The folks over at First Book polled their readers with the question, “What Book Got You Hooked?” They had 100,000 responses and used them to compile a list of the top 50 “first books.”
I don’t remember my actual first book, but one of the earliest books I remember is Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses. Some of his rhymes were so full of Britishisms that I didn’t quite get them, though of course I do now, others were just delightful on many levels: the back-and-forth rhythim of “The Swing” for example, or the mischievous tone of “The Shadow.”
The first five books on FirstBook’s list are:
- Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene
- Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
- Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
I can’t say I’m surprised by anything on that list – the Nancy Drew books were among my childhood favorites, and the Little House series and Alcott’s works grace my shelves even today, but I have to confess that I wish fewer people were introduced to reading by Dr. Seuss, but that’s my bias, because I’ve never been a fan of his sing-songy style.
For the rest of the top 50, go here.
Melissa, the Nancy Drew books were my favorites, as well as Cherry Ames, RN. I grrew up in the 40′s and 50′s. I don’t remember my first book, but my mom bought a 12 volume set of My Book House for me and I still have them. They were wonderful for me as a child.
Michele sent me.
Nancy Drew!!! Yeah, it is her series that got me into reading. :P Let me see…I was in Primary School then. Ahh…those childhood memories. ;)
Nancy Drew was one of my first serious reads. I’m so glad to hear that someone else is not a big Seuss fan. I find Seuss books hard to read aloud and difficult for many kids.
Hello Melissa,
Do you knowhow wonderful it is that you now have a book blog? Yes, I am certain you do. Do you know how wonderful it is that I get to visit your book blog? Incredibly so!
I love this question. I might have to borrow it, linking you of course. well, that is after I seek permission, of course.
My first book memories are connected to a fat book of Fairy Tales that were first read to me as bedtime stories, and which I eventually read to myself. The wonderful thing about the book I had is that it was not the children’s version of the famous stories. Rather, it was the magical, albeit somewhat scary, original versions of the fairy tales. It was not until I went to school that I discovered that most young readers are not introduced to the original version that I was. What a disappointing discovery that was for me.
I am still a fan of Fairy Tales and remain smitten with any story that begins, “Once upon a time…”
The cachter in the rye, Salinger
Of mice and man, Steinbeck
Hunger, Hamsun
Victoria, Hamsun
Farwell to arms, Hemingway
All read before the age of 15
then:
Slaughter house 5, Kurt Vonnegut jr
Have a pleasent and enjoyable rest of the week