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Period: to
Pre Elementary and Elementary
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Going to the library:
Going to the library at an early age positively influenced my literacy as it got me interested and comfortable around books at an early age. -
The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Eric Carle
This book allowed me to stay interested in books that at the time seamed very long by being interactive. -
Speech Therapy
Speech therapy allowed me to better communicate with others including my parents. It was necessary to learn to read and write. -
Go Dog Go: P.D. Eastman
Go Dog Go: My favorite book to listen to before I could read. I made my grandma read it many times on a train trip she still talks about it. As I could not yet read this book yet, it occurred to me that I needed to learn to read, so I could read the book my self. -
Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?:Bill Martin jr.
Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?, Is one of the first books that I remember listening to in kindergarten, it made me interested in animals as well as how others view things. -
Dot: Scholastic
The first book that I learned to read by my self, it also gave me the confidence that I could read on my own. -
The Magic School Bus series: Joanna Cole
This series made me interested in lot of diverse subjects. It also got me exited about coming to school, even though I knew we could not go on field trips like the ones in the books. -
The Giving Tree: Shel Silverstein
This book taught me that every one always has something to give that will help others. I found I could learn social lessens through books. -
Junie B. Jones: Barbara Park
This series negatively influenced my literacy. Everyone else was reading it when I was young. I wanted to read it as well, however I was unable to switch my book choice for school. It made me very frustrated. -
The Way Things Work: David Macaulay
The Way Things Work is the first book I remember that did not have a plot. It is the first book, outside of school, that taught me how the physical world works. -
Matilda: Roald Dahl
This book helped me rediscover my love for books, as well as the power of books. -
The Magic Tree House: Mary Pope Osborne
This chapter book series negatively influenced me, as it was one of the first chapter books that I read. It made me believe that all chapter books were as uninteresting as those in this series. -
Hatchet: Gary Paulsen
This book negatively influenced my literacy as it was the first book that the whole class had to read. I did not enjoy reading at the time, and it made me think that the books teachers assign students were all going to be unpleasant. I felt I would be forced into reading books like this one. -
The Shadow Children Series: Margaret Peterson Haddix
This series enhanced my literacy as it was the first series of books that I read in the dystopian societies genre that I enjoy. -
Period: to
Jr. High School
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The Lightning Thief Series:
One of the first fantasy series I read and liked. -
O Captain My Captain!
Whitman’s poetry negatively influenced my literacy. His works were some of the first pieces of poetry that I read in class, and I did not like the poetry. It made me think all adult poetry was a chore to read. -
The Harry Potter Series:JK Rowling
This is a series of books that I liked and that I could share with others, as almost everyone knew the stories. -
Flowers for Algernon: Daniel Keyes
This is a book that allowed me to better understand the people around me. -
The Hunger Games Series:
The first dystopian society novels that everyone else was also reading and enjoying. -
Animal Farm: George Orwell
One of the first books I liked that was also a powerful political and social commentary. -
Period: to
High School
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“Fire and Ice” (Poetry of Robert Frost):
Frost’s works are in another style of poetry I do not like. Much of the subject matter is uninteresting to me also. This writing makes analysis a chore and deters me from reading more poetry. -
Metamorphosis: Frans Kafka
Kafka’s works made me see how an absurd prospective can make ordinary events seem interesting and meaningful. The works made me think. -
Year of Wonder: Geraldine Brooks
This book was one of the few historical fiction I novels really like. It made me want to read more historical fiction. I have not found much that is as good as this book though. -
Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451 is another example of fictional government over reach, that shows fiction has the real life effect of promoting literacy and stopping censorship. -
The Da Vinci Code: Dan Brown
This book was one of the first mystery adventure books I read that I liked. It showed me that an adult mystery adventure book can be enjoyable. -
Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey (Novels of Jane Austen)
Both a writing style and subject matter I do not like. It was very hard read and analyze something I dislike so much. -
The Great Gatsby: F.Scott Fitzgerald
A romantic tragedy I actually enjoyed. It is special because I have not found to many romantic tragedies I have liked before or since reading Gatsby. -
Brave New World: Aldous Huxley
Brave New World: Brave New World reminded me why I like the dystopian society genre. It is interesting and thought provoking. -
Invisible man: Ralph Ellison
This book made me better understand pregiduses I may have as well as others views of the world. -
1984: George Orwell
Big Brother is watching. Even though this book was written over 60 years ago it shows the dangers of an unchecked government with technology. It proves fiction has power beyond just story telling in our lives. -
Catch 22: Joseph Heller
I just really liked this book. Books like this make me want to read more.
