Literacy Vignette

Reading has always been an important part of my life. My mother started reading to me at a very young age, and I will never forget the stories that she shared with me. Little Golden Books were my absolute favorite. A book could take me anywhere and everywhere that I wanted to go as a child, and that amazed me. The more that my mom read to me, the more that I wanted to learn how to read, myself.

Eventually, with the help of my mother, I learned how to read a few words before I started school. I was so proud of myself, and once kindergarten started, I was one of the best readers in my class. I can still remember the first book that I completed by myself. It was called, The Berenstains’ B Book. I loved it so much that I memorized all of the words. In fact, I can still recite the entire story.

My wonderful experiences with literacy continued throughout elementary school. I even joined the Book Challenge team when I was in second grade. My passion for reading continued to grow even during the summer months when school wasn’t in session. I spent many of my days off in the library until my mom finally managed to get the Book Mobile to make a special trip to our house. Each time that this traveling library stopped by, I would check out anywhere from eight to ten books, and have them all read within a few hours. Books were that important to me!

Throughout middle school and high school my love for reading grew, and I became a pretty good writer because of it. I did not then and still do not enjoy writing as much as I do reading, but it is something in which I am constantly improving. Upon entering college, I have had to read countless articles, books, and journals. I have also had to write numerous papers. I know that if I didn’t have such a love for reading that I might not have made it this far. I thank my lucky stars everyday that my mother read to me as a child, and helped me to see just how magical a book can be.

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