Books are viewed as a daunting task given to us to complete for some type of reading goal or a grade. Sometimes I often feel the same way. Whether I realize it or not, however, books have come to shape who I am; even with the false realities I wish I could experience. These four books have immensely impacted my journey as a reader.
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
This text, written by Laura Numeroff, gave me a first glance at my enjoyment for reading. In the text, the mouse goes through this journey of first getting a cookie and describing all of these other things that the mouse wanted after getting this cookie. Similar to the mouse, I now relate to the mouse in terms of getting one thing and continuously wanting so much more. Looking back as a teenager and young adult, I find it funny that I gained so much enjoyment from such a simple text. I am reminded from this that this was one of the first books I learned to read and the “emotional attachment” to something that seems so dumb looking back. When I realized I had lost my copy of this book I had so young, I was devastated. That was until I realized I had other toys and books, and life went on as I played with those instead. This was the first book I learned to read cover to cover and spent time with my parents reading.
2. Junie B. Jones
Junie B. Jones is a classic book many kids of my generation read for enjoyment in elementary school. The Junie B. Jones books follow a series about a red-headed girl named Junie B. Jones (emphasis on the “B,” of course, because Junie B. refused to have that part of her name left out) who had tons of adventures in kindergarten and first grade. A personal favorite for many of my fellow peers was the first book in the series, “Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus.” In this book specifically, Junie B. is beginning her first day of school ever in kindergarten. She expresses how nervous she is for beginning kindergarten and riding the bus for the first time. The school day and bus ride all goes well until she discovers a rumor about the bus, which is when she decides she will no longer ride the “stupid smelly bus.” I don’t exactly remember the entire plot of the text, but this book still impacted my life in ways that 6-7 year old me would not realize at the time. This was one of the first, larger chapter books I would ever come to read and enjoy. From there, my enjoyment for reading grew and took off.
3. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
As many are aware of what I still find to be a new text, the Boy in the Striped Pajamas is about a boy named Bruno who lives during the time of the Holocaust. His father is a Nazi soldier who works at the concentration camps. While exploring one day outside, he discovers the camp for himself and meets a friend, Shmuel, where the fence and outside world meet. The boys tend to hangout frequently after this first meeting and Bruno always brought Shmuel food, since they did not get enough in the camps. One day, Bruno dug a hole through the ground and went to Shmuel’s side of the fence and followed him around to see what life was like in the camp. The same day, Shmuel’s entire unit at that camp was tricked into “showers,” which we later discover to be the gas rooms where all of the Jews, and Shmuel that day, were killed. The movie production, though never as good as the book, was incredible. I will never forget the day my entire eighth grade reading class watched it together and cried. This book launched my interest in reading larger chapter books with more of a plot.
4. The Great Gatsby
The first influential text of my high school career. Shocking, actually. In the novel, Gatsby is rumored to have such a big name for himself, yet no one had ever met him. However, he had known everyone, including his new neighbor’s cousin, Daisy. He had met her earlier in life and missed his chance with her. Ever since, he had been longing for another chance at love with her and reached out every night for that “green light” across the bay from his house. By the end of the novel, Gatsby and Daisy end up with each other, but Gatsby ends up being killed in revenge for “killing” Myrtle. I remember reading the Great Gatsby over the summer and not understanding much of what the text was saying. After reading the text with my class and watching the movie, I discovered a new-found love for the literary work. It was the first time I enjoyed a class-assigned novel. It led me to discover more novels of literary merit that are important to me. From this, I became interested in reading Pride and Prejudice and followed through by reading it over the summer.
In conclusion, the four books listed previously have altered my journey as a reader and as an individual. Through these novels, you see how I have slowly progressed my reading progress and gained more confidence as a reader. In addition, some of my favorite school memories relate back to my favorite literary works listed above. This relates back to helping me as an individual because these reading experiences have shaped who I am and given me such confidence in public speaking that not many others have.
Hey Abby, I am Patrick Snow, your classmate at Tunstall High School. I really enjoyed reading your blog! One thing that really stood out to me is when you mentioned your entire eighth grade class crying about watching “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.” I relate to that in the same way, because in either fifth or sixth grade I believe, my class watched that movie together as well, and I remember I, along with a few other guys, was one of the only people who didn’t cry during the movie. It’s not because I didn’t find it sad, I just don’t cry during movies. Overall I really liked your blog!
Hey Abby, I am Caiden one of your fellow classmates in AP Literature. You did an excellent job describing the books throughout your life. I also enjoyed reading about how you developed an interest for The Great Gatsby and how you talked about Gatsby “reached out every night for the ‘green light’ across the bay”. Similar to you, I didn’t really understand The Great Gatsby when I first read it over the summer.
Hi Abby! I’m Emilie! I love how in Give a mouse a cookie you related it to how you can always want more of something. In the book The boy in striped pajamas you talked about Shmuel’s life and how he was just a young boy going through so much pain. When his friend wanted to be with him they got taken to the “showers’ ‘ where both died together because of someone else’s hatred for their ethnicity/religion which as a 8th grader you probably never forget. I loved Junie B. Jones as a child also I liked how you talked about when a rumor came up in school about the bus she was scared to ride it. Like most of us when we hear a rumor we are shocked or scared and it will always have an impact on us no matter our age. It’s crazy to think how a book for kids can have such a deep meaning. Well, I have to end my comment here, but this piece is amazing!
Hey it’s Emily, I loved reading about the four books you chose! I also talked about Junie B. Jones in my blog and the way you described the series is so well said. “I will never forget the day my entire eighth grade reading class watched it together and cried,” is very accurate and the most relatable thing I’ve ever heard. I really like the four books you picked because I’ve read them all and know how impactful they are. You wrote about these books so nicely and I really enjoyed reading your blog.
Hi Abby! Im Esther from Mcminnville High School. I really enjoyed reading your blog. I love the stories you chose. I remember reading if you give a mouse a cookie when I was in grade school. There is always that one book that keeps you sucked into reading, and I love how you incorporated that to make your blog more personal.Great Job!
Hello, I am Jacob from Mrs. Smith’s AP Lit class in Charlotte NC. I feel as if we have developed similarly as readers. I also had completely forgotten about “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” but I remember loving it when I was younger. I love how you pinpointed exactly how these books relate to your life and what they taught you. Especially with “The Great Gatsby” showing you that going over it in the classroom gives you much more insight along with being a book inspiring you to read other great books.