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Birth to Elementary School
I do not have any memories of being read to as a child. If I was read to, it was probably by my parents and in Spanish. I am sure we were read to kindergarten but I do not recall, other than it must have been in English because my teacher did not speak Spanish. -
Earliest Reading Memory
My earliest memory of being interested in reading is being read to by the teacher in 1st grade. -
Learning to Read
I believe by second grade I was reading and writing. I remember having spelling test and having to read and write summaries on a journal. I do not recall what types of books I liked to read. -
Choosing My Own Books
By the start of 4th grade, I remember choosing my own books to read from the class library. I really liked these small chapter books that was part of a big collection. Each book had a theme like sharing, feelings, being friendly, being honest, morals like that. -
First Non-Fiction Interests
Around the end of 5th grade or starting middle school I began to get interested in learning more about the sinking of the Titanic. My father would tell me stories about the Titanic that were not quite accurate, but it sparked the interested in me and began to read books about it. I still have those books I have bought throughout the years. By the time the Titanic movie came out, I was a mini Titanic expert. -
Spanish Comic Books
My parents would often take the family to Tijuana, Mexico on the weekends. We would eat and buy things to bring back with us, like Mexican candy and cheese. My favorite thing to buy was comic books in Spanish. If they were in English I probably would have chosen English, but since the only option was Spanish, it helped me develop reading skills in Spanish as well. I liked Simpsons Comics and Condorito comics. -
My Favorite Book
In 7th grade I read my favorite book of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird. My 7th grade Honors English class was one of my favorites of all time. We read many great books. -
The Dark Side
I also recall reading Night by Elie Wiesel as well and my first exposure to Alexander Dumas and Charles Dickens by the end of middle school. The Count of Monte Cristo and A Tale of Two Cities are two other books I enjoyed. As well as poems from Edgar Allan Poe. This may be what started my interested in darker themes. I enjoy Tim Burton's art actually now that I think about it. -
Introduced To My Favorite Author
In 10th grade, my English teacher introduces me to my favorite author, Michael Crichton. Instead of following the schedule already set, some students are given the opportunity to read a book of their choosing. He recommends I read Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. I loved it! Rather than writing a paper about it, we have a pretty long conversation about it, since I think he also was a Crichton fan. Before the year ends, I read the Lost World and by now have read almost all of his books. -
Mystery/Adventure
After college, on my spare time I also got into thrillers and mystery. I picked up a book of Alex Cross by James Patterson at an airport and got into crime/thrillers during my flight. I also liked reading real crime/thrillers books like No Easy Day, the book about the Navy Seals capturing and killing Osama Bin Laden. -
Present Day Spiritual Search
On September 27, 2023 I had a near death experience that changed many aspects of my life, including taking up reading types books I never thought I would read before. I have now read about spiritual healing, self-wellness (mind), the Bible, and even about religious beliefs around the world. I have a thirst for seeking the answers to questions we cannot answer in this life and making sense of my experience.