March 25, 2019
In the past we’ve written about books that we’ve read and loved as children. Today, however, we’re hoping that you all, our readers, will share some of your favorite memories of reading with us!
So, without further ado, do you remember what book it was that you first fell in love with? What memories do you have of reading it for the first time?
Was it one of the first books you were able to select for yourself at the library? What about the first book you read independently? Perhaps it was a book you read as a child that changed the course of your life. Maybe you had a beloved teacher or relative whom you remember reading aloud to you, or maybe you remember staying up late with a flashlight to keep reading under the covers in secret. Maybe you even read a favorite book for the first time by candlelight during a power outage!
Whatever it was, we would love to hear the title of the book you first fell in love with, and what you most remember about reading it. Please let us know in a comment below — we can’t wait to hear from you!
I know I read many books before I got to them, but the Little House series was my very first can’t-put-down books. I’m currently rereading them with my daughter and falling in love all over again.
What a great choice, Lesley! And how lovely that you get to share the experience of reading them with your daughter, as well. I hope she loves them as much as you did!
– Rebecca
The first book I remember really becoming absorbed in while reading was “The Key to the Treasure” by Peggy Parish. I have a distinct memory of reading that in the car, on the way to the zoo, and of enjoying the book very much. Even though it was different from my own experiences, the fact the protagonists were visiting their grandparents reminded me of visiting my own grandparents and exploring the old or exciting things in and around their home. That opened the door to getting to know the world described in the book.
Thanks for sharing that memory with us, Katie! I had a lot of fun reading the “Amelia Bedelia” books when I was younger, but never read any of Peggy Parish’s other books. I’ll have to check them out!
– Rebecca
The Little House series was my first book-love. I got most of them through the Scholastic book order, starting when I was around 7 or 8, and read and re-read them for years. I still have all of them, although the Scholastic editions are falling apart.
Those are wonderful books, Kathleen, and well worth re-reading over and over again! They were certainly some of our favorites, too. I know my mom loved reading them when she was a girl and we also loved reading them as a family. Thank you for sharing your memory with us!
– Rebecca
What I remember most is the visits to the library when I was 11’ish, (and also back in the day when you whispered in the library and walked softly 🙂 Couldn’t get enough of the Nancy Drew series and the Cherry Ames series….loved, loved seeing all the books lined up in a row extending down the shelf just waiting to be read, one at a time.
Thank you for commenting, Ann! If only more people still respected those “old” rules… 🙂 I’ve never actually read any of the Cherry Ames books, but I’m 100% with you on the Nancy Drew series! “The Secret of the Old Clock” was the very first brand new book I ever got to pick out for myself and I couldn’t tell you how many times I re-read it. What a delightful series!
– Rebecca
I can’t remember the very first book I fell in love with—I loved books all my life. As a toddler I carried board books around with me everywhere I went. 😉 I’d say two series I have memories of reading and loving as a five-year-old and younger are the “In Grandma’s Attic” series by Arleta Richardson and the “Little House” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I also really loved the Franklin the Turtle books! 😉
Thanks for sharing your memories with us, Katja — the “Little House” books were some of my favorites, as well!
– Rebecca
The first book I ever read was in high school/8th Grade.
Amulet of Samarkhand by Jonathan Stroud.
It has always been & will forever be my favourite book. I vividly remember chomping on grapes and reading the novel
Hi Nathan,
Thank you for responding! It’s funny what specific associations we have with books we read years and years ago, isn’t it?
– Rebecca
I remember reading a beautiful old copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass when I was 7 and 8 years old.
It had lovely full page, full-color illustrations scattered throughout and thick pages with crisp print. Looking back, it was clearly a quality antique book even at that time.
I wish I had it still.
Both books have been perennial favorites since then.
I had so much fun introducing them to my daughter when she was six. She loves them as well.