Musing Monday

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about early reading:

Do you remember how you developed a love for reading? Was it from a particular person, or person(s)? Do you remember any books that you read, or were read to you, as a young child? (question courtesy of Diane)

My parents have never been big readers like me - in fact, I'm probably the only one in my immediate family who did read. I can remember Mom reading to us from the Bible when I was 6 or 7, but I don't remember her reading us any other books.

Two people were instrumental in cultivating my love of reading: my babysitter and my grade school librarian. When I was 8, my babysitter let me read one of her own daughter's favorite books and I became hooked. That book was Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion. At the same time, my school librarian showed me her favorite book - "B" is for Betsy - and this is the first book I can remember checking out of the library.

From that time on, I have always had a book close at hand. I eventually read all of the Trixie Belden books before persuading my Mom to buy me my own copies. By 4th grade, I was a librarian assistant and it was a thrill to handle all those wonderful books.

When I was pregnant with all 3 of my girls, I read to them while they were still in the womb, and I continued reading to them until they were almost teenagers. Even with this much exposure to reading, my oldest 2 daughters don't like to read. But my youngest is just like me and she has a veracious appetite for reading.