Books that Shaped Me

Every reader has those books that will stick with them for their entire life. I have a few, and I mostly consider them the books that grew up with me. They marked some kind of reading milestone and had a deep impact on who I am. Here is my list of books that shaped me.

The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss

The Foot Book was the first book that I ever read on my own. I remember that I read it to my grandma at her house when I was really young. I wasn’t a strong reader as a kid and I had to go to extra reading classes to catch up to the other kids. But, when I read this book on my own for the first time, I knew that I was going to be a reader.

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Those of you who have been around for a while have probably heard me talk about this book before. This was the first chapter book that I ever read. I found a copy of it at the river where I was camping and I was afraid to take it. So everyday that we camped I walked down to the river and read a little bit. On the last day of our trip I decided that the book was abandoned and I took it home. Yep, I’m a book thief.

Anyway. This story about a young girl and her dog remains a favorite.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Just like the last entry, if you’ve been around a while you’ve heard me sing the praises for this book. I love Tolkien, he’s my favorite author. The reason this particular book is special though is because my dad would read this to me around Christmas time and it really opened my eyes to fantasy.

The Hobbit will forever be the bridge that I crossed to reach my deep love for fantasy.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

I LOVE HARRY POTTER! Yes, you all know this. I’m not going to say a whole lot, just that these books were a godsend when I was pre-teen/teen.

No I do not condone JKR’s actions, but I’m trying to love this series still and not promote Rowling. It’s hard when something you love so much comes under fire, but I’m trying not to line her pockets anymore than they already are.

The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Yes, yes, I know. Tolkien twice?! Seriously though, Tolkien is my fave and these books were such a great outlet while I was in college. They really helped me alleviate my stress and offered a beautiful escape.

If I could go back in time and meet one dead author it would be Tolkien.

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So these are the books that shaped who I am. They’ve been helpful for me overcoming things like being an outcast or learning to read. My life would be very different if any of these were never written.

What books helped shape you? Let me know in the comments ❤️