This timeline shows my journey as is developed my ability to read and write.
Created by fbish on Jan 27, 2011
Last updated: 01/27/11 at 05:53 PM
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Reading has always been a big part of my life from early childhood on. Since I was an avid reader I was usually playfully picked on by my siblings for being a nerd. I didn't mind a bit because I knew that my brother, like me, enjoyed reading. (Although his choice of books was very different.) Besides, as the youngest sibling, I was picked on about everything. In addition, I think reading has always been one of my strong points. It was always reading comprehension and Language Arts areas where I would score highest on standardized tests. All in all, I must say, I still enjoy reading. If I had the funds and the time I could do some serious damage at Barnes & Noble.
At UNCG I took Italian as my foreign language. Each semester the instructor had us read short Italian language readers. She wanted us to not only be able to speak the language but read it as well. Reading these books was very challenging however, once I completed reading them, I had a great sense of accomplishment.
Throughout my college years I have read many books. (Mostly for papers and various assignments.) I have read everything from "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" by Homer, Euripides' "Ten Plays" to "Things Fall Apart" by Achebe to "Night" by Elie Wiesel and many more. I have not done much recreational reading since my college days, but when I do, I read a lot of books on marriage. I found I enjoy reading books on how to better myself as a person and a wife. I also try to read historical books like "1776" and "The Wives of Henry VIII". My specialty is history and I enjoy reading non-textbook historical books. For me they are fascinating.
I was home-schooled from 5th grade on. I began taking college classes as a dual enrolled student at my community college at the age of 16. During these early years of college I took several literature classes. It was in my British Lit class where I fell in love with Jane Austen novels. I had to read one for a critical analysis paper. From then on I was hooked. Since then, I have read all of Austen's novels at least once. "Pride & Prejudice" is my favorite. I found I really enjoyed British authors. One of my other British favorites is "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte. As you can probably tell by now, I am a real sucker for love stories. :)
During this time I began reading a series written by Janet Oak. It was the "Love Comes Softly" collection. Again this was a series that my mom and I read together. She was always a book or two ahead of me. Like the Laura Ingalls Wilder series, we talked about these books as well. Looking back I think this was very wise on my mom's part. Books were a way that we connected and she used that to her (and my) advantage throughout my turbulent teen years. I also began reading books like "Island of the Blue Dolphins" which is still one of my favorite books.
During these years I read a lot of books. I read a kids mystery series written by Lois Gladys Leppard called the "Mandie Collection". I loved these stories! They were released in groups of five. I can remember finishing one group of books and begging my mom to get the next group. When we did get the new set, I couldn't wait to get home and start reading. My mom also started reading the "Little House on the Prairie" series. She got me to read them too. It was really fun reading the same series with my mom. We would talk about the stories together. I really enjoyed the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Knowing her stories were real life accounts made it even more interesting.
I can remember in Kindergarten getting the "Read with Dick and Jane" books. The teacher would hand out the books and we would have to take it home and read it with our mom & dad. When we read the book, our parents signed a note, we took the book back to school and were given another one. Also, through elementary school there were reading competitions. You could earn prizes for reading. The more books you read the better the prizes.
Once I learned to read I began reading books like the Dr. Seuss series, Berenstain Bears, and the "Bugg Books". I have always enjoyed reading. I would read at school and at home. I can remember many times as a kid in my room going through all the books on my bookshelf. I would read aloud to myself or play teacher and read to my stuffed animals.
In my early childhood books were readily available. My maternal grandma was especially instrumental in this. She always gave me books and book series. The books I enjoyed the most was the "Bugg Books" series by Stephen Cosgrove. It was a series of books telling stories about citizens in "Buggville". I had my parents read these stories to me so much that I memorized them. My grandma was bedridden at this time so when I would visit her I would go to her room and pretend to read her these books.
Obviously I cannot remember the first time my parents read to me. I do remember that books were always available for me to look through. The first books I can remember flipping through were the Mr. Men & Little Miss series.
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