I thought it might be fun to join Kym once a month and invite you all to an exhibit of My Museum…
and then I saw January’s prompt: Something you were really good at as a child (either something you still do — or something you “grew out of” doing)
Hello fun… come back here…where are you going?
Okay so in all honesty, Gentle Readers… I worked very hard at being invisible when I was a child… or I tried to excel at being invisible at all moments. (I am very certain that I have grown out of wanting to be invisible, but it took years and years and years of work.)
Second to being invisible was escaping…
The thing I found best for accomplishing both of those things was reading and though I did not read until I was well into first grade… once I began reading I discovered the incredible world of books that were just waiting to “take me away!”
Since then, with the exception of those sleep starved years of young child parenting, I have been an avid voracious reader.
I started with good old Dick and Jane and I honestly don’t remember any other books until I discovered The Little House Books, which I loved and read over and over. I also loved any book about animals, so I had a long running Black Beauty phase as well.
I then had an “angsty teen” phase with Harlequin Romance books… I know… wut?! I can’t believe I am even admitting this here! Ha!
That angsty teen phase gave way to the so much better (NOT, LOL) “bodice ripping” books which occupied my reading hours for a good many years.
And then came the kiddos… and a whole new world of books opened up. Eric Carle was a particular favorite of mine (as well as my kids!) And I just loved that the girls (especially Rachel) adored The Little House books. And then came Harry Potter! We were the ultimate Harry Potter Family! We read them aloud together each day after homework was done. The best of times were sitting around the dinner table talking about Harry’s escapades!
Once I returned to “regular adult reading,” I no longer reached for a trashy romance novel. But I really did not have a clue about what I even liked to read! So I just began reading all sorts of genres and I discovered I liked epic “style” novels. (Think Mario Puzo, John Jakes, and James Michener style novels… I loved them!) And then I fell down the “mystery” hole and have really never climbed out. I do so love a good mystery.
And when I think now that I can “go to the library” from my iPhone and check out a book it just amazes me how far reading has come! I can pick an eBook or have an audiobook read to me!
I no longer read to become invisible, but gosh Pandemic Life has absolutely reinforced that you can absolutely “escape” in a book and find yourself in a place you never imagined.
Thank you for visiting My Museum today! I hope you all have a weekend that includes some reading! See you all back here on Monday!
What a great post Kat! And one I can relate to. I read so much as a child and one of my favorite things was to go to the library. Also I was the nerdy kid bringing home 10 books from the school library over any winter or spring vacation – LOL. Our reading styles were very similar (minus the Harlequin books – lol…also I have not read Harry Potter). Wishing you a lovely weekend filled with good books!!
I also began reading with Dick & Jane, and what a great start that was! The Little House books are still among my favorites, and started a lifelong interest in “pioneers” (especially WOMEN). Then I found the biography section in my school library and devoured every one!
I remember desperately wanting to learn to read. In those days, it didn’t happen until first grade at all. Then reading was my adventure and my escape for sure. I always read mysteries, and then i got into the big books like Mists of Avalon and the James Michener one. Thanks for the stroll down memory book aisle!
I, too, began my reading education with Dick + Jane (and Sally and Spot and Puff!!). My dad taught me; and he also taught my kids–from the very same volumes. I’ll always have a soft spot for See Dick! See Dick run!
And ‘bodice ripping’!! That’s my favorite word pairing in today’s post, Kat 🙂 We could all use a little bodice ripping in our days. Why not. Life’s short.
Happy Weekend to you 🙂
What a wonderful Museum exhibit you’ve prepared! I also started reading with Dick and Jane, moved on to the Little House books, and my animal phase was filled with Lassie books. I also loved reading to the kids and have saved all of my favorite children’s books. I’ll probably never have grandchildren, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy them! I think our kids were lucky to grow up at the time Harry Potter was being written. Ryan and I shared a copy of HP and the Philosopher’s Stone, but then I got smart and started ordering one for each of us. Reading is wonderful for escaping (and I want to give young Kat a big hug).
I only remember thinking Dick & Jane books were too easy for me to read, I wish I could recall what I learned to read with.
You know I love this post! It warms this librarian’s heart so much to hear about your reading journey. Our stories are similar, too. I read to escape a chaotic childhood and the Little House books were my favorite.
This sounds so much like me when I was a child! Dealing with other people was always so hard, so I much preferred to spend my time with a book. It’s still my favorite coping mechanism!
What a wonderful exhibit, Kat! I’m so glad you were able to escape and disappear into books as a child — and that you still enjoy doing it so much. Over my life, I have traveled through many “genres” in my reading — including trashy romance (you are so not alone) — and I think we have NOTHING to apologize for! We read for many reasons — entertainment, escape, knowledge, challenge — and we all should read what we like/what we feel like reading/the way we want to read. No explanations or apologies necessary! Happy reading, Kat!
What a nice exhibit in your museum. I read a lot too. I was introverted and so I preferred books, sewing, and knitting. Don’t apologize for any reading phase. You inspire me to look back at my reading history. Keep turning those pages.
What a lovely exhibit, Kat. How wonderful that you found books and reading … and they became a life-long passion as you – and your taste in books – continues to grow and change. I didn’t read non-fiction until one of those “read harder” challenges a few years back. Game Changer. I’m curious what new genre will find me next!