of Noisy Village series a lot .

[Lynn]

I don't remember what book made me a reader, but I do remember after several years of not reading due to lack of time and loss of interest, I was killing time at Barnes and Noble when I came across a beautiful display containing a book, . I sat down and started reading. Before I left the store, I purchased the book, read the rest of the series, and I haven't stopped reading since.