What books do you remember reading as a youngster, soon after you learned to read?

[Harry Bloomfield]

My first book, was the original copy of Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling. They struggled to teach me to read at school, really - I taught myself fighting my way through that book, page by page, paragraph by paragraph, borrowed from the local library. From that, I went onto the Biggles series, again borrowed from the library. An odd one I borrowed was Nanook of the North. School had tried to teach us with the short line of text and picture books, which just had no interest for me, so I learned nothing, other than the basics.

 

[Stivino]

The first book that I can remember reading was Joey; Soap Box Driver. I won it at primary school but I can’t remember why and I have a feeling that it is still in the attic.

 

[fillyboy]

Jennings and Darbishire.

 

[Mottie]

Famous Five

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I've never came across either of those. I also read the Bunter books, The Famous Five (or was it four?).

In my early teens I moved on to science fiction.

 

[Mottie]

I got back into reading in my early twenties with Dick Francis novels. I cannot go to sleep at night without reading in bed until I feel sleepy. If I wake up before 4.00am, I will read again until I feel sleepy. I use a kindle paperwhite so I don’t have to turn the light on and wake Mrs Mottie but it sometimes does so I bought her an eye mask to wear at night.

 

[fillyboy]

In my early teens I moved on to science fiction.

I moved onto soft porn.

 

[Wayners]

Rupert bear. Ha

 

[fillyboy]

I got back into reading in my early twenties with Dick Francis novels. I cannot go to sleep at night without reading in bed until I feel sleepy. If I wake up before 4.00am, I will read again until I feel sleepy. I use a kindle paperwhite so I don’t have to turn the light on and wake Mrs Mottie but it sometimes does so I bought her an eye mask to wear at night.

Early twenties I was into Kurt Vonnegut Jnr and George Orwell, top reads for me in them days were 'Catch 22' and Ringolevio by Emmett Grogan.

 

[Dork Lard]

I can't remember the first book I read, but I do remember running up & downstairs asking 'me dad' what some of the words in the Beano & the Dandy were.

I particularly remember sitting cross legged in front of t'telly & being mesmerised by the stories being told by Bernard Cribbins & Willie Rushton on Jackanory. I remember Floella Benjamin but maybe not from Jackanory . . . .

The Beano & The Dandy taught me to read. Bernard & Willie gaved me the love of the story in a good book.

 

[conny]

Jennings and Darbishire.

Another Jennings and Derbyshire fan here.
Everyone else was into the Just William craze at the time I stumbled on these two. Must have read every single book in the series. Two a week from the local library and the lady behind the counter made sure I got them in order of publication.

Come from a family of readers and, as the youngest was learning to read, those older who help teach the younger ones. As a teenager I picked up on the likes of Sven Hassel, James Herbert, Stephen King etc, then in my 20's I went back to the likes of Sherlock Holmes by Conan Doyle. Also re-read some Shakespeare that we covered in school and, actually understood it better!

Lately I've been picking up autobiographies from charity shops/car boot sales. Michael Caine, Julie Walters, Paul O'Grady etc and in between I read non-fiction WWII history books, either RN or RAF exploits.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Rupert bear. Ha

Oh, yes - I remember those, I used to get the annual at Christmas.

 

[Odds]

Br'er Rabbit Again: the 1969 edition by Enid Blyton. I still have it on the bookshelf. It has a drawing of our cat on the flyleaf. Art was clearly not to be my calling.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

into the Just William craze

and those too, what was the name of the girl, did she have the name of a flower?

Michael Caine,

Apparently, wearing the right sort of glasses, I'm a lookalike for him.

 

[Mottie]

I can't remember the first book I read, but I do remember running up & downstairs asking 'me dad' what some of the words in the Beano & the Dandy were.

I particularly remember sitting cross legged in front of t'telly & being mesmerised by the stories being told by Bernard Cribbins & Willie Rushton on Jackanory. I remember Floella Benjamin but maybe not from Jackanory . . . .

The Beano & The Dandy taught me to read. Bernard & Willie gaved me the love of the story in a good book.

Would you say Jackanory has played some huge part in your life story?