Four Influential Books

The other day I was writing my "25 Random Things" on Facebook and it struck me that I can identify four books that changed my reading life forever, but I didn't fully explain why. Here's why:

1. The Mystery of the Dinosaur Graveyard: It's the first chapter book I remember reading, so that certainly changed the way I saw books. At the time (1st or 2nd grade, so probably 1987 or 1988) I was obsessed with dinosaurs. I even had a combo dino themed birthday party with my brother at our gymnastics place. I also owned a pair of low-top Converse with little colorful dinosaurs on them; my brother had the high-top version. (Consequently, if any of you know where to purchase such shoes in adult sizes, please let me know.)

2. The House of Dies Drear: I vividly remember reading this book about the underground railroad while I was in the 5th grade. I was too young to comprehend much about slavery or the importance of finding freedom in the north, but I was captivated by the idea of escape and hiding out in a house with many secret passages. Years later I recognized this book as my first foray into what would eventually become a fond field of study: literature about slavery in America and the frightening idea of human ownership.

3. The Color Purple: I had always been bored in English class until junior year. Then Mr. Paige (my favorite teacher ever) recommended I read this book and, quite suddenly, real literature came to life for me. I was finally reading something that challenged my intellect and affected me greatly on a variety of levels. I will always look back on this book as the turning point where I realized for the first time what I would eventually become and perhaps had always been: a lover of English and the written word.

4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: For years after The Color Purple, I delved into literature with a fiery passion that ultimately shaped me into an uncompromisingly intellectual snob, especially when it came to the types of books I chose to read. My mom (a 5th grade teacher with no appropriate adult taste in books, or so I thought at the time) kept nagging me about reading the Potter books. I had no intentions of doing so until I came down with nasty illness right before spring break during my junior year of college. My friends left for a road trip that I was supposed to join them on and I went home to spend time on the couch. Tired of listening to my mom, bored out of my mind, and certainly feeling sorry for myself, I picked up the first HP. I read all four of the books over the next five days and loved every moment. I couldn't wait for the next book to come out. Mom was right.

Where does that leave me now? I get to teach the classics and try to convey my passion for things like symbolism to teens on a daily basis as an English teacher. But, as an aspiring writer, I am now free to write fun, entertaining fiction that is most likely aimed at middle school kids instead of the intellectual stuff I had previously thought was the only thing of value I could ever compose.