Why do you love to read? How did you first get into it?

[Apache]

I can not remember a time I did not read. I used to go to the library at least twice a week and would check out the maximum books allowed. I have always carried a book, or two, with me where ever I go. eBooks make it much easier to read and pick the next book I want to read. Traveling is much easier now too. My suitcase is not filled with books now.
Apache

[Penforhire]

Like Apache, I do not remember a time I was not reading.

My first intense reading experience was around 5th grade. The school had a system of stories with quiz questions, all written on large cards (if I recall correctly). They were color coded for difficulty (grade level). For reasons unknown I was on a mission. I ate them like popcorn and had anxiety until I ripped through them all. By sixth grade I tested at a twelfth grade reading level.

I do feel my speed at 'reading with comprehension' was like a secret weapon all through school and a life-long advantage.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Like Apache, I do not remember a time I was not reading.

My first intense reading experience was around 5th grade. The school had a system of stories with quiz questions, all written on large cards (if I recall correctly). They were color coded for difficulty (grade level). For reasons unknown I was on a mission. I ate them like popcorn and had anxiety until I ripped through them all. By sixth grade I tested at a twelfth grade reading level.

I do feel my speed at 'reading with comprehension' was like a secret weapon all through school and a life-long advantage.

Sounds like the SRA system I mentioned in my other post.

[dordale]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

I do remember the school reading program called SRA. I also rememember finishing all of those well before the rest of the class, (you worked at your own pace) and being allowed to read other books during that class time. I would have been in 3rd or 4th grade I think. You read a Short story, then answered questions to test your comprehension. I remember thinking it was strange because the other kids took SO long to do each one.

Deskisamess--that brought back all kinds of memories for me! We had the SRA system when I was in 3rd and 4th grade (very small school, so 3rd and 4th grades were in the same class room). I loved the SRA cards--and like you I went through them very quickly. I remember competing with a boy in my class--we were both working through the SRA cards at a much higher pace than any of the rest of the kids.

Aside from that, I always loved reading as a child. I remember hiding under the covers with a flashlight reading after my mom put me to bed. Boy reading back then would have been a lot easier with a Paperwhite!

Another memory from my childhood, that I'm sure contributed to my love of reading--my 3rd and 4th grade teacher would always set aside a twenty minutes or so after we returned from lunch in which she would read a "chapter book" to the class room. That was always one of my favorite times of the school day.

[Sydney's Mom]

We never had books around when I was growing up; my dad read the newspaper and my mother magazines. In about 5th grade, I remember going to a friend's house, and she had a set of Nancy Drew books in her room. I never saw anything so wonderful in my life. So I got myself a library card (probably had to whine about it, but we certainly didn't have money to buy books) and never looked back. I bought my first paperback book as a freshman in college-I read Jaws instead of studying for my Calc final (scared me to death). Bought my first hardcover when I got accepted to Harvard Law School-One L, which had just come out (no, it wasn't like that).

Throughout my working years, I bought thousands of paperback and hardcover books. I used to justify my spending by saying I would probably be eating dog food when I retired, but at least I would have something to read. Before we went on vacation, we would go to the bookstore and spend $100s on stuff to read.

Then, in 2008, someone mentioned the kindle to me, and I gave it a try. I have never looked back.

[GlenBarrington]

I literally can't remember a time when I couldn't read, and didn't want to read. I don't know why I read so much, neither of my parents were readers.

[kyteflyer]

Like others, I can't remember not being a reader. My Mum would read to me and she got me reading on my own before I started school. First library card at 5, and I had consumed the entire Children's Library in my home town before I reached age 12. My father gave me his library card so I could have access to the Adult Library, and I was reading my Mum's adult books as well. My reading was almost obsessive. Until computers. I fell off the reading wagon for some years after I discovered "adventure games" in text format, but later, a Casseiopia E500 and .lit books to take on night shift got me going again. I dont read as voraciously as I did when young, but I do so enjoy it. I love being transported to other places, other lives, other times... theres nothing like it.

[ottdmk]

I always read, but I remember it going up a notch or two around Grade Two. I was sick a lot as a kid, and didn't have cable tv. Daytime tv on CBC and ATV was really, really boring. Reading was so much better.

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by theducks

I got my first Library card when I was in the 3rd grade (US schools). It has been a down hill ride since.

I even did a shift (additional duty) as ships Librarian on Waddell , my first navy ship (also, a great way to get firs crack at new stuff).

I can't remember not having a book handy. e-readers just make it handier

My first library card was 3rd grade also, a Girl Scout (Brownie) field trip. I was SO HAPPY! I checked out Smokey the Cowhorse by Will James and never looked back.

Once I had my own card, I got my grandmother to take me to the library and she would let me use her card so I could check out double the book limit.

I never left a library without a stack of books I could hardly see over when I was a kid....

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[graycyn]

Although I don't really remember it, I'm sure my mother read to me as a child. I got the hang of reading quickly in first grade, there was just no stopping me, I loved reading so. I remember I used to read all my school books before the first week of school was over, LOL!

I read cereal boxes. I read my parent's Wall Street Journal. If it was printed on paper, I read it back then.

My mother had a set of small red books, all mystery stories, that's what made me a mystery lover. My grandmother doled out my father's childhood books to keep me entertained and bought me some as well.

I got books out of our little church library, oddly enough, given it was a Catholic church, that's where I discovered Harry Kemelman's The Rabbi mystery series.

I woulda killed for reader tech back then ... I *was* that kid with the flashlight and a book under the covers at night, LOL!

Big, nay, HUGE library user my entire life. Had to be, otherwise couldn't afford the habit. My high school library was pretty good, read a lot of classics there.



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[graycyn]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

I grew up surrounded by books. My earliest memory is a dear Great Aunt and Uncle Reading to me, and I still have some of those "Little Golden Books." My parents were both readers and I would read anything if a book wasn't available. Cereal boxes, shampoo bottles, anything. My mom would go to the Bookmobile and take me with her. I would have been 10 when she started doing that.

I do remember the school reading program called SRA. I also rememember finishing all of those well before the rest of the class, (you worked at your own pace) and being allowed to read other books during that class time. I would have been in 3rd or 4th grade I think. You read a Short story, then answered questions to test your comprehension. I remember thinking it was strange because the other kids took SO long to do each one.

There used to be a Bookmobile that came to our school to sell books, I saved all my money for that!

One of my early purchases was Sinbad and Me by Kin Platt. Great book!

Books were around at my grandparents' houses, tons of reading there. I loved visiting them because of that.

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[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

I literally can't remember a time when I couldn't read, and didn't want to read. I don't know why I read so much, neither of my parents were readers.

This I can remember quite well. Ironically enough, while my mom read me bedtime stories, she didn't teach me how to read despite being an English teacher. I first learned reading in nursery school (4yo) so I was behind my peers who started learning at home. Once I learned, though, it was full throttle and I was at a higher reading level by the time I went to kindergarten.

[cfrizz]

I remember telling my teacher in the 3rd or 4th grade that I was bored. She told me to go read a book, so I did. Been reading ever since!

When paperbacks became to hard to read, I switched over to fanfiction on the pc. Got into ebooks in late 2009 again on the pc with Sony for pc and haven't touched a paperback since then.

[RobertLCollins]

I remember reading newspaper comics and a few comic books as a kid. I didn't get into reading until Star Wars came out. I wanted to get more sci-fi, and the best way to do that was to read Starlog magazine. It was there I discovered you could read SF/F as well as watch it. Around that time I had an English teacher who thought I had some ability to write. She gave me some encouragement to read to help me to write better.

After high school I took some interest in history and broadened out into reading that. At some point later I decided to start reading certain classic works of literature, partly because Project Gutenberg made them easy to find.

[Catlady]

I've always been a reader. I learned to read before I went to kindergarten and I've been reading ever since.