# data[].attributes.body
Some  of my fondest memories growing up were of my dad reading me Uncle Wiggly stories. These stories were something that he read growing up, too. The vocabulary was probably over my head, but I loved the adventures that the characters had and how silly they were.

# data[].attributes.body
I remember the feeling of accomplishment I had when I started reading books on my own. I have always loved books and used to look forward to those Scholastic fliers we would get in school. I always begged my mom to let me order tons of books!

# data[].attributes.body
In middle school, I really got into reading series and this flooded over into high school and college. The first series of books I read were the Harry Potter series. I loved starting a new book with the history and characterization from previous books. It makes all of the characters and plot happenings even more meaningful in subsequent books. I also read a lot of Nancy Drew books as a young kid. Other series I have read and enjoyed included Twilight, Divergent, and the Janet Evanovich mystery books.

# data[].attributes.body
I have always loved reading YA fiction for fun. I remember reading the Gossip Girl series as a teen, way before they became a TV series. The books were so scandalous but I remember loving the characterization and being shocked by what the characters would do.

# data[].attributes.body
I became a big historical fiction fan in college because of Philippa Gregory's "The Other Boleyn Girl", which I read before it became a movie. I read many other novels of hers after that, and another historical fiction book I loved was Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander"

# data[].attributes.body
As an English teacher, I acquired a whole new approach to evaluating what makes a book "good." I also found that reading a book multiple times made me love it even more. I especially adore "The Great Gatsby" and "The Crucible" after having read both with my 11th grade classes 4 years in a row.

That being said, many students had a hard time connecting to classic literature, whether it be a cultural gap or a vocabulary gap. I have to work very hard to get students to understand how they can connect to these books on a deeper, thematic level. I practiced a reading workshop in my class that allowed students to select their own books to read and write about. I loved seeing students find a book that made them sad when reading time was over. I especially loved seeing reluctant readers who were dreading doing a reading workshop find a book that they couldn't get enough of.

# data[].attributes.body
Now that I am an adult, I enjoy non-fiction more than ever. I feel that non-fiction is a gateway to learn new things or hear new viewpoints that I am not exposed to in my every day life. I also enjoy reading books on the Bible with my small group from church, because these are written by scholars who know much more on the historical/social influences of the Bible than me.

# data[].attributes.body
Now I get to enjoy reading books to my two children before bedtime. My 10-month-old daughter doesn't really care about reading (let's hope this changes as she gets older!) but my almost 3-year-old son LOVES reading. Even right now he is hanging on my computer chair asking me to read him "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" because he saw the picture on my Padlet!

# data[].attributes.body
Everything!

Well, what I mean is that I will read anything...

I had a professor in college once tell me that "wide, voracious reading is what leads to a more refined sense of your favorite genres." Dr. Shiring was so right! I

l will read anything, even books that I find I don't enjoy. For whatever reason, once I start a book I feel compelled to finish it. The more that I read, the better able I am to articulate what it is about a book that I do or don't like. Reading a wide variety of authors, genres, and topics has helped me narrow down my own personal preferences.