What Was the Book That Made You Become a Reader?

[Tabitha]

Hey Groups,
So this week I was feeling really nostalgic. I decided to rate a bunch of books that I read as a pre-teen (I wouldn't even call them YA; what comes before YA but after Dr. Seuss?), even to re-read one of them and blog about the ones that were super special. I realized that these books had a tremendous impact on me as a developing reader.

What was your book that established you on the path as an enthusiastic reader?

[Renee E]

Two leather and gilt bound multi-volume sets (like twenty books each or so?) of fairy tales, myths and folk tales from all over the world, published at the turn of the 20th century, not sanitized or simplified for children. Rich, rolling vocabularies, death and glory, romance and dishonor, from the halls of Chinese emperors to the battlefields of Russia.

[Gem]

. My 3rd grade teacher was reading it aloud for the class. I was too impatient to wait for her to finish, so I borrowed it from the library.

[Christina]

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 , all of the Amelia Bedelia books, and Pippy Longstocking. I think it might have been third grade and I just learned about the library.

[Renee E]

Oh, and how could I forget the Uncle Wiggly books!

[Michael]

while I was a reader from the start, my family had us reading practically everything, the one that I can clearly remember getting me hooked (especially to horror books) were the Goosebumps series.

[Shari-amor]

Well I've always enjoyed reading even as a kid but I don't think I was really enthusiastic about it until I was like 11 or 12. It wasn't until then that I practically fiend for books. I wanna say it was either Bag of Bones by Stephen King, Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree or Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling. They were presents from my momma's best friend. I remember telling her that I liked Stephen King movies but had never read his books which is why she got me that one. I know after those books, I was in the library every single week.

[E.G.]

I don't remember not reading. Beginning with the . The first non-children's book (no pictures) that I recall was . After that, C.S. Lewis' .

[Jennifer]

I actually had a difficult time learning to read as a child, and it felt more like an obligation than enjoyment. It wasn’t until I was a young teen and found Dolores Claiborne (my first Stephen King book) at a used bookstore for four dollars that I read a book from cover to cover because I wanted to instead of being told to. It took me forever because I read so slowly. Lol. But I loved it, and immediately asked my grandfather to buy me another King book the next time he went to the bookstore. He didn’t read horror novels so he asked the clerk for a recommendation. She gave him Misery. As I read Misery, it was the first time (though there were many to follow) that I skipped meals and stayed up late into the night because I didn’t want to put it down.

[Eva]

I read a lot as a kid. If I had to pick the most impactful book in my childhood, it was "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis. However, I didn't become obsessed with reading until I was in high school, and the book that did it for me was "Interview with the Vampire" by Anne Rice.

[Lily]

Ooh, tough question. I started reading when I was four and it's all a big blur now. Dr. Seuss, Sesame Street books, Ladybird books (other Canadians and English will know that one), Sherlock Holms picture books for kids. Of course, that's all kids books, but I loved them all.

I think the book that made me an avid reader of novels was Little House on the Prairies, I was about six, I think. And now... I don't write anything even vaguely similar to that lol

[J.S.]

I was obsessed with books about dogs: Lassie Come Home (Eric Knight), Shadow the Sheepdog (Enid Blyton), Hundred and One Dalmatians and Starlight Barking (Dodie Smith). Still have em all, battered and well-loved :)

[Jen Canary]

I was always a huge reader, and the earliest obsession books I remember were the CW Anderson horse books; from there, I went on to Marguerite Henry's horse books, Walter Farley's horse books (loved the Black Stallion series but the Island Stallion books were my favorites), the Oz books, Narnia, etc.

The first book I remember just loving so much I read and reread and reread it (and still do) was The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith. If I hadn't already been on the path before that book, I definitely was after.

[Jen Canary]

Dalmatian readers holla!

[Katheryn]

I had a hard time getting into reading, mainly because I had a hard time learning to read in English. And I thought books without pictures were boring. Then in 5th grade the Harry Potter movie came out and I wanted to know about the books. So I picked a random HP book (Goblet of Fire) and the rest is history.

[J.S.]

Jenna wrote: "Dalmatian readers holla!"

WOOP WOOP :D

[Leigh]

Gone with the Wind. I remember rushing home after school, getting myself a snack (10--exactly 10 pieces of pepperoni that I would fry in a pan-- how times have changed!), sitting at my desk in my room, and DEVOURING not the pepperoni-- but the book. I loved to read before that-- fairy tales and Golden Books, etc.--but THAT journey was the one that catapulted me into the world of literature and storytelling-- not only as a reader-- but as a wannabe writer. Following upon Margaret Mitchell's heels was John Steinbeck with East of Eden and Grapes of Wrath. Now THOSE are works you can sink your teeth into!

[Maron]

It's fun to see everyone's answers. :) The books that made me passionate about reading were Goosebumps, Babysitter's Club Little Sisters, and Matilda. Those are the books that turned me into a kid who read constantly for pleasure.

And after those, the Young Jedi Knights series was my next reading obsession. Has anyone else here read those? Tenel Ka was awesome and I wanted to be her. :)

[Jenn]

It was when I was in 3rd grade and out library teacher read The Lion The witch and the Wardrobe. After that I pretty much read every kids book I could get my hands on and then when I turned 13 I read my first romance novel Angel Fire. I can't remember author but it was a zebra romance. After that I was hooked

[Christina]

Jenn wrote: "...when I turned 13 I read my first romance novel Angel Fire. I can't remember author but it was a zebra romance. After that I was hooked "

Ah yes. I remember the day I boldly added a few bodice rippers to my pile of Sweet Valley High books in junior high. Felt just like buying beer on a fake ID. The librarian didn't even raise an eyebrow. Different times.

[Katheryn]

I remember my first romance novel! I was 12 and had no clue what I got myself into. I just thought the plot about werewolves in the wild west sounded cool.

[Ericka]

The first book I was obsessed with was this book of poetry. The poems were for kids but in the sense that there was no "adult" or depressing material. It was pretty much lighter subject matter but not specifically children's authors...there was Shakespeare, Longfellow, Wordsworth, Blake, and so many more. I was two or three so I couldn't quite read yet but I had whole poems memorized. I still have most of my favorite poem from back then memorized. Once I could read for myself, it was Little House on the Prairie and a book of Bible stories that I remember the most. The first book I remember truly falling in love with is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The Chronicles of Narnia series is my life-long favorite. Nothing beats good triumphing over evil and talking animals. =)

[Shari-amor]

Looking at all the books posted especially the children books is making me very nostalgic for my childhood

[Tabitha]

Keshena wrote: "Hmm....that's hard to say b/c my mom was a journalist, and I grew up in a household where literacy was encouraged the way hand-washing and eating vegetables are. I have been reading since I was fo..."

I loved that series!

[Tabitha]

Gem wrote: ". My 3rd grade teacher was reading it aloud for the class. I was too impatient to wait for her to finish, so I borrowed it from the library."

My mom was into this series. I especially liked the one that took place on Plum Creek I believe it was, and Laura had her friends over for sugar cakes and Nelly Olson got leeches on her legs wading in the creek. Good times :0)

[Tabitha]

These were the books that started it all for me. Thank you elementary school book fair!

[Jenn]

I loved book fairs!!!!! Now my kids do too!

[Tabitha]

Glad to hear that elementary schools are still having them. I have this idea that a few more years from now they'll just set up kindles and nooks and have the students browse the net for books, ha ha.

[Jenn]

You're closer than you think. Scholastic books has digital ebooks to download for nook or kindle. We are just lucky that scholastic still comes to the school for the book fair but I don't think they will be much longer. Kind of depressing

[Tabitha]

It is. I don't think ebooks can replace those shelves of shiny, tangible books :0)

[Kat]

For me it was The Hobbit!

[E.G.]

Tabitha wrote: "Gem wrote: ". My 3rd grade teacher was reading it aloud for the class. I was too impatient to wait for her to finish, so I borrowed it from the librar..."

If anyone ever deserved leeches, it was Nellie Olson.

[E.G.]

Tabitha wrote: "It is. I don't think ebooks can replace those shelves of shiny, tangible books :0)"

Books and reading aloud were the 'go to' gifts for my nephews when they were toddlers. Now the oldest two are 'tweens. Both have ipads with Kindle and Nook apps. There's definitely a connection between those early children's books and a life long love of reading.

[Mike]

I think the book that really got me seriously into reading I found when I was about 8. There was a book sale in our school library and I saw this book on the table called "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander. It had a guy on a horse but he had a skull for a head with deer antlers raising a sword above him. I was sold and bought the book immediately. The book was the first of a 5 book series so I read all 5 back to back and knew there were books I would be able to really get into. I was actually sad when I finished the last one.

[Jojobean]

goosebumps series all the way.

what got me in ya was the sweet valley high series and the book "demon in my view" by Amelia Atwater rhodes