what was the 1st book you read that sparked your love for reading?

[Rebecca, Group Creator]

We all have that one book...you know the one we pick up and cant put down. The one where once you finish it you feel a little sad. The book that you is your go to book for when you need it.

For me that book was Ken Follet's Pillars of the Earth. I still remember the story, the tell of kingsbridge. The building of this grand cathedral. I have loved that book for almost half my life. Reading it at 16 might not have been typical but I am so glad I did. It is just one of those amazing books. But now I would love to know what yours is?

[Lorre]

From the moment I could read, I remember reading books. My first book series was when I was 6 and it was a child's book series about a postman who got himself in funny situations. He was called "Pietje Pek" (Belgian series) and I remember I was impatient to go to the bookstore with my mom when a new one came out. After that I read pre-teen adventure series, still in Dutch. But I also read a lot of english classics translated to Dutch or French classics that I read in French. And when I was about 15 I started reading horror books in English.

[Abby]

I've been a reader ever since I was a kid... I remember reading the Goosebump books and the Christopher Pike books back when I was a tween.... I took a break from it a few years back because I just didn't have time to read a book all the way through... What got me hooked back into reading, and hooked on PNR novels(Paranormal Romance) in particular was Christine Feehan's Dark Symphony... I read that and have been hooked ever since...

[Tammy ~Witching Hour Reads~]

If I remember correctly it was a Christopher Pike book, I think it was Road To Nowhere, I was hooked after that I read everything I could get my hands on, R.l. Stein, Caroline Cooney. I remember reading a series about kids in college or dorm rooms, can't for the life of me remember the authors name of the series name. Then I started in to high school romance, historical romance, then ghost stories. But I always came back to paranormal, and I'm still the same way I will read anything I can get my hands on!

[Rebecca, Group Creator]

I grew up reading R L Stein and Christopher Pike :D Now my kids are reading them. It is great to share that with them. I have just recently started seeking out early Christopher Pike books. I love his work but they are hard to find.

[Tammy ~Witching Hour Reads~]

My little guy is not quite there yet, he's reading Geronimo Stilton, and Amulet, I can't wait for him to ask for my Harry Potter novels or Spider wick!
I found alot of Christopher Pikes early stuff at second hand book stores, and flea markets. The odd time I get one from the library, that they have discarded.

[C.C.]

I really don't know what book, but I remember the method my mom took to get me and my cousin to read. She paid us a quarter a chapter. Back then Mr Softee was our favorite, so we read to get money to buy frozen sweets. However, I continued reading after the money dried up.

Update:
I believe it was the Ramona Quimby series.

[Thayer]

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Not only the story, which drew, drew, drew me in, but the accompanying Tenniel illustrations. When I was very young, my father would read the book to me. My father was the reader in the family and introduced the love of reading both novels and poetry.

[Laura]

The Black Stallion Series was my first love. Don't most young girls love horses. I have rebought all of the series and still love them many(not telling how many) years later.

[Stephanie]

Ramona Quimby, Superfudge and The Black Stallion series! Then onto The Sweet Valley Hight series and anything by Chirstopher Pike! I still remember my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Klockenkemper reading Ramona after recess and that is when I fell in love with reading!

[Marcia]

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol; and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Then when I got about two years older I read ALL the Sweet Valley High books!

[Carrie]

The Goosebump series, Nancy Drew books, The Bobbsey Twins series, Anne of Green Gables, and The Secret Garden. In Elementary School, I used to buy about 50 books to get me through the summer, and these were the ones I cherished most.

Looking back, I wonder what my parents thought of all that reading - a good thing, or a bit too much? They probably were not surprised when I announced I wanted to be an author. :-)

Carrie Salo
Author of the Supernatural Thriller
The Sounding

[Anna]

I think I had different books that kick started me at different ages...
Black Beauty, was the first non picture book I remember reading - I remember finding it in a friends garage and just reading it all day while they played! The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe in primary school, The Malory Towers series/The Father Brown Mysteries/My Family and Other Animals when I started secondary and discovered the school library and the Great Expectations which I got as a present when I was 12 or 13.

[Sharon]

I've been reading a lot since I was very little. I remember reading Nancy Drew, The Secret Garden and a lot of Judy Blume books. But I think I was in high school when I really started to devour books. The first one I remember having that kind of reaction to is Shanna by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. The second was Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. Don't really know what that combination says about me....

[Trinity, PNH Lovers Tech Support & Group creator]

I grew up overseas because of my dad's job. He was a govt contractor and we got sent to Turkey. Let me tell you... entertainment was interesting.

I was 7 when we got there and I was not a big reader. But since I was being home-schooled and my mother was trying to get me more involved in reading, we would sit in the living room each afternoon and she would read to me for one hour. The first book she read to me was Little Women; I bawled my way through that book. After that, it was the Little House On The Prairie series and the Narnia series.

My mom definitely instilled my love of reading in me. 29 years later, I still can't get enough of the worlds that are created by talented authors!

[Candyland]

There were so many books when I was a kid! I learned to read early, and devoured every book I could get my hands on! (Some kids get upset if they have to leave the store without a new toy - my sister and I got upset if we had to leave without a new book.) There were a lot of books.

If I had to pick, though, I would have to echo some others here and say Little House on the Prairie and the Nancy Drew series. My parents were very encouraging of my reading, and I can remember being permitted to stay up late to read "just one more chapter" of whatever Little House book I was on at the time.

Nancy Drew was also my introduction to the "horror" genre, when my mom gave me her old copy of The Hidden Staircase. I know it's not a scary book per se, but parts of it gave young-me the creeps, and I loved it!

[☀Rachael☀]

I've always read I go through phases of different genres. I read lots of Enid Blyton and Roal Dalh as a kid, then more chick lit as a teen. I started on James Patterson at age 21 and he got me in to crime/murder books. Then while travelling around Oz in 2003 I picked up the first Harry Potter and got hooked! My first Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance was Halfway to the grave and I've never looked back!