Mommy Brain

I found this meme at Semicolon and decided to play along.

1. How old were you when you learned to read and who taught you?

My mom taught me to read when I was 3 1/2 years old. She got tired of me “reading” the newspaper next to her by naming each letter out loud, so she taught me to actually read the words.

2. Did you own any books as a child? If so, what’s the first one that you remember owning? If not, do you recall any of the first titles that you borrowed from the library?

I don’t remember the first books I checked out from the library, but my parents bought me the complete set of Disney books when I was little. I still have a few of them – the ones that haven’t fallen apart.

3. What’s the first book that you bought with your own money?

A Trixie Belden mystery. I don’t remember which one, but I do remember the store where I bought it – not what it was called, just the way it looked and felt.

4. Were you a re-reader as a child? If so, which book did you re-read most often?

Yes, I re-read many favorites, including Little Women, Baby Island, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, and all the Little House books.

5. What’s the first adult book that captured your interest and how old were you when you read it?

I’m going to have to copy Sherry on this one. My parents had Exodus and Trinity by Leon Uris on their shelves and I devoured them. Probably at a much too young age. My mom was pretty naive and didn’t really oversee my reading much. I’m much more cautious about what my kids read, since I know how much stuff I read that was totally inappropriate for my age at the time.

6. Are there children’s books that you passed by as a child that you have learned to love as an adult? Which ones?

I can’t think of any.

Let me know if you decide to do this meme on your blog so I can compare answers.