5 Questions for 5 Readers over 5 Weeks: Question 1 - First Books
Welcome to Question 1 of the 5 Questions for 5 Readers over 5 Weeks feature. I’ve cornered five readers: Catherine Donaldson, Andrew Deane, Hazel Jackson, Jay Kenobi, and Candice. Over the next five weeks they’ve been tasked with responding to the five burning questions we all want to hear the answers to.
Catherine Donald’s memories are 3D!
One of the first books I remember reading was an amazing three dimensional book where the back covers tied together and there were 5 or 6 pop-up style scenes. I found a photo of my mum reading it me aged about 4 or 5, and using that picture as a reference I managed to discover that it was a Beauty and the Beast Carousel Book. I don’t recall the story at all, but I remember being obsessed with looking at the different layers in the pop up scenes! of the first books I remember reading was an amazing three dimensional book where the back covers tied together and there were 5 or 6 pop-up style scenes. I found a photo of my mum reading it me aged about 4 or 5, and using that picture as a reference I managed to discover that it was a Beauty and the Beast Carousel Book. I don’t recall the story at all, but I remember being obsessed with looking at the different layers in the pop up scenes!
While Andrew Deane has a shameful secret (okay. Maybe not that shameful)
Much to my shame, I pretty much only deliberately read comics as a child; it turned out that in actuality, aided by my parents reading to my brother and I a lot when we were little (Swallows and Amazons, The Chronicles of Narnia, etc) and by my simply being very attentive, I was absorbing the English language in great detail and quantity (both of my parents were English and Drama teachers). By the time I was seven years old, I had the reading age of a fourteen-year-old, and my parents began to insist I read 'proper' books! The first book I remember choosing to read, of my own volition, was a collection of Paddington Bear stories by Michael Bond.)
You may be able to find out more of Andrew's secrets on his: Pagefarer Book Blog
Hazel Jackson from Tea and Cake for the Soul, recalls:
The first book I can clearly remember was called Epaminondas and his Mammy’s Umbrella. My mum used to read it to me as a child and put on voices for the mammy. Thing was she pronounced it “Ep-ee-man-ee-mon-dus” and used to really exaggerate the voice and it was so funny. I tried to track this book down to buy for my mum recently and I discovered that the name was pronounced quite differently. I prefer my mum’s version!
Jay Kenobi, from the Hey Good Booking Blog continued on with a family tradition
The first Famous Five book – Five on a Treasure Island – by Enid Blyton. My Mum bought it for me as she’d loved Famous Five books as a child and I promptly read them all.
And Candice’s first book is still on her favourites list!
The very first book I can recall reading on my own was Oh The Places You Will Go by Dr Seuss - which has remained one of my favourite books to this day.
