Reading Autobiography by Nicole Dykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi A project for RU 548: YA, Reading, & Literacy. Exploring my reading history through the lens of significant books! en-us 2023-06-02 18:42:32 UTC 2025-10-31 12:48:47 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-uploads.storage.googleapis.com/1961782154/49a881b063945b0b3c4be9c06610e71a/1631468808676.jpg The Rainbow Magic Fairy Books - Written by Daisy Meadows, illustrated by Georgie Ripper (2003-2014) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613199009 I probably only read the first fifty or so before I outgrew them, but I adored these short chapter books when I was in first-third grade. I was getting to an age where my classmates had started telling me Santa wasn't real and magic tricks are just tricks. I think I was drawn to books with a fantastical element like these because they kept the magic alive for me for a bit longer. In a similar vein, I really enjoyed the Disney tie-in books about Tinkerbell and the other fairies of Pixie Hollow! ]]> 2023-06-02 18:52:57 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613199009 Finding and Making Magic nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613201550 If they had this website back in my day, my friends and I would have used it like crazy! Instead, we spent recess periods tracing the outlines of the book illustrations against the classroom windows so we could design new characters of our own and write stories about them. A few memorable ones that would have been spectacular flops: "50 States" fairies and "Ice Cream Flavor" fairies! My school friends and I were pretty much writing the elementary version of fanfiction. Not only did these books allow me to connect with some of my closest friends, they also inspired me to write and make art, which brought me a lot of joy.]]> 2023-06-02 18:58:09 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613201550 The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (2005) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613209548 This is the first book series I can ever remember being truly obsessed with. Mythology was a special interest of mine as a kid. My family is from Greece--my grandmother came here from Kalamata when she was twelve--and I really felt like learning about these famous mythological characters and stories was like learning about my own personal history. Percy Jackson made those stories more accessible and fun for my young brain, and I fell in love with the universe and its characters. ]]> 2023-06-02 19:14:14 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613209548 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613211645 The seventh grade was my prime reading era. I started my Goodreads account that year. I racked up so many Accelerated Reader points every semester that I was practically personally responsible for the class pizza party. I visited the middle school library multiple times a week, and I’m still in close contact with my English teacher from that year. 

I have a vivid memory of the first time I read about The Hunger Games in a Costco magazine. I can't find it now, but it was an advertisement, or maybe an interview, that described it as being inspired by the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Coming off of my Percy Jackson high, I was pumped to find something new. I have a vivid memory of staying up late to finish the book and forcing my mom to drive me to the bookstore the next day to purchase Catching Fire immediately. I read that sequel in less than 24 hours and had to wait the longest week for my life after that cliffhanger because Mockingjay didn’t come out for seven more days. When the school year started, I pushed the book onto everyone, the teacher included, and by a few months into the school year, my entire class had read the Hunger Games. My copy of the book is worn and beat up from being read by so many different people. We had a countdown on the whiteboard of the English classroom for the first movie release that March. It felt like being a part of the best, biggest book club in the world, and I have nothing but fond memories of that entire school year. ]]> 2023-06-02 19:18:45 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613211645 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (1997) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613212620 I feel so basic for including this, but it would be dishonest not to. I devoured the whole series in about a month, racked up 250 Accelerated Reader points, and basically personally guaranteed the class pizza party that semester. It was the first time that being a book fan became a key part of my identity. I embraced this fictional world in a way that I hadn’t ever really experienced before. I started reading fanfiction. I attended LeakyCon twice in 2012 and 2014. Harry Potter helped me bond with two of my closest friends at the time. 

My relationship with these books has changed significantly in the last few years. It’s no secret that the LGBTQ+ community’s relationship to J.K. Rowling is strained at best. If anyone is interested to hear my thoughts on this, I included a link below to my undergraduate thesis from 2017 where I talked about LGBTQ+ representation in YA genre fiction, and I talked about this a bit more in depth! 
]]> 2023-06-02 19:21:05 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613212620 The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (2012) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613213759 John Green’s work marks a crucial moment in my reading life, but not because of his books themselves. I would never list The Fault in Our Stars or Looking for Alaska in my favorite books of all time. They were all books that everyone in the seventh grade classroom was reading, and I read them largely because of that. The seventh grade was a time of exploration and discovery for me in that regard; I don’t tend to pick up books like this anymore. Now I’m primarily a genre fiction reader that favors fantasy and science fiction, because years of reading widely allowed me to discover my personal tastes. However, I reflect on John Green and his work fondly because I can recognize the immense value it had in helping me find a community of like-minded people. 

I was (and still am) a devout online follower of his content on YouTube and across other platforms. I remember watching videos of John Green updating everyone on the 100,000 signatures for signed copies. I remember watching the video of the cover reveal. But mostly, I remember being proud to call myself a “nerdfighter,” part of a positive online subculture that’s made of awesome and fights to decrease “world suck.” I felt safe in that space, a crucial affordance to a nerdy twelve-year-old girl who needed help feeling comfortable in her own skin. DFTBA!]]> 2023-06-02 19:24:00 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613213759 Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (2015) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613214504 Carry On is one of the first fantasy books I can remember reading that featured LGBTQ+ main characters. I had read books like Will Grayson, Will Grayson and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, but this one was different because it was magical. On top of that, with the magical school elements that connect it back to books like Harry Potter, this book was a recipe for perfection in my eyes. It’s more than 500 pages, but I read the whole thing in one sitting, and it sparked a journey of me seeking out queer YA content more actively and intentionally. To this day, I still reread this book at least once a year. It has become a comfort read to me--sinking into these pages is the same as putting on an old comfortable sweater, and I don't think I will ever tire of it. ]]> 2023-06-02 19:25:44 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613214504 These are books that I’ve found and loved throughout college and adulthood now that I understand my personal reading tastes much better. In recent years, I’ve branched out into more adult books, especially in the last year or so as I’ve learned to appreciate romance as a genre, but I still reach for YA about 75% of the time! nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613214727 2023-06-02 19:26:12 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613214727 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613215033 I read this for a summer reading assignment going into the ninth grade and cried for probably an hour when I finished it. I had never been so emotionally affected by a book before, and to this day, I think it's one of the most stunningly creative historical fiction books I have ever read. I reread it from time to time whenever I need a good cry! ]]> 2023-06-02 19:27:01 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613215033 Bonus: My favorite books according to my mom nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613217129 My memory from this time isn't the greatest, so I consulted an expert. My mom went into the attic and brought down a box of books she kept from my childhood because I requested them over and over again at bedtime! Aside from the books listed above, I apparently also loved Mig the Pig by Colin and Jackie Hawkins and Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina and Ann Marie Mulhearn Sayer.

]]> 2023-06-02 19:31:32 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613217129 Random Reads nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613220318 Other than the two books above, there aren't a lot of books that stand out from my high school years. This was before I really discovered online communities of bookish people like Bookstagram or BookTok, so my reading was not as influenced by mainstream media. I was reading randomly; my book buying and reading was less guided by intention, which unfortunately means that, upon going through my Goodreads history, there were a lot of flops or just things that aren't particularly memorable. This is also a period where I started branching out into adult books for the first time with things like Gone Girl, but I don't think I was quite ready for them - none of the adult books I read were rating very highly. ]]> 2023-06-02 19:38:20 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613220318 A Note on Nerdfighters from The New Yorker nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613576579 This New Yorker article from back in 2013 is a great summary of the beginning of the "nerdfighteria" phenomenon.]]> 2023-06-03 15:22:21 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613576579 Harry Potter and the Cursed (Queer?) Child: The Evolution of LGBTQ+ Representation in Young Adult Genre Fiction nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613580790 A link to my undergraduate thesis! ]]> 2023-06-03 15:33:28 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613580790 The Fault in Our Stars Book Announcement Video nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613585705 2023-06-03 15:46:03 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613585705 The Hunger Games Book Trailer from I Read YA nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613586837 2023-06-03 15:48:55 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613586837 Rick Riordan Presents nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613591517 Since skyrocketing to Percy Jackson fame, Rick Riordan has developed his own imprint at Disney Hyperion books. Founded in 2018, the Rick Riordan Presents imprint gives him a chance to please his fanbase, who are eager for more mythological magic, and support authors of various cultural backgrounds. Riordan has done fabulous work to promote diversity in middle grade publishing. As a kid, I loved him for his books. Today, I love him for the way he has given back to his community of readers and made significant changes in the publishing industry that open doors for underrepresented communities. ]]> 2023-06-03 16:02:36 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613591517 The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley, illustrated by Peter Ferguson (2005) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613594648 Like Percy Jackson and the Rainbow Magic Fairy books, the Sisters Grimm had a magical element that brought fairy tales closer to home for me. I loved these twists on classic tales that made them more modern--more for me. And as a special bonus, this book was actually a pick for the first book club I was ever a part of. My library started a Tween Book Club when I was in fourth grade and I can proudly say I was an inaugural member. This was the second book we read. (The first was Diary of a Wimpy Kid). For the first time, reading became a social activity for me instead of something I did in the privacy of my home with my parents and my younger brother or at school with the guidance of a teacher. ]]> 2023-06-03 16:11:34 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613594648 Neptune Public Library Book Clubs nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613596182 The Tween and Teen Book Clubs are still going strong at my library. I went from a book club member to a volunteer during middle and high school, and now I work there full time as a library assistant! Since I started full time a little more than a year ago, I've actually started another book club we call the Bingeable Book Club. It's open to both teens and adults, and we've got a wide range of members from age 16 to 60+. We read a mix of YA and adult, including things that have gone viral on TikTok, NYT Bestsellers, and more, searching for the best bingeable books that you want to sit down and read in one sitting. ]]> 2023-06-03 16:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613596182 The Shadowhunters Chronicles by Cassandra Clare (2007-) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613600932 The Shadowhunters series holds a lot of nostalgic value for me--they’re books that grew up with me, and when there are new releases, I’m the first one in line at Barnes & Noble to purchase a copy of the latest book. But looking back, the thing that stands out the most to me is my memory of Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn--the first LGBTQ+ character I ever remember reading about as a pre-teen, a bisexual warlock with Indonesian roots who is not just out, but also proud. He’s fun and fashionable and unashamed, and to this day, I think I would call him my favorite fictional character of all time. I didn’t know at the time that I was LGBTQ+, but I remember being inexplicably enthralled. As the series went on, more queer characters started cropping up in the later books - Kit Herondale, Tiberius Blackthorn, Thomas Lightwood, Alastair Carstairs, Charles Fairchild, Raphael Santiago. Cassandra Clare’s world grows more diverse alongside our own, often times a bit ahead of the curve. Not only do her books offer me an incredible fantasy world and magic system to sink my teeth into, they also offer a safe place to learn and grow for teens who might be discovering things about themselves. I talk a bit more about this in my undergrad thesis, which I linked in the previous column under the Harry Potter section! 

Also, on a smaller note, it meant a lot, and continues to mean a lot to me, to see a plus-sized woman like myself finding success in the publishing industry. ]]> 2023-06-03 16:29:33 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613600932 Shadowhunters Novels nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613601981 The Shadowhunters universe gets long and complicated, but I think they set me up to enjoy the complex fantasy worlds and magic systems that appear in adult sci-fi and fantasy. ]]> 2023-06-03 16:32:47 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2613601981 A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2015) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615070060 During high school, I didn't have much time to read recreationally because I was so busy with clubs and extracurricular activities. In college, I had much more free time, and I decided to start a Bookstagram account to connect with other readers online. I didn't know many people in my offline life that were big readers--until I made a post about A Court of Thorns and Roses, and someone I knew in high school commented that they were reading it at the same time. Izzy and I were never close in high school, but Sarah J. Maas books made us fast friends, and to this day, she's one of my favorite people to buddy read with! This trilogy has helped me connect with so many people in my adult life, from college friends to current library coworkers. In fact, it was the inaugural choice for the new book club I started at my library. For those reasons, it has earned its place in my reading autobiography!]]> 2023-06-05 17:53:05 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615070060 These are books that helped me discover an important part of myself during high school. nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615070868 2023-06-05 17:54:06 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615070868 These are books that helped me connect with my peers and form my identity during a crucial time in middle school. nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615071250 2023-06-05 17:54:33 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615071250 These are books that I look upon fondly because they made me love the magic of stories. nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615072123 2023-06-05 17:55:36 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615072123 Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (2016) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615084442 Every Heart a Doorway was one of my first ventures into adult fantasy fiction. Seanan McGuire's book Middlegame is another favorite of mine. The recommendation came from a bookish YouTuber I follow, BooksandLala. This series of novellas was a really amazing transition for me between YA and adult books with its young characters and short length but mature narrative voice. ]]> 2023-06-05 18:09:35 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615084442 Vicious by V.E. Schwab (2013) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615091391 Vicious was perhaps the first truly adult book that I read and loved. It holds up, too--I reread it for book club recently and I think I liked it even more the second time around! This dark and gritty sci-fi universe is memorable and engaging in all the best ways, and I would be remiss not to include it as an example of my current reading tastes. I'll pick up anything Schwab writes because it's always dark and fantastical in my favorite ways. ]]> 2023-06-05 18:17:56 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615091391 The Sarah J. Maas universe - Today.com nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615093470 Sarah J. Maas seems to get impossibly more popular every day. I love this summary from Today.com: "Many BookTokers will say these books have the extraordinary world-building of “Harry Potter,” the romanticism of a Taylor Swift album, and the jaw-dropping crossovers of Marvel movies."]]> 2023-06-05 18:20:40 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615093470 Reading Vlog from BooksandLala, who inspired me to try out this series in the first place! nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615096814 Re-reading these along with BooksandLala and the other community members in her audience was a really wonderful way to connect with other people who have similar reading tastes. I love the whole bookish culture on YouTube, especially readathons and reading sprints, which make reading a more social activity instead of an isolating experience. ]]> 2023-06-05 18:24:58 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615096814 V.E. Schwab nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615102370 I can't recommend V.E. Schwab's books enough if you enjoy fantasy and science fiction. And, in addition to her stunning books, she's also just a great human! She keeps it real on her social media pages, but always has an inspirational and positive thought to share. I also had the opportunity to meet her briefly at BookCon in 2019 and she was incredibly kind. ]]> 2023-06-05 18:32:10 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615102370 Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish, illustrated by Fritz Siebel (1963) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615111022 When we had a Scholastic Book Sale, my pocket money was definitely being used to buy the latest Amelia Bedelia book! Wordplay was peak comedy when I was six. These books made me cry laughing. They made me associate books and reading with joy and laughter. ]]> 2023-06-05 18:43:31 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615111022 Love You Forever by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Sheila McGraw (1986) nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615115773 I made my mom and dad read me this book over and over and over again. I think I saw myself and my family in these pages--a young child loved and cared for by his mother, slowly growing up until the roles become reversed. I didn't realize until years later how sad this book actually is. I don't know how my parents made it though this book without crying every time. Sorry, mom and dad! ]]> 2023-06-05 18:49:07 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615115773 Amelia Bedelia Read Aloud nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615116489 2023-06-05 18:50:02 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615116489 The Origin of Love You Forever nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615120389 This book is already bittersweet, but while doing this project I stumbled upon Robert Munsch's website where he tells the story of how this book came to be. It's definitely worth a read! ]]> 2023-06-05 18:54:37 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2615120389 A Reflection on My Reading Autobiography nicolemdykeman https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2618500716 I’m surprised I don’t need glasses, because when I was a child, just beginning to read independently, I vividly recall staying up long past my bedtime to read in the dim glow of my Barbie night light. There was always a paperback shoved under my pillow. My first best friends were paper and ink and pictures, and every book I read led me down a path of stories to create the person I am today. 

Creating this assignment was a wonderful trip down that bookish memory lane. Not every book on this list is one that I would consider a favorite. However, they did all change my life and my reading in significant ways. Connection, in particular, is a recurring theme in this autobiography. I look at this collection of covers and I am awash with nostalgia, because I remember not just the stories contained inside of them but also the time when I read them and the people I read them with. Reading can be a solitary hobby, but those books that stand out to me when I look back on my history are those that helped me bridge the gaps between my consciousness and that of my family, of my peers, and of my friends. 

My middle school years stand out in particular, not necessarily because of the books I read, but because of the trusted adults in my life who recommended those books to me and helped me form my identity as a reader. In middle school, I felt like I really had a chance to explore and discover, and thank goodness I did, because the older I got, the more I felt like I had to wade through a torturous sea of assigned reading. I want to offer that safe space now to the children and teens who come into my library. I want to help them explore, escape, find themselves or discover a community--whatever they are looking for in their books, I want to help them find it. 

I know how crucial these books were for me at that time in my life. I know how crucial they still are, and I hope this course will teach me how to match these young readers with the books that will show up in their own autobiographies in ten years’ time. The books that reside on my home bookshelf are all well-worn and well-read. I revisit them from time to time when I miss my old fictional friends, and they always have some new perspective to offer me as I grow and change. I know they will be there when I come home, and when I have nothing or no one else, I will always have my bedtime stories.
]]> 2023-06-08 17:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolemdykeman/yhsa7z9toprtolvi/wish/2618500716