https://padlet.com/natkim24/r3al85k2xd5bfk0c en-us 2022-09-09 17:47:13 UTC 2022-09-12 19:04:52 UTC hello@padlet.com natkim24 https://padlet.com/natkim24/r3al85k2xd5bfk0c/wish/2290086062 One of the first major book series I read was LOTR, by J. R. R. Tolkien, and definitely fueled my interest in fantasy novels. I avidly read the series throughout middle school, and later watched the movies. When I finished, it was one of my big accomplishments at the time, as it was by far the longest and most difficult read back then. I just loved how Tolkien was able to make such a complex world feel alive, and it helped me to visualize fiction better and become more interested in the genre.]]> 2022-09-09 17:54:36 UTC https://padlet.com/natkim24/r3al85k2xd5bfk0c/wish/2290086062 natkim24 https://padlet.com/natkim24/r3al85k2xd5bfk0c/wish/2290097184 Fact books like the Guinness Book of World Records and Ripley's Believe it or Not were the first nonfiction books I really became interested in. Reading about extraordinary feats and beyond bizarre people and places expanded my view of the world and allowed me to delve into the lives of so many people. These books shaped my overall perspective and were absolutely addicting to me as a kid, as I would sometimes read these books for hours.]]> 2022-09-09 18:03:21 UTC https://padlet.com/natkim24/r3al85k2xd5bfk0c/wish/2290097184 natkim24 https://padlet.com/natkim24/r3al85k2xd5bfk0c/wish/2290106438 I vaguely remember waiting for elementary school while I was younger and watching bits and pieces of the movie Interstellar. Eventually, when I was older in middle school, I did sit down with my dad and watched the whole movie. To this day, I think the single cause of my love and obsession with space stems from this movie. It's such a perfect work of cinematic craftsmanship that even to this day, it's still one of my favorite movies. (Bonus is that I was introduced to Hanz Zimmer, whose music was also a huge inspiration for my desire to be in honors bands and music competitons).]]> 2022-09-09 18:09:57 UTC https://padlet.com/natkim24/r3al85k2xd5bfk0c/wish/2290106438 natkim24 https://padlet.com/natkim24/r3al85k2xd5bfk0c/wish/2290116343 When my parents were younger, they collected comic books from the 80s and 90s, and I would basically only read them for years of my life. However, out of all of them Calvin and Hobbes was always my favorite, being about a young boy and his imaginary stuffed tiger friend. The pure childish innocence that the comics have evokes a smile from even the most jaded person. It was comforting coming home from a rough day and being able to read Calvin and Hobbes, and helped me to understand a lot about myself and the world through the lens of someone unbothered by such problems.]]> 2022-09-09 18:17:14 UTC https://padlet.com/natkim24/r3al85k2xd5bfk0c/wish/2290116343 natkim24 https://padlet.com/natkim24/r3al85k2xd5bfk0c/wish/2291501766 This book was one of the first I've ever read that really felt relatable in a lot of ways. It also helped broaden my own perspective of life through another person's eyes, and to that I am very glad I read this memoir. The way that Malaka Gharib organizes and formats her life to be appealing to both children and adults definitely kept me hooked, as the fun little games she included along with the serious moments that I associated with so much. Also, in one final note, I think that this book was so influential on me because it was a graphic memoir, rather than a standard autobiography.]]> 2022-09-11 23:59:14 UTC https://padlet.com/natkim24/r3al85k2xd5bfk0c/wish/2291501766