Slice of Life 5: 11 Things About My Life as a Reader

I couldn't decide what to write, so I decided to leave my comments before writing my own post, hoping for inspiration. When I came across this blog, which was inspired by this blog, I knew I had found my mentor text!

Inspired by their Slices, here are 11 things about me as a reader...

1. As the saying goes, I became a reader on the laps of my parents...and I have newspaper proof! My mom and I were in an article about the importance of reading to your kids when I was 10 months old. 

2. I fell in love with series and checked out stacks of them during our weekly library trips. My favorites included The Babysitters Club, Boxcar Children, and Ramona.

3. A librarian who knew I loved all things by Beverly Cleary, introduced me to A Girl from Yamhill. I loved it so much, I read it twice. It's my earliest memory of loving nonfiction.

4. Unfortunately, I became a non-reader in high school. It wasn't until my Kid Lit class in college that I fell back in love with reading.

5. I love libraries and local bookstores. I could wander the aisles, gather books, and read all day. That being said, I have a terrible habit of impulse buying new books I hear about on Amazon.

6. Gifting books to others, especially my friends' children is my most favorite thing. I like to take the credit for the book lovers they are becoming.

7. The Save the Dates for my wedding were bookmarks. I have to spread the book love wherever I can. 

8. Sometimes I slow down when I'm getting to the end of a book I love, because I'm so nervous I won't love the next one as much. That happens to me quite regularly. Most recently with Far From the Tree by Robin Benway.

9. Last year I beat my goal of 80 books in the Goodreads Challenge. This year I set my goal to 80 again. Here's where I am right now:

10. I am a paper book reader. I love the feel and small of a real book. Unless I'm going on vacation. Then I prefer to load up my Kindle app with lots of titles for a lighter carry on.

11. Every year for Christmas I gift a picture book to each of my siblings, my sister-in-law, and my niece. I pick a book for each of them that represents their last year and write a note in the front cover. It has become a tradition for them to read aloud their books to the family after we open presents.