Literature Autobiography - by Andrea Smock
“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” -Oscar Wilde
This quote pretty much sums up my outlook on reading books. Making my list of childhood reading memories really helped bring me to this conclusion. I’ve never really laid out my reading past, but after doing so, I found that books that have a place in my heart are books that I have read over and over again; books in which I couldn’t get enough. Delving into my reading past really helped me see how I got to my reading present.
Starting at a young age, I remember only a few books that were read to me. An American Tail and There’s a Monster at the End of this Book are two that really stand out for me. I remember either my mom or dad reading to me about Fievel while I lay in bed drifting off to sleep. I tried to imagine Fievel looking for his family. My Grover book dealing with the loveable monster at the end of the book, reminds me of my grandmother’s basement. I always ran to that book every time I was over there visiting, reading either by myself or with my cousins. These are my first remembrances of reading as a child. I find it interesting that I can’t really remember reading anything on my own or in school until second grade. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Slocum was one of my favorites. She bought her students books as gifts and read aloud numerous books to the class. Looking back, this is the grade that I remember some of my most favorite books, even if I can’t remember the titles. There was a Flintstone one about Dino that I believe she got me for a Christmas present; there was another about a dog, Harry the Dirty Dog, that I remember reading over and over again in my room while lying with my dog, Tiffany. But the best, the absolute best book that Mrs. Slocum read, and the start of my love of repeated reading was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. I could be wrong, but I swear Mrs. Slocum read us this book twice while we were in second grade! I remember her reading the book before Christmastime because I wanted desperately to buy her a box of chocolates for a Christmas present. My parents obliged and I proudly presented her with the box of chocolates. She, demonstrating what a fabulous teacher she was, wrote me a thank you card telling me that, like Charlie, she would savor each bite, letting it fill her mouth with the joyous delight of chocolate. This is a teacher who LOVED reading. Looking back on it, she is the type of teacher I strive to be. Not just a teacher who teaches, a teacher who engages her students in every aspect of the curriculum. I mean, that line from that thank you card still is with me to this day, some 27 years later! I hope that I could make an impression like this on my students. Also during this time my parents enrolled me in the Weekly Reader mailing program and Highlights magazine. I remember my Fraggle Rock books, Jamberry, and this book depicting the 12 Days of Christmas. Again, I remember sitting in my room reading these books over and over again. I would pretend to be a teacher while reading Fraggle Rock to nobody in particular. I really enjoyed these because at the time Fraggle Rock was actually on TV so I was able to read the books AND watch the characters come to life! I recently found Jamberry by Bruce Degen and the 12 Days of Christmas illustrated by Hilary Knight in a box of books while I was moving. I seriously started tearing up remembering reading these books from my childhood. I’m not sure what it is about these books, the illustrations, the bears that were in both, or the style in which they were written, but I absolutely love them.
Later, starting around fifth grade I wanted to have more books of my own but I just didn’t know of any books that I wanted to read. I thought about this when I started teaching because I had students that just didn’t want to read. I could totally relate to them. However, I don’t think that it was that I didn’t want to read, more, I didn’t know what to read. But, in fifth grade, for my birthday I had this urge to read. All I asked for were books by Roald Dahl. Why?? Mrs. Slocum of course! I wanted to read about Charlie again! I got The Witches, The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The Twits, James and the Giant Peach, and on and on. I found myself reading these books over and over again. However, for some reason, I don’t ever remember bringing them to school to read while I was there. I do remember, for years, having library time but not ever knowing what books to get. I eventually would settle for a Choose Your Own Adventure book because those were cool with everyone else. But other than my Roald Dahl at home, I didn’t really read anything I loved for a few years. I find this interesting. I had books that I loved, but I couldn’t seem to love books that were assigned to me or find books that interested me. I think this was an unfortunate trend that lasted several years.
When I was in my teens, what I mostly read were magazines about famous people or famous bands. My Roald Dahl collection held a place on my bookshelves but I never really picked them up. I don’t remember a teacher telling us to read for assignments or even for fun. I find this interesting because I teach middle school and we do a lot to have the students read. So until I was out of high school there are no books that even stick out for me.
Now, the most miraculous thing happened in 2002! On July 30th 2002, I think my reading life changed forever. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released. Up until that point I actually have never heard of Harry Potter. I had a full time babysitting job and I was with them on a camping trip. They were all stoked about this new book that we all took a drive to the nearest bookstore. The whole way there and back they talked about the book and the whole series. The oldest child was so engrossed in it that she finished the book by the next day! I went home from the camping trip and actually saw the first Harry Potter book belonging to my sister. I picked it up, (I’ll admit…I was in the bathroom…) started reading it…and finished reading the first chapter while “sitting” in the bathroom! (Not because I had to…but because I wanted to!) After that, I sat on my deck and finished reading the entire book by the next day. By the end of the week I was all caught up to the fourth book. I have never in my life been so addicted to a book series. I love Roald Dahl but this was something else. These books were new, the author was writing more, AND there were rumors of movies! I hated that the first four were so readily available but now I had to wait 2 whole years for the next book!! This is where my love of reading and the ability to find more books that I liked to read comes in to play. I found a sense of my book reading self, even if it did take me into my twenties to find it! After this, a whole new world of new books opened up for me. I found myself going to the library and just searching for books that I might enjoy. I also used the internet to find books that I may like based on previous books that I have read. I mainly read books that were for young adults.
I was going to school to be a teacher so at first I used this as an excuse to read books that weren’t for “my age group.” But once I started reading, The Princess Diaries, Percy Jackson, The Sisterhood for the Traveling Pants, Harry Potter…again, etc. I actually really enjoyed young adult fiction and didn’t give excuses.
I often share this story with my students, especially the ones who “hate” to read. I try to tell them about books that I have loved in my life. I talk about books like Mrs. Slocum did. I love books; I try to instill a sense of excitement when it comes to reading. Even though I teach middle school, I still read aloud to my students. I’m actually reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to my students now and we have a live webcast with J.K Rowling in October that I am so ecstatic about! At first, I could tell when talking about reading Harry Potter, some of the students thought the book was for kids, but after talking it up and telling them how amazing I think it is, they are enthralled while I read it.
After looking back at my past reading history, I found the books that I really enjoyed reading were brought to me by other people. They were spoken so highly of that I couldn’t pass them up. I also found that once I find a book that I like, I reread them as many times as I can. I still say that the Harry Potter books are my favorite books to read; this is the sixth time I have read the first book! I think it is important to help my students find books that they may enjoy reading. If it’s reading some of my favorites out loud to them, showing them websites that will give them a list of books they can read based on their other activities, or telling them it’s okay to read their favorite books over and over, I think it’s my job to help my students become readers.
“I don't believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book.” – J.K Rowling
This quote pretty much sums up my outlook on reading books. Making my list of childhood reading memories really helped bring me to this conclusion. I’ve never really laid out my reading past, but after doing so, I found that books that have a place in my heart are books that I have read over and over again; books in which I couldn’t get enough. Delving into my reading past really helped me see how I got to my reading present.
Starting at a young age, I remember only a few books that were read to me. An American Tail and There’s a Monster at the End of this Book are two that really stand out for me. I remember either my mom or dad reading to me about Fievel while I lay in bed drifting off to sleep. I tried to imagine Fievel looking for his family. My Grover book dealing with the loveable monster at the end of the book, reminds me of my grandmother’s basement. I always ran to that book every time I was over there visiting, reading either by myself or with my cousins. These are my first remembrances of reading as a child. I find it interesting that I can’t really remember reading anything on my own or in school until second grade. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Slocum was one of my favorites. She bought her students books as gifts and read aloud numerous books to the class. Looking back, this is the grade that I remember some of my most favorite books, even if I can’t remember the titles. There was a Flintstone one about Dino that I believe she got me for a Christmas present; there was another about a dog, Harry the Dirty Dog, that I remember reading over and over again in my room while lying with my dog, Tiffany. But the best, the absolute best book that Mrs. Slocum read, and the start of my love of repeated reading was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. I could be wrong, but I swear Mrs. Slocum read us this book twice while we were in second grade! I remember her reading the book before Christmastime because I wanted desperately to buy her a box of chocolates for a Christmas present. My parents obliged and I proudly presented her with the box of chocolates. She, demonstrating what a fabulous teacher she was, wrote me a thank you card telling me that, like Charlie, she would savor each bite, letting it fill her mouth with the joyous delight of chocolate. This is a teacher who LOVED reading. Looking back on it, she is the type of teacher I strive to be. Not just a teacher who teaches, a teacher who engages her students in every aspect of the curriculum. I mean, that line from that thank you card still is with me to this day, some 27 years later! I hope that I could make an impression like this on my students. Also during this time my parents enrolled me in the Weekly Reader mailing program and Highlights magazine. I remember my Fraggle Rock books, Jamberry, and this book depicting the 12 Days of Christmas. Again, I remember sitting in my room reading these books over and over again. I would pretend to be a teacher while reading Fraggle Rock to nobody in particular. I really enjoyed these because at the time Fraggle Rock was actually on TV so I was able to read the books AND watch the characters come to life! I recently found Jamberry by Bruce Degen and the 12 Days of Christmas illustrated by Hilary Knight in a box of books while I was moving. I seriously started tearing up remembering reading these books from my childhood. I’m not sure what it is about these books, the illustrations, the bears that were in both, or the style in which they were written, but I absolutely love them.
Later, starting around fifth grade I wanted to have more books of my own but I just didn’t know of any books that I wanted to read. I thought about this when I started teaching because I had students that just didn’t want to read. I could totally relate to them. However, I don’t think that it was that I didn’t want to read, more, I didn’t know what to read. But, in fifth grade, for my birthday I had this urge to read. All I asked for were books by Roald Dahl. Why?? Mrs. Slocum of course! I wanted to read about Charlie again! I got The Witches, The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The Twits, James and the Giant Peach, and on and on. I found myself reading these books over and over again. However, for some reason, I don’t ever remember bringing them to school to read while I was there. I do remember, for years, having library time but not ever knowing what books to get. I eventually would settle for a Choose Your Own Adventure book because those were cool with everyone else. But other than my Roald Dahl at home, I didn’t really read anything I loved for a few years. I find this interesting. I had books that I loved, but I couldn’t seem to love books that were assigned to me or find books that interested me. I think this was an unfortunate trend that lasted several years.
When I was in my teens, what I mostly read were magazines about famous people or famous bands. My Roald Dahl collection held a place on my bookshelves but I never really picked them up. I don’t remember a teacher telling us to read for assignments or even for fun. I find this interesting because I teach middle school and we do a lot to have the students read. So until I was out of high school there are no books that even stick out for me.
Now, the most miraculous thing happened in 2002! On July 30th 2002, I think my reading life changed forever. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released. Up until that point I actually have never heard of Harry Potter. I had a full time babysitting job and I was with them on a camping trip. They were all stoked about this new book that we all took a drive to the nearest bookstore. The whole way there and back they talked about the book and the whole series. The oldest child was so engrossed in it that she finished the book by the next day! I went home from the camping trip and actually saw the first Harry Potter book belonging to my sister. I picked it up, (I’ll admit…I was in the bathroom…) started reading it…and finished reading the first chapter while “sitting” in the bathroom! (Not because I had to…but because I wanted to!) After that, I sat on my deck and finished reading the entire book by the next day. By the end of the week I was all caught up to the fourth book. I have never in my life been so addicted to a book series. I love Roald Dahl but this was something else. These books were new, the author was writing more, AND there were rumors of movies! I hated that the first four were so readily available but now I had to wait 2 whole years for the next book!! This is where my love of reading and the ability to find more books that I liked to read comes in to play. I found a sense of my book reading self, even if it did take me into my twenties to find it! After this, a whole new world of new books opened up for me. I found myself going to the library and just searching for books that I might enjoy. I also used the internet to find books that I may like based on previous books that I have read. I mainly read books that were for young adults.
I was going to school to be a teacher so at first I used this as an excuse to read books that weren’t for “my age group.” But once I started reading, The Princess Diaries, Percy Jackson, The Sisterhood for the Traveling Pants, Harry Potter…again, etc. I actually really enjoyed young adult fiction and didn’t give excuses.
I often share this story with my students, especially the ones who “hate” to read. I try to tell them about books that I have loved in my life. I talk about books like Mrs. Slocum did. I love books; I try to instill a sense of excitement when it comes to reading. Even though I teach middle school, I still read aloud to my students. I’m actually reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to my students now and we have a live webcast with J.K Rowling in October that I am so ecstatic about! At first, I could tell when talking about reading Harry Potter, some of the students thought the book was for kids, but after talking it up and telling them how amazing I think it is, they are enthralled while I read it.
After looking back at my past reading history, I found the books that I really enjoyed reading were brought to me by other people. They were spoken so highly of that I couldn’t pass them up. I also found that once I find a book that I like, I reread them as many times as I can. I still say that the Harry Potter books are my favorite books to read; this is the sixth time I have read the first book! I think it is important to help my students find books that they may enjoy reading. If it’s reading some of my favorites out loud to them, showing them websites that will give them a list of books they can read based on their other activities, or telling them it’s okay to read their favorite books over and over, I think it’s my job to help my students become readers.
“I don't believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book.” – J.K Rowling