My life as a reader

1. My life as a reader Christine Tuttell Adolescent Literature February 15, 2012

2. My interactive timeline Iused the website dipity.com to create a timeline of my life as a reader. It has some interactive elements and was pretty easy to use. My Reading Life Timeline

3. The Early Years I don’t remember learning to read (it was over 40 years ago!), I think, like many of you, I was born a reader. I remember being surrounded by books and being excited when I got the chance to add a book to the bookshelf in my room. In fact, I remember pitching a fit when my Mom wanted me to pass some of my on to my younger siblings. I enjoyed reading books and I have distinct memories of reading environmental text on all sorts of signs as I gazed out the window of the car (this was way before portable DVDs and handheld electronic devices).

4. Elementary school • In elementary school my love for reading really blossomed. I was fortunate to have great teachers that nurtured my love of reading and allowed me to read whenever I had a free moment. Some of the books I enjoyed in elementary school included: • Dick and Jane Books • SydHoff Books • Nancy Drew Series • Beverly Cleary Books • Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

5. Middle school • In middle school my younger siblings called me a nerd. While they were outside playing, joining sports teams, and playing video games I had my nose in a book. The funny thing is I don’t remember feeling nerdy or excluded but whenever my siblings and I reminisce about growing up they always say, “you don’t remember because you always had your nose in a book.” Some of the books I enjoyed in middle school include: • Any Judy Blume Book • The Shining • Amityville Horror • Flowers in the Attic

6. High school • In high school my love for reading continued. I loved all the books we had to read as part of the curriculum and have re-read many of them as an adult. I didn’t spend as much of my leisure time reading in high school because I discovered art and theater classes. Some of the books I enjoyed included: • 1984 • Catcher in the Rye • The Great Gatsby • Tale of Two Cities • Lord of the Flies • Wuthering Heights

7. College years • During my college years my love for reading didn’t wane but I did find other interests like college radio, college theater and of course classes, which took time away from reading. Books I enjoyed during this time included: • John Grisham Books • James Paterson Books • John Irving Books • Danielle Steele (yes, I hate to admit this!)

8. The adult years • Now as a parent I am fostering a love for reading in my children. They are both in elementary school and already have library cards. It is always a challenge getting them out of the library with under 10 books a piece and I am sucker in bookstores, book fairs or anytime they ask for books. I rarely say no to a book which is evident by the overflowing books shelves in both their rooms. My daughter loves realistic fiction, fantasy and humor and my son is a true boy, wanting mostly non-fiction. • I don’t get nearly enough time to read but when I do the books I enjoy include: • Biographies and autobiographies • Carl Hiaasen Books • The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society