More Author Insight: Memorable Reads

What is the first book you remember reading? Why was it memorable?

"A version of Jack and the Beanstalk. I was about three years old, and I remember reading it because my father promised me a toy if I finished it. That's how my parents got me to read at first - through bribery. It worked." - Aimee Carter, author of The Goddess Test. 

"What I remember as early and most formative was a paperback book of ghost stories. I still have that tattered book to this day, and now I have a career in telling ghost stories." - Leanna Renee Hieber, author of Darker Still and  The Perilous Prophecy of Guard and Goddess.

"One of the earliest books I remember reading on my own was The Little Fur Family by Margaret Wise Brown. I enjoyed stories about families who lived in cozy litttle homes, and I was quite enchanted by Garth Williams' illustrations, particularly the one in which the fur child finds a tiny fur person. In fact, quite a few of the books I loved as a child were illustrated by Garth Williams -- when I think about my love for Russell Hoban's Frances the Badger and all of the Laura Ingalls Wilder's books, it feels like I grew up surrounded by Williams' sketches! " - Sonia Gensler, author of The Revenant. 

"I grew up in a home without books, except for two reference works. The Bible and TV Guide.  I used to get confused and thought for quite some time that Matthew, Mark, and Luke were the first names of My Three Sons. Charlotte’s Web is the first non-reference book I recall and that was read to me.  By a teacher, of course.  I still love her for that." - Randy Russell, author of Dead Rules. 

"I read a lot as a kid, but I remember the first time I read V.C. Andrews. The book was My Sweet Audrina and I was hooked on her stuff after that because I found it absolutely thrilling." - Suzanne Young, author of A Need So Beautiful.

"Where the Red Fern Grows. I read it when I was six. I still get teary-eyed thinking of Little Ann and Old Dan." - Miranda Kenneally, author of Score. 

"I'm pretty sure it was One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Why was it memorable? It's Dr. Seuss! Dude had a serious way with rhythm and rhyme. His books are so simple and so genius at the same time. They are full of playfulness and glee." - Lesley Livingston, author of Tempestuous. 

"The first book I remember reading was Pippi Longstocking. I thought that it was so cool that Pippi lived by herself, didn’t go to school, and did all sorts of dangerous things. The idea of a child having complete control over her life totally mesmerized me. (And oh, how I wanted to be her!)" - Amy Plum, author of Die for Me. 

"To myself? The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. (I’m sure there were others before that, but that’s the one I remember.) I loved everything about the world J.R.R. Tolkien created. I mean, who wouldn’t want to live where elves were as hot as Orlando Bloom? Oh, yeah…that was Lord of the Rings. But you know what I mean. J.R.R. Tolkien brought Middle Earth to life." - Lisa Desrochers, author of Original Sin. 

"Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume. This one absolutely stuck out as the first "real" book I read. It was so real, so personal. I still have it and masking tape is still holding the spine together!"   - Jennifer Murgia, author of Lemniscate.

"Doctor Dan the Band-Aid Man—memorable because it had a little pouch attached to the inside back cover with real Band-Aids in it. I put them all over my face, and some on my big stuffed dog, Stuffy. I was four and already a voracious reader. I took on War and Peace next and it was memorable, too, though Stuffy didn’t like it much. That Napoleon—he was just so smug." - Steve Watkins, author of What Comes After. 

"I read all the time when I was a kid, but the first book that is really and truly memorable me was A Wrinkle in Time.  My grade six teacher read it to us as a class and each week we’d have assignments based on what we’d read.  I was so caught up in the story and the anticipation of learning what would happen next.  It consumed me and I was in love with the characters and the adventure. It really brought the book to life and already a voracious reader; I felt such a deep connection with the book." - Janet Gurtler, author of I'm Not Her. 

Come back Tuesday to find out how the authors would describe their book to a passing stranger in 30 seconds or less!

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