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History as a Reader
My memories of books don't really start until I started going to school. -
Earliest Memory
My earliest memory of being read to was in 1st grade. I'm sure I was read to in kindergarten however I very vividly remember my 1st grade teacher reading Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. For me, the book was so colorful that it was almost magical. I didn't ever remember seeing anything so pretty. -
Read Alouds
Although I loved to be able to read to myself, some of my fondest elementary school memories involving reading were when the teacher read to the class. One of my favorite authors to hear was Shel Silverstein. I knew that as long as the book at the familiar black and white cover, I would love the stories inside. -
2nd Grade
One of my favorite book series to read on my own after learning to read was Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel. I always loved frogs and was drawn to the adventures Frog and Toad had together as friends. I also remember being so proud of myself for being able to read silently! -
Chapter Books
My love for reading was quick to develop and I just couldn't get enough. By 3rd grade I had moved on to chapter books and began collecting The Boxcar Children series. I loved that the pages of each book to transport to you the exact location within the pages. -
Funny Reads
In 4th grade our school librarian introduced me to the book series Sideways Stories of Wayside High and I was hooked. I loved the humor and lightheartedness that the series had to offer it's readers. I also enjoyed the mystery of never knowing what would happen next in the books! -
Sadako
5th grade was the first time I remember reading a book that nearly brought me to tears. As a class, we read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr. After finishing the book, our class actually attended a live play of the story in Indianapolis. This was one of the first books that I read that didn't necessarily have a happy ending. -
6th Grade
During 6th grade we read a book by who would later become one of my favorite authors. Our English class read Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. I loved the way Lowry was able to share a scary time in our history in a way that middle schoolers could understand. -
Ponyboy
I continued to read on my own during middle school but I always enjoyed when our English class would read books together. In 7th grade we read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and followed the book by watching the movie. Our English teacher loved this era in history so that made reading the book even more fun with all the extras she offered throughout! -
Lowry Again
By 8th grade, we returned to one of my favorite authors and read The Giver by Lois Lowry. I have read tons of books throughout my lifetime, but I can still say this is by far one of my favorite books. I recommend this book to middle schoolers as often as I can. I loved the compassion, love and mystery that was shown in this book. -
Gatsby
My love for reading continued into my high school years however for the first time, we read a book as a class that I didn't necessarily love. In 9th grade our English class read The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald. I don't know that I can really pinpoint what I didn't love about the book, but I had a hard time staying interested. I should however re-read this as an adult to see if I feel differently. -
9th Grade
Also during my 9th grade year, we read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This book quickly became a favorite of mine and I have since read it a couple of times. I really enjoyed the way the author told the story and language used throughout the book even though it was dealing with very difficult topic. -
Of Mice and Men
During 10th grade English class we read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. This was one of the first books I can remember reading that described the life and everyday dealings that an individual with mental disabilities dealt with. This book opened by eyes to being more cautious of the way I treat those around me who may be different than I am. -
Shakespear
During h, we read several different plays by William Shakespear and even saw a couple of live performances. In 11th grade we read the story of Julius Caesar. The written play was a little difficult for me to follow however we then went and saw the performance live and the story all came together. Of all of the Shakespear plays I've read, this was probably my least favorite. -
Dreams
During my Senior year of high school, our AP Literature class read the book Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver. I remember looking forward to reading the book because I'd heard so many great things about Kingsolver. The book however was not one that I enjoyed. I felt like the main story line was very difficult to follow and many details were provided that weren't important to the story. -
Oh the Places
For graduation one of my favorite teachers gave me the book Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss with a beautiful inscription. That book holds a very special place in my heart. -
Hunger Games
After many people recommended them, I decided to read The Hunger Games. I only made it through the first book and half of the second before deciding the series wasn't for me. I just couldn't understand a world that was so different from our own. -
I'm Not Scared
My reading choices changed in 2009 after the birth of my first child. We began reading him the book I'm Not Scared by Jonathan Allen and it quickly became one of his favorite books. We also began reading it to our second child in 2015. -
House Rules
As an adult I started reading more books based on authors I enjoyed. I've read several books written by Jodi Picoult, my favorite that she's written is House Rules. I love the way she wrote about autism and how the main character and his family handle his diagnoses. -
Hilderbrand
The first book I read by Elin Hilderbrand was Silver Girl. Since that time, I've read everything she's written and continue to follow her journey as an author for more stories. Her stories are all based on or around Nantucket, MA and are full of love, suspense and mystery. -
Storyteller
Knowing that I enjoyed books by Jodi Picoult, I read The Storyteller. This was an amazing book and had many twists and turns that you didn't see coming. Another one of my favorites! -
Hoover
Within the last couple of years Colleen Hoover has become an author that I have added to my list of favorites. Her book November 9 is one of my favorite books she's written so far.