“Down the dusty roads and far away, a poor mother once lived with her seven children named Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.” This quote is the first line of a book that shaped my childhood. Every night, after a long day of work, my father stayed awake long enough to read stories to his children. He carried this tradition for nearly two decades, as he raised all nine of his children to enjoy storytelling. One of our favorite books was about a devoted mother, her seven disobedient children, and an evil witch named Heckedy Peg. The highlights of Heckedy Peg by Audrey Wood are the amazing illustrations, the rhythm of the writing, and the different voices my dad would use to represent characters. Intriguing storytelling and the bonding time spent with my father inspired a life-long love of books.
Although I loved having stories read to me, I really struggled with reading independently. In elementary school, I was pulled out for reading and writing help. I had proficient reading comprehension, but my decoding skills were behind for my age. For many years, I dreaded library time because I felt pressured to check out books I would never read on my own. In fourth grade, I had to complete my first major book report. My reading self-esteem was so low that I chose a book well below my grade level. My book report was on Junie B Jones and a Little Monkey Business by Barbara Park. This installment of the well-loved stories follows the silly Junie B. Jones as she copes with the arrival of her newborn baby brother. In these stories, Junie B. Jones often made spelling mistakes and frequently used the wrong words. I felt a kinship with her messy handwriting and the misuse of fancy words. At that stage in my life, I read primarily because I was forced to read books in order to complete assignments.
I do not specifically remember all the techniques that my special education teachers used to help improve my reading, but I did not notice a significant difference until one special book piqued my interest. The book that changed my reading journey forever was a 500-page monstrosity with a bad reputation. While I was in sixth grade, the first Twilight phase hit, and everyone I knew was reading the books. To my utter surprise, I flew through Stephnie Meyer’s first book and loved the experience of reading fantasy books. I discovered for the first time the magic of being transported through space and time, to be completely immersed in a whole new world. I may have lay cuddled in my bunk bed in New Jersey, but I felt like I was in Forks, Washington befriending brooding vampires and werewolves. After the Twilight series, I quickly moved on to better quality fantasy books. Twilight was like an embarrassing ex-boyfriend and Harry Potter was like finding my one true love. I found that reading before I went to bed helped me to unwind from the day. Since that first encounter with reading for enjoyment, my reading skills have improved drastically. Now, all these years later, I still absolutely love to read.
In high school, one of my English teachers decided to do a unit on science fiction. I originally thought that science fiction as a genre was rather nerdy, I was not prepared for the delights that would greet me in the world of science fiction. In the class, we focused mostly on short stories. One short story in particular changed my whole outlook on life. Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. is about a society obsessed with equality. Every member that possesses an attribute that may be considered an advantage over their peers was given a device to counteract their positive trait. For example, citizens with high intelligence were given an earpiece that, at frequent intervals. would disrupt their thought process with a cacophony of noise. The dystopian society that focused on conformity and an extreme sense of equality was a fascinating and profound concept to me. I realized that enumerable lessons can be learned about our society from even a short story in the science fiction section. After this introduction to science fiction, I became hooked on dystopian literature.
After many years of reading purely for escapism and memetic purposes, I decided to try my hand at reading some of the great classics of literature. I bought a very cool scratch-off poster to track my progress reading through “100 Essential Books”. I decided to start off with Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It checked off the boxes of being a romance novel, fiction, and British, my favorite kinds of books. I expected the book to be boring and hard to understand. Instead, I fell in love with Austen’s humor, her wry observations, and the grand setting of Regency Era England. Austen is brilliant in her writing style by discussing serious topics such as gender stereotypes, social-class division, and human nature, all under the guise of a great romance. Her characters are complex and iconic like Elizabeth Bennet, the quick-witted protagonist, and Mr. Darcy, the brooding but misunderstood love interest. Elizabeth and Darcy start off on the wrong foot when Darcy makes some flippant comments about Elizabeth and her family. Although Elizabeth and Darcy exchange witty banter in their subsequent encounters, Elizabeth continues to believe that Darcy is a rich, stuck-up snob that thinks lowly of her middle-class family. Darcy realizes that he loves Elizabeth despite her middle-class upbringing and the inappropriate conduct of her family members. Elizabeth does not appreciate the wording of his proposal as he admits to loving her despite her family. After the rejection, Darcy keeps his distance and discreetly helps the Bennet family by saving one sister from a nefarious elopement and reuniting the other sister with her beau. Elizabeth only sees the worst in Darcy until she learns of the good deeds he has done for her family. When Darcy proposes the second time, Elizabeth gladly accepts because she sees him for the good man that he is under his icy exterior. The controlling idea is that viewing people based on their actions rather than first impressions is a more accurate representation of them as individuals (so what? –what CAUSES the negatively or positively charged result?). The counter idea is that judging people based on preconceived notions does not present an accurate representation of their character leading to a hasty and poor perception. How is true love possible in a world dominated by pride and prejudice? Pride and Prejudice was one of the first books that I read for more than just the pleasure of reading. I found myself reading for thematic purposes without it being an English assignment.
Book Inventory
My favorite books my father read to me:
Children’s books:
Stone Soup by Ann McGovern
King Bidgoods in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood
Heckedy Peg by Audrey Wood
Piggies by Audrey Wood
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don Wood
Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman
Amelia Bedilia by Peggy Parish
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
Chapter books:
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Dial-a-Ghost by Eva Ibbontson
Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson
Island of the Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Peter and the Starcatchers by Barry and Pearson
The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler
Elementary school:
Junie B Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed by Barbara Park
Junie B Jones and a Little Monkey Business by Barbara Park
Junie B Jones is not a Crook by Barbara Park
Goosebumps: Escape from Camp-run-for-your-lives by R.L. Stine
Goosebumps: Escape from the Carnival of Horrors by R.L. Stine
Goosebumps: Night of the Living Dead by R.L. Stine
White Fang by Jack London
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
Sixth grade- eighth grade
Twilight by Stephenie Meyers
New Moon by Stephenie Meyers
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyers
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyers
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
The Blood of Olympus” by Rick Riordan
Lily’s Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff
Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
Wolf Rider by Avi
High School and College:
Classic Literature/ The Great Reads/ Famous Literature: Thematic > Mimetic
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
A Midsummer’s Night Dream by William Shakespeare
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
The Odyssey by Homer
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
1984 by George Orwell
Antigone by Sophocles
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Emma by Jane Austen
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Misery by Stephen King
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis
The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis
The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis
The Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Slaughterhouse-five by Kurt Vonegut Jr.
Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Treasure Island by Louis Stevenson
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Books of Poetry: Synthetic
No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay
Paper Words: Discovering and Living with My Autism by Judy Endow
Fiction: Mimetic
City of Thieves by David Benioff
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabldon
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
The Book Thief Markus Zusak
Murder Mysteries: Mimetic
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
The Woman in the Window A. J. Finn
Non-fiction/ Memoirs: Thematic > Mimetic
Glass Castle by Jennette Walls
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Tramp for the Lord by Corrie Ten Boom
Faith in Dark Places by Corrie Ten Boom
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Color of Water James McBride
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Sci-fi/ Dystopian: Mimetic > Thematic
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Gathering Blue Lois Lowry
Messenger by Lois Lowry
Son by Lois Lowry
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Four by Veronica Roth
After the End by Amy Plum
Reckoning by Kerry Wilkinson
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
The Terminals by Royce Scott Buckingham
The Program by Suzanne Young
The Treatment by Suzanne Young
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
Specials by Scott Westerfeld
Matched by Ally Condie
Crossed by Ally Condie
Reached by Ally Condie
Atlantia by Ally Condie
The Maze Runnerby James Dashner
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott
Fantasy: Mimetic
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Falconer by Elizabeth May
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
Mrs. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick
The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia
Young Adult: Mimetic > Thematic
Simon Vs. The Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Paper Towns by John Green
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
The Perks Of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Romance: Mimetic
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern
The Vintage Teacup Club by Vanessa Greene
How to Find Love in a Bookstore by Veronica Henry
Love Walked In by Marisa De Los Santos
Letters From Skye by Jessica Brockmole
Wedding night by Sophie Kinsella
I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella
The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman
Lost in Austen by Emma Campbell Webster
Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa De La Cruz
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase
Love Interests by Cale Dietrich
The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright
Everyday Magic by Emily Albright
Love, Lucy by April Lindner
Come Back to Me by Mila Gray
Stay With Me by Mila Gray
Escaping Perfect” by Emma Harrison
Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira
Forever, Again by Victoria Laurie
The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashaves
Letters to the Lost by Nicola Yoon
Dial Em for Murder by Marni Bates
Nicholas Sparks Books:
The Notebook
The Rescue
The Best of Me
Sarah Dessen Books:
That Summer
Someone Like You
Keeping the Moon
This Lullaby
Just Listen
Lock and Key
Kristan Higgins Books:
The Best Man
The Perfect Match
Waiting on You
In Your Dreams
Anything for You
If You Only Knew
The Next Best Thing
Catch of the Day
Somebody to Love
Until There Was You
My One and Only
All I Ever Wanted
Too Good to Be True
Just One of the Guys
Fools Rush In
> 100 Harlequin Romances
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