Does anyone else have a book that completely changed their relationship with reading? I tend to think fantasy books are the best gateway for non-readers. For me, it was The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler. My mom read it to me when I was a kid, and I became completely obsessed. I swear that story is the reason I fell down the rabbit hole of reading and realized a book could pull you in just like a movie. Curious if other people have a book that did the same?
by Doodle_Noodles2
23 Comments
It was the Harry Potter series for me back in 1998 I think. Before that it was just “hooked on phonics” and Dr Seuss. I loved it so much I even started reading it to my little brother and then he wanted to learn how to read too.
A Time To Kill by John Grisham. It’s the book that sparked my love for reading about 20 years ago and haven’t stopped since.
Forrr me it was ‘The 100’. First book I picked up after like 3 years and ugh it was so good. I don’t really remember much but I just know it was super good.
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (memoir)
For me it was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
For me it was “Skinny Legs and All” by Tom Robbins. I was in grad school and hated reading due to endless reading requirements of scientific journals. Tom Robbins helped me fall in love with fiction. I proceeded to read every one of his books and loved them all. RIP!
I’ve gone through cycles of caring about books. Each phase usually followed by a drought, up until the pandemic.
As a kid, Percy Jackson – Rick Riordan
As a teen, Looking For Alaska – John Green
As a young adult, Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
Before I say goodbye by Mary Higgins Clark.
I read as a kid but this book introduced me to the potential of complicated and intriguing stories for adults.
Its not the best book I’ve ever read and the movie they made was not great but it changed my entire concept of what reading could be.
The Giver was the first book I remember staying up at night under the covers to finish.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan! Read it as a part of a school summer reading assignment as a kid and it was the first book that made me cry. I didn’t know that books could do that at age 9 lol
Ahh man I’ve always loved reading. As a young child? Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High, Goosebumps etc.
But the book that really made me curious to read more and really transitioned a childhood love of reading into a lifelong hobby and interest was *Lord of The Flies*. I think I read it in grade 9 language arts. It’s actually one of the only books we read in school I ever remember enjoying or being interested in.
I think the complexity of the story and the characters, the literary writing etc is what hooked me.
The big hook was Harry Potter but before that it was the Bailey School Kids (first chapter books i read on my own) and Shel Silverstein poems.
Caddie Woodlawn! And then immediately afterwards, Anne of Green Gables <3
A Wrinkle in Time
In 5th grade my teacher gave me a choose your own ending type book for the end of the year gift. I read it 2 or 3 times making different choices to see what the results would be. I read a few more of those books that summer as well. I have loved reading ever since. The following year in 6th grade we read White Fang. I couldn’t put that book down either.
Memorable other books before high school graduation were, The Outsiders, A Separate Peace, Ordinary People, Animal Farm, 1984. The Stand.
Much later in my 20’s I would read Fight Club and become a Chuck Palahniuk fan. Then, the Harry Potter books were such a joy to read. I would read each one in a couple of days. I would pre pay before each one was released and couldn’t wait until it came in.
A book I really enjoyed as an adult was A Man Called Ove, being a fan of the old Saabs myself.
*Lolita*, Vladimir Nabokov. That book made me study literature.
When I was in high school I read Dune. This was before the 1984 movie.
I think I was always a reader? My mom is a huge reader too and was always taking me to bookstores. I remember in first grade I was reading levels ahead of the rest of the class and just loved books. Way before Harry Potter, if it was around and it was English I would read whatever, including my mother’s anatomy books from class.
Goosebumps, then HP, and then as an adult probably therapy? lol which put me in a better frame of mind to focus and enjoy reading again. plus e-readers and quick access to free books.
I hated reading as a kid. My mom would read books to me and my sister which I enjoyed, but I never wanted to read on my own. Then when I was 17 everyone was talking about The Hunger Games because the first movie was about to be released. Everyone was saying I should read the book first, so I did. I devoured it in less than a day then read the other two, and I was hooked! I’ve been reading ever since!
Only read when I needed to for class not for fun. I then decided turning 30 was a good time to try out reading for fun. Started with Red Rising by pierce brown. I’m now 39 books in for the year.
I’ve always been a reader, ever since I can remember. I’ve been independently reading since age 4. But i think the books that really made me fall in love with reading was Junie B. Jones and The Magic Tree House. I remember reading these books in single sittings and just always wanting to read more.
Like most millennials, it was Harry Potter for me. I’ve been a reader ever since. Although, a book I read when I was older that kind of made me fall in love with reading again was The Secret History.