I found some old reading books of my sisters when I was very young. They were old Dick and Jane books.
When I think about these old readers I must have been learning to read by age 4 to 5. I have a soft spot in my heart for these old repetitive simplistic books. I even bought my son Nick a reprint when he was learning to read.
When I was in elementary school my love of books increased. I don't remember a school library, but we did have regular visits from the Public Library Bookmobile. Did you have one in your hometown growing up? It was wonderful, I lived for those days at school. Our class would line up, and only so many students at a time were allowed in the bookmobile which looked like a converted bus or motor home type vehicle. It smelled wonderful!!
My reading quickly went from little girl and Judy Blume, to adult at about age 12-13, I read books my mom had laying around, I would buy books at the local 5 and 10 drug store, you know the ones with semi lewd mass market paperbacks. I loved The Catcher in the Rye, and Gone With the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird, and so many more. These books took me away.....to places unknown, and I loved it.
These are some of my earliest reading memories, before college, and too many text books, and men, and the fun I had there.
What about you? Do you have early favorites? Did you have teen favorites too? I'd love to hear.
7 notes from my friends:
You sound like me. I read everything I could get my hands on. Total immersion in Judy Blume, V.C. Andrews, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and everything my mom had on her shelves, whether it was appropriate or not!
I think we all love books but some of use discover this passion at an old age.
I am not a big fan of books, but since I found all you can books I'm a big fan of e books.
Maybe that's because I'm a computer freak, I don't really know, but reading e books became my favorite hobby.
I have a funny story about my early reading days. I was always sort of precocious when it came to books and reading, and one time convinced my mother, who was not paying much attention to slip a paperback copy of an adult horror novel into the basket at the grocery store. I took it to school, and had it confiscated when the teacher found me reading between lessons. I was 7.
Both L and H are very familiar with these books, though L read them at 3 and H at 5/6 - Margaret Hiller has some books out in DIck and Jane style that rock for little readers too! Just love them!
I think Little Women was the first book that I really, really loved. I wasn't much of a reader when I was young, but I find myself catching up on all those books you've mentioned. I read Catcher in the Rye and To Kill A Mockingbird as an adult. Pure joy!
All of my schools had libraries and my elementary school had a particularly wonderful librarian - I was a library aide. My earliest memory of reading is sitting at the kitchen table reading to my mother while she cooked supper. She always acted so interested and excited about whatever I was reading to her.
We never had a bookmobile but I always always wanted to go to one!! I too fell in love with reading from a young age. Those Dick and Jane books are probably worth some money!
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