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Other books that shaped me as a reader...

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Other books that shaped me as a reader...

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I prefer actual books over audiobooks or digital forms. I do not own a Kindle, but would not be opposed to getting one. I think it would just take me time to adjust to the change.

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This past summer, I presented a few district staff developments on utilizing book baskets in Pre-K and elementary classrooms.

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As a teacher and Skills Specialist at a Pre-K Center, I want nothing more than my students to enjoy coming to school.  Of course, one way to engage students and interact with them is through books and stories.  I like to encourage students to not just find books that they enjoy, but learn about the author.  That way, they can enjoy different books by the same author over and over again.  Students in my class were always partial to the Mo WIllems Piggie and Gerald books, as well as Little Critter by Mercer Mayer.

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Published by Whitman Publishing Company and illustrated by Ben Williams, The Runaway Pancake holds a dear place in my heart.  My grandma Lucy read this book to me over and over again, per my many requests.

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I enjoy reading, but have limited time to do it.  Now that I have been enrolled in graduate school, the reading I do is primarily course work.  Prior to that, I thoroughly enjoyed (and re-enjoyed) The Hunger Games series.  I liked the Divergent series, but am still hesitant to watch the movies.  I love Marian Keyes.  A few years back, I bought out the Marian Keyes selection at a half-price book store and read all of the books during the summer.  I enjoy the Judy Bloom books meant for her older audience.  I also like mystery novels, nonfiction crime books, and young adult fiction.  I strongly suggest the book Winger by Andrew Smith for anyone who is looking for a captivating read.

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I was very fond of my college library on campus.  Though I did not check out many books to read for pleasure, I spent much of my time doing homework surrounded by the books.  It was a peaceful place for me.  A happy place.  I had a friend who encouraged and challenged me in terms of reading.  We often had nostalgic conversations about books and memories we had reading.  We would trade our ragged books with notes in the margins with each other that the other had never read.  I remember giving him The Giver, and he gave me The Catcher in the Rye.  He could not understand how I did not love The Indian in the Cupboard and The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe, and I could not understand how he did not love The Outsiders and The Watsons Go to Birmingham.  It was through these conversations that I regained my interest in reading for pleasure and taking the time to get swept away in a book.

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I realize now that my passion for reading receded some during my high school years, which is unfortunate.  I know I was required to carry a reading book to all of my classes throughout high school.  The teachers encouraged students to read during any 'down time', study hall, or when homework was completed.  I cannot remember any specific book or series I read purely for pleasure during this time.  I am inclined to think I reread a lot of books from home, because I cannot recall using the high school or public library often.  Then there were, of course, the assigned books from classes students were mandated to read.

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My fifth grade teacher was very fond of reading aloud.  She took time between the math block and social studies block to read a chapter from The Boxcar Children book series.  Even during instruction, the class was rarely instructed to 'silent read'.  Instead, the students would take turns reading paragraphs through an activity called Popcorn.  Students were always allowed to 'skip' their turn if they so chose; but the climate of the room was so encouraging, I rarely remember my classmates skipping turns.  Then, one day, my teacher introduced the new book we would be reading -- Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.  Some chapters were assigned as homework; others were read aloud in class.  We even listened to some chapters on cassette tape.  The final chapters of the book were very emotional for me.  I even had to ask my teacher if I could be excused so I could go cry in the restroom. Never in my life had I been so affected by a book. I felt so devastated by the words of the story.  By words!  Where the Red Fern Grows remains one of my favorite books, and I reread it from time to time.  Even though I know every detail, I still have the same emotional response at the end of the story.

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From the ages of seven to ten, I loved the Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park.  After I had checked out and read all of the books provided in the local public library, I asked the librarian if she could buy more.  In addition to Junie B. Jones, I enjoyed children's chapter book series such as The Babysitters Club (and Babysitters Little Sister), Wayside School, and Ramona.  Books about children my age (or slightly older) were my favorite.  I often reread books multiple times, and actually still do to this day.  Sometimes, a book is just too good to read only once and put down forever.

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As a young child, I enjoyed books even before I could read them myself. I remember trips to the public library. My brother would play Sim City on the computer and I would sit in the 'kiddie' area surrounded by puppets and torn and tattered books. I remember being excited to carry a stack of books home, with the anticipation of being read to that very day. I was so proud when I was old enough to have my very own library card.

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I was blessed to be born into a family of educators.  While my dad changed career paths long before my birth in 1988, teaching has always been in his blood.  My mom has taught her entire life, from high school English to elementary school.  She has been the librarian of a small Catholic school in Wisconsin for close to 20 years.  Needless to say, my parents understood the profound effects of reading to children at an early age.  I was read to by my parents as a baby and beyond.  Even my oldest sister, who was six when I was born, spent time reading to me as well.  Many of my oldest books were hand-me-downs from my older sisters and brother.  Though I cannot remember any specific books from this early age, I am sure the experiences shaped the reader I am today.