I don’t really remember learning to read, but I do remember being read to a lot when I was young, there were books that I knew all the words from repetitive reading. When I was a little boy, my favourite book was There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake by Hazel Edwards about an imaginary Hippo on the roof eating cake, it turned out to be ‘special’ cake (whatever that means). This seemed to progress and my father use to always read books to the kids and as we grow up the books got more complicated and more interesting stories. I think this might have started my love of audiobooks; I just love being told a story, it’s very relaxing. My father read us the Spirit Flyer Series by John Bibee and The Cooper Kids Adventures by Frank Peretti. Even during primary school I remember story time and listening to Roald Dahl books.
These were my first memories of books, but I don’t really remember reading much back then. I do remember when my little brother and sister been born and reading children’s books with them, I remember In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak seemed to be a favourite of my little brother. To this day I remember the entire story of There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake and In the Night Kitchen, that I probably could recite the entire books by heart. Given the fact that I loved books and stories back then, I’m really surprised how long it took me to become a reader. I remember starting off as a very slow reader but I think I read at a decent speed now. Sometimes I wish I could read faster and retain more of the information but I’m happy that I found joy in reading. I really wish I knew more about learning how to read, I might have to ask my parents about that.
My mother claims I taught myself -I was reading at about 3 but i have faint memories of her helping me sound out words. I don’t really remember her reading to me but I am sure she did, I know my grandparents did whenever they baby sat
It’s a hard question to answer, my memory is terrible
I am not sure who taught me to read – I can remember workig my way through some ladybird learn to read books this is Jane type things, but not reading with anyone. I was reading well before I went to school – and reading Noddy books on a plane to Switerland – so would have been 5 or 6 then. Mum was not a big reader, but Dad was and he had me signed up to a library very early on – don’t remember him ever reading to me though.
Interesting, I couldn’t imagine learning to read on my own
My mother was eventually asked by the school to stop reading to me because it was thought this was why I was failing to learn to read. The school should have looked at its reading policy. Who wants to put any energy into reading ‘Here is Peter. Here is Jane. Here is Pat the dog. I like Peter. I like Jane. I like Pat the dog.’ If they thought I was going to waste perfectly good playing time spouting that nonsense they could think again.
I don’t understand their logic, obviously they were clueless
Oooh! Tricky one Michael. I had to ask my mum about this.
My mum claims that I loved my books and use to collect the ‘Little Golden Books’ at a very early age. Even though I couldn’t read at that age, I would make up my own story line or draw the pictures but I always had a book with me wherever I went. My mum didn’t read to me but apparently my aunties’ read to me quite often. She claims that I learnt to read at school at the age of 6 and from then on I haven’t stopped.
I remember those books
Apparently when i was small, my mum used to find me in my cot ‘reading’ holding the book over my face, upside down, and turning pages, as though i was really able to read.
My parents used to read to us as kids, and they would try to shorten story time by skipping pages, but we’d always know.
I’ve been reading for as long as i can remember.
the book i remember most from my childhood is Hairy McLary from Donaldson’s Dairy. My sister and I still quote it at each other.
never heard of Hairy McLary from Donaldson’s Dairy