Hi all!
I was browsing the internet the other day and stumbled across the Get Caught Reading website. Apparently, in America, May 2020 is 'Get Caught Reading' month, where the nation encourages children to get into reading, and promotes the advantages of regular reading.
Being a massive bookworm, I definitely agree with this! I think reading is one of the most beneficial things a person can do; reading not only broadens your knowledge, but it teaches empathy, understanding, and critical thinking. I'm so lucky that I was raised by parents who really value reading.
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While I was pondering what 'Get Caught Reading' would have meant to me as a child, I got to thinking about what books actually got me interested in books and fiction. There are so many that it's incredibly hard to make just one succinct list, but I've done my best!
The books that I've included in this list have shaped me for different reasons, and I have vivid memories of them during my childhood and adolescence. Some sparked my interest in fiction, but others are still meaningful to me today.
I hope you enjoy taking a little look through my list, and I hope it makes you think about the books that got you into reading. Make sure to share them with me! ☺
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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter's life is miserable. His parents are dead and he's stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs. But his fortune changes when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he's a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
After a lifetime of bottling up his magical powers, Harry finally feels like a normal kid. But even within the Wizarding community, he is special. He is the boy who lived: the only person to have ever survived a killing curse inflicted by the evil Lord Voldemort, who launched a brutal takeover of the Wizarding world, only to vanish after failing to kill Harry.
Though Harry's first year at Hogwarts is the best of his life, not everything is perfect. There is a dangerous secret object hidden within the castle walls, and Harry believes it's his responsibility to prevent it from falling into evil hands. But doing so will bring him into contact with forces more terrifying than he ever could have imagined.
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
Okay, so this one is probably completely no surprise! Most people can cite the Harry Potter series as one of the stories that got them into reading, and I am certainly no different.
My earliest memories of the Harry Potter stories were when I was very young, and my sister and I had the audiobooks, read by Stephen Fry. I remember her flying through the audiobooks, but because I was younger, I would be trying desperately to keep up! My mum read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to us when it was released, and from there, I was a huge Potterhead.
The Harry Potter stories are really special to me, because I grew up with them. I was young when the first few books were released, and as the series started to get darker, I got older. I grew up alongside Harry, and they're the books I always think of when asked to name some of my favourite series. I pride myself on being one of the hugest Harry Potter nerds, and can't see that changing any time soon!
My earliest memories of the Harry Potter stories were when I was very young, and my sister and I had the audiobooks, read by Stephen Fry. I remember her flying through the audiobooks, but because I was younger, I would be trying desperately to keep up! My mum read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to us when it was released, and from there, I was a huge Potterhead.
The Harry Potter stories are really special to me, because I grew up with them. I was young when the first few books were released, and as the series started to get darker, I got older. I grew up alongside Harry, and they're the books I always think of when asked to name some of my favourite series. I pride myself on being one of the hugest Harry Potter nerds, and can't see that changing any time soon!
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The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
A refugee of the Great War, Poirot is settling in England near Styles Court, the country estate of his wealthy benefactress, the elderly Emily Inglethorp. When Emily is poisoned and the authorities are baffled, Poirot puts his prodigious sleuthing skills to work. Suspects are plentiful, including the victim’s much younger husband, her resentful stepsons, her longtime hired companion, a young family friend working as a nurse, and a London specialist on poisons who just happens to be visiting the nearby village.
All of them have secrets they are desperate to keep, but none can outwit Poirot as he navigates the ingenious red herrings and plot twists that earned Agatha Christie her well-deserved reputation as the queen of mystery.
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
When I was younger, I remember sitting down and watching the television adaptations of Agatha Christie's work with my dad. He's a massive Christie fan, and I was very young when I watched my first. I have clear memories of being sat on the living room floor in front of Hercule Poirot's Christmas, and consequently being shown the full Poirot book collection by my dad.
When I saw how many books Agatha Christie had written, I was astounded. But I was also excited. If you've ever read a Christie novel, you'll know that they aren't particularly long at all, and so they're easy to get through. I took it as a challenge that day to read all of the Poirot books myself. The first was The Mysterious Affair at Styles.
I've now read all of the Poirots, and I'm making my way through Christie's other books. I'm lucky enough to live in South Wales near Hay-On-Wye, the town of books in the UK, and every time I'm there I pick up another couple of Christies for my shelves.
From the young girl who used to watch the adaptations with her dad, to the woman who now has multiple shelves dedicated to the author. She's now, without question, my favourite author.
When I saw how many books Agatha Christie had written, I was astounded. But I was also excited. If you've ever read a Christie novel, you'll know that they aren't particularly long at all, and so they're easy to get through. I took it as a challenge that day to read all of the Poirot books myself. The first was The Mysterious Affair at Styles.
I've now read all of the Poirots, and I'm making my way through Christie's other books. I'm lucky enough to live in South Wales near Hay-On-Wye, the town of books in the UK, and every time I'm there I pick up another couple of Christies for my shelves.
From the young girl who used to watch the adaptations with her dad, to the woman who now has multiple shelves dedicated to the author. She's now, without question, my favourite author.
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The Divergent series by Veronic Roth
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
This is probably an unexpected choice, but the Divergent series holds a surprisingly special place in my heart. I remember getting the full series of books for Christmas when the final book in the trilogy, Allegiant, had just been released. I'd only recently really got into reading, and I kept hearing about this series; I just wanted to see what the fuss was about!
From the first few pages, I was totally engrossed. This was the first YA series of its kind that I had ever read, and I absolutely adored it. It really introduced me to the wide open world of fiction out there that I could explore, and set me on a path to try more dystopian and fantasy series that I've also loved.
Although I don't think the series is perfect, it was exactly what I needed at that moment in my life, and it will always be special to me.
From the first few pages, I was totally engrossed. This was the first YA series of its kind that I had ever read, and I absolutely adored it. It really introduced me to the wide open world of fiction out there that I could explore, and set me on a path to try more dystopian and fantasy series that I've also loved.
Although I don't think the series is perfect, it was exactly what I needed at that moment in my life, and it will always be special to me.
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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work "her own darling child" and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print." The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen's radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
Again, this is probably a more controversial choice for books that got me into reading. Although a lot of people love this book, it isn't normally one that people start their reading journey with. I'm one of the exceptions to this rule.
I have the BBC television adaptation of the novel largely to thank for that. My mum is a huge fan of Jane Austen, and growing up I remember my sister and I watching the series together on multiple occasions. It got to the stage where I could recite entire passages of the dialogue with absolutely no problems. That was the point when I felt I should progress to actually reading the novel.
I'm not normally a fan of watching an adaptation before reading the book, but this was obviously a special case. It showed me the beauty of classics, and made me feel that I would be able to read them. I reread Pride and Prejudice regularly even now, and it's become my favourite book of all time.
I have the BBC television adaptation of the novel largely to thank for that. My mum is a huge fan of Jane Austen, and growing up I remember my sister and I watching the series together on multiple occasions. It got to the stage where I could recite entire passages of the dialogue with absolutely no problems. That was the point when I felt I should progress to actually reading the novel.
I'm not normally a fan of watching an adaptation before reading the book, but this was obviously a special case. It showed me the beauty of classics, and made me feel that I would be able to read them. I reread Pride and Prejudice regularly even now, and it's become my favourite book of all time.
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Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
Winnie-the-Pooh may be a bear of very little brain, but thanks to his friends Piglet, Eeyore and, of course, Christopher Robin, he’s never far from an adventure. In this story Pooh gets into a tight place, nearly catches a Woozle and heads off on an ‘expotition’ to the North Pole with the other animals.
Now this is definitely a childhood classic, and an absolute favourite of mine. I don't think there is a person in the English speaking world who doesn't know of Winnie the Pooh, and I can see why.
The books are so gentle and sweet and pure, and I still love them to this day. I actually reread Winnie the Pooh earlier this year, purely for nostalgia, and it brought me so much warmth. Anybody who knows me knows how much of a Pooh Bear fan I am; I have my own Pooh Bear teddy, and he was a real friend to me growing up.
I know I'll be introducing Winnie the Pooh into the lives of my future children for them to enjoy too.
The books are so gentle and sweet and pure, and I still love them to this day. I actually reread Winnie the Pooh earlier this year, purely for nostalgia, and it brought me so much warmth. Anybody who knows me knows how much of a Pooh Bear fan I am; I have my own Pooh Bear teddy, and he was a real friend to me growing up.
I know I'll be introducing Winnie the Pooh into the lives of my future children for them to enjoy too.
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Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Margorian
The gruff and surly Mr Thomas Oakley is less than pleased when he is landed with a scrawny little city boy as a guest, but because it is compulsory that each villager takes in an evacuee he reluctantly agrees. It soon becomes obvious to Mister Tom that young Willie Beech is hiding something, and as the pair begin to form an unlikely bond and Willie grows in stature and in confidence he begins to forget the past. But when he has to return to war-torn London to face his mother again he retreats into his shy and awkward ways once more.
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
And finally on my nostalgia journey, we have Goodnight Mister Tom. This book really takes me back to my childhood. When I was in primary school, of age about 8 or 9, I remember my class being read this by my teacher; we would have a chapter or two at the end of every day, and I really loved it. I guess this was my first real experience of an audiobook!
I remember really enjoying the story, but sadly we never actually reached the ending! Young Hannah was absolutely devastated so I went and bought the book myself, and read it all the way through.
I thought the book was really beautiful, and very different to all the other stories I had heard, seen or read at that age. At that point I loved Harry Potter, fairytales, fiction about animals, and not an awful lot else, so this was a real eye-opener for me about the other kinds of fiction out there. We had been studying WWII in class, and this was the form of historical fiction that set me on my track.
Now I'm a History graduate with a book blog, so I guess it did the trick!
I remember really enjoying the story, but sadly we never actually reached the ending! Young Hannah was absolutely devastated so I went and bought the book myself, and read it all the way through.
I thought the book was really beautiful, and very different to all the other stories I had heard, seen or read at that age. At that point I loved Harry Potter, fairytales, fiction about animals, and not an awful lot else, so this was a real eye-opener for me about the other kinds of fiction out there. We had been studying WWII in class, and this was the form of historical fiction that set me on my track.
Now I'm a History graduate with a book blog, so I guess it did the trick!
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So there we have it! The books that really got me into reading.
I had so much fun choosing the books I really wanted to include in this post. There are so many books that hold a special place in my heart, but these are the ones that really stood out to me, either because they introduced me to reading in general, or to a particular genre or author that I'm now obsessed with!
I hope you've enjoyed reading my little nostalgia journey. Make sure to let me know what books really introduced you to reading!
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