THE BOOKS THAT MADE ME

I’ve been doing a lot of complaining on here as of late, if you hadn't noticed. (No need to inform me whether or not you did. Which again, given the title of this blog, should not have come as a shock to you. You knew what you were getting, nothing was falsely advertised, and I have no sympathy for any of you. However, at this point, even I am getting tired of my own whining. This is a point I thought I would never, ever reach.

As such, and to stop the bleeding of everyone’s ears, I have decided on a topic this week that is guaranteed to make me happy. Books.

Ah, books. The only friends of a girl who spends her days berating various dogs for using the floor as their own, personal bathroom. Is there anything better in this life than books? I mean, adventure, excitement, new worlds, and romance? Who needs a real boyfriend when you can have a *book boyfriend*?

In case you were wondering, that happens to be the exact point where we both lost and terrified my father.

Now, as any bookworm would be able to tell you, there is no way to pick your favorite book. It’s just not possible. There are too many candidates, the stress alone would eat even the strongest among us alive, and could any one really bear the regret of knowing you left a beloved companion out? I didn’t think so.

So, rather than put myself through that unnecessary torture, I decided to paw through my library and select only the books that had made a lasting impact on my life. The books that made me, if you will. Reminder, these books are among my favorites, but not my only favorites. (That is a very important fact to remember.) These guideposts create a timeline to my life, their careful words helping to shape me into the person I am today. So, if you are looking for a good recommendation, I’d read on. If not, you are surely missing out, and again, I have no sympathy for you.

Oh, btw. These are put into chronological order. We do not play favorites here!

The Books That Made Me

Little Bear’s Visit by Else Holmelund Minarik

Having passed through two generations of Ash’s, this book is now falling apart at the seams, which as we all know, is the best indication of an incredible read. If you were to ask me what book defined my earliest years or reading, this is the one I would choose, evidenced by the fact that I still know the story to this day. Thanks for the hand-me-down, Dad!

Put Me In the Zoo by Robert Lopshire

Now, if you were to ask my mother which book defined the early years of my love affair with reading, she would suggest this timeless classic. As family lore has it, a two to three year old Ellie was so enthralled by this tale, she somehow managed to memorize it, and then forced her brother (who could not yet run away) to listen to her retell it over and over again. Don‘t fret for poor little brother. In fact, perhaps it was this very act of my kindness that allowed said brother to begin walking at nine months of age. You’re welcome.

The Junie B. Jones Series by Barbra Park

I am not ashamed to admit that I still own the full collection of this series, one that I painstakingly accumulated as a young first grader first learning to read. Including the Top-Secret, Personal Beeswax: A Journal by Junie B. And Me!, which of course held all the innermost thoughts and feelings of a hopeful third-grader. In a twisting turn of events, they were also ones that were traitorously read by my “loving” parents while I was on a trip to the bathroom. Yes, I do still remember, and no, you are not forgiven.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

This is one of the first books I can remember actually falling in love with. Seated before my teacher, and surrounded by various classmates, I was no longer with them, but lost in the world DiCamillo created. Side by side to a little mouse with large ears, I was more than ready for the quest. Books truly have the ability to transport us somewhere new, and this book has forced me to chase that feeling ever since.

The BFG by Roald Dahl

Dahl was one of my all time favorite authors as a child, and many of his books still sit on my shelf today. However, The BFG was the first book to create a world and a character that I so desperately wished were real. How I wanted to ride in the pocket of the giant, or eat the odd foods he had at his disposal as a vegetarian. A classic that held up even when I read it years later, I plan to introduce my children to one my dearest friends as soon as I am able. But, seeing a I prefer fictional men over real men, I have a feeling that will be a while.

The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer

As we move out of elementary school and into middle school, did you really think this wasn’t going to make the list? I mean, do you even know me? Containing the first man I ever really loved, (yes, dad, LOVED) no list of books would be complete, at least in my book 😂, without this beloved series. This was not just a book, guys. It was a movement, an era, and one I am so grateful to have been apart of. When creating the list of books that made me, this is the first one that popped into my mind. Because even thirteen plus years later, I still know what side I am on.

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

Is there a person‘s life who hasn’t been touched by these books? The answer is no, no there is not. I must admit that I got into this series waayyyy late in the game, thinking that it would have no pull or draw for me. Idiot, I know, but don’t worry, I came to my senses. I don’t feel I really have to explain why this one is on my list, but, if I must, I’d say it’s because of the environment that Rowling creates. Among the wizards and adventures and incredible story, there lies a school where everyone feels they belong. Reading this series made me feel at home, and I don’t think there is much else you could ask for in a book.

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

Again, I was blessed to be apart of this mania right as it began, thanks to the wonderful recommendation made by my brother. (Think he was thanking me for reading to him all of those years ago?) These books are the first I can ever remember completely losing myself in. Seated on the couch as my family conversed around me, by myself, or even in the middle of class, where the teacher was forced to call my name several times before I could be drawn out of its depths, (In my defense, he was using my real name, one I am not used to being summoned by.) Collins creates a fast paced story that you are immediately drawn into. Food, drink, or bathroom breaks are unnecessary until it is confirmed that your beloved friends are safe and well. Or, I guess at least some of them.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

One of these things is not like the other, and this is it. This book does not fit into my usual selections, apart from being fiction. (If you read non-fiction for fun, you have my highest regards). However, due to a recommendation by my mother, and the draw to my German heritage, I pulled this book off of the shelf. And then I broke, you guys. As we all know, I am not one to be known for my kind, caring demeanor. I have a heart of stone, and it takes a lot to get me to cry about something other than myself. However, this book truly almost brought me to tears, in a public laundromat, mind you. That’s right, I almost revealed my feelings in public. If that is not a good enough endorsement for you, then I don’t know what is.

The Maze Runner Series by James Dashner

I have always loved reading, always. However, you know what kills someone’s love of reading? College. Nothing will make you think of reading-for-fun less than having to devour textbooks on chemistry and humanities. After three years of college, however, a series of books managed to draw me out of my draught and bring me back into the light. Housing a death that to this day I still refuse to believe is true, I still have much to thank Dashner for. I did not realize how much I had missed reading, how much my life was lacking, until his characters took me by the hand and pulled me back into a world beyond my imaginations. I may never forgive him, but I must give him credit where credit is due.

Ok guys, now tell me that wasn’t fun? If it was not for you, I’m sorry that you are so wrong, but it was a blast for me. It was such a thrill to go back through my life, reliving the moments where these books first touched my soul and changed me forever. I can still feel parts of them in who I am today, and though some may say they has caused a negative effect (let it go, dad, it will happen when it happens), I am forever grateful they stumbled into my life.