What’s the first book you loved?

When I was very little, oh my goodness did I hate visits to the library. I did not want to be taken into town to visit that branch. I did not wish to be dragged along to the mobile trundling down the road. I did not like sitting quietly or getting into a story. I, for some reason or other, did not want to hear more about whatever I wanted. The most magical places created on paper did not mean a jot. I wanted to play, I ran around outside until I was tired and then I fell asleep.


My poor Mother would read to me, drag me to these places, take me on trips, and it went clean over my head! How awful, I bet I have a child exactly the same and it will teach me!

This was most certainly the case until about primary four. We moved three times in that one year, and with it I moved school. I was quite obviously in a low reading group and was given The Dragon in Class Four to read at home. Like normal it was thrown in my bag and only retrieved when my Mother asked if I had homework-I replied no-and very untrustingly delved into my bag to recover homework.

Like always I was sat on my Mothers lap and she listen as I read out from the book. Something really quite magical happened, my Mother had read the note accompanying the book stating that I was to read to chapter one. When I turned the page to get to the end of said chapter I kept going. This was a massive moment. Whilst moving schools I was given this book a couple of times to read and I read and read.

It took one very special little book to get me to love reading. I wanted similar books and so read Through The Dragons Eye as it seemed like it could be similar, it really wasn’t, but when I was found reading that by my teacher she handed me The Chronicles of Narnia…and so from there I kept going.

Isn’t it lovely how some books just change everything? They mark out a specific time or moment. My shelves are packed with books and pictures. But really they do the same job. I know where I got every single item; I know what it meant and what I was into at the time.

I really started thinking about this the other day. Whilst tidying a small section of children’s books the other day I came across The Dragon in Class Four. I just held the copy for a moment and opened it up to read a few lines. I think I'm going to have to get a copy from somewhere, not to read now, but to have in case someone visits the house. My two nephews are getting bigger by the day, and I want to give them everything I can.

Can you remember the first book you loved? I bet because I learned to love reading so late its very easy for me, I’d love to know what you fell in love with.