As with a lot of other things, our introduction to something can have a lasting effect. So, what books first got you excited about reading? And are there any that affect your style of writing or your genres of choice now?
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Dr. Seuss. I know he’s a little problematic, but I have seen few other picture books, or books in general, that have the same level of imagination and fun in them. Floatsam might be a contender, might be, based just on the illustrations.
I think Mark Twain was my favourite, Harriott and Darrell. Ilf and Petrov… basically funny stuff and adventure.
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Any other Judy Blume fans? I think I read all of her books when I was a kid. I really liked the Fudge series, but some of her other books were bigger influences on me with the way they presented adolescent issues without the kid gloves. Apparently some of them were controversial because of it, but I didn’t know about any of that when I read them.
The Indian in the Cupboard series by Lynne Reid Banks is still one of my biggest influences. There was just something about the way she placed this magical object in an otherwise realistic world that hit a chord with me. There are a million other books that (try to) do the same, but this was my introduction to the idea.
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I read adult books as a child.
But if you mean my first books?
I wouldn’t put it as any specific book, but as an avid watcher of Reading Rainbow, I had books read to me daily.
I guess my diversity of genre and crossovers could be blamed on that big puddlemash.
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It was not my favorite book, quite the opposite, but Hansel and Gretel had an impact on certain aspects.
For the most part, I still despise the story. It brings me strange terror.
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A Series of Unfortunate Events for me! I actually returned to the series recently and was so taken aback by its hidden complexities and dark themes. Still love those books and would love to attempt something gothic one day
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I’ve various books I read as a kid; Harry Potter, Molly Moon, Sophia’s World, Taynikma, the W.I.T.C.H, and Winx Club magazines + Donald Duck. I still write a lot of Paranormal, Historical Fiction, and War Fiction. Though the genres I write vary as much as those books I read as a kid.
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None of the books that I read as a young child really influence my writing right now, but I do believe that they did help spark my love for reading and helped get me into writing. Here are some of the most memorable series that I remember I had read when I was in K - 5:
- Geronimo Stilton (and all of its spinoffs)
- Magic Tree House
- Goosebumps
- The Secrets of Droon
- Pokemon manga
There are also some series whose names I can’t specifically remember, only the basic concept:
- A series about these two human girls who have to save different types of fairies from goblins. Each “season” of the series would have a different theme for the fairies (color, weather, etc.) with its own plot line.
- A series about the girl who had wished that she could be someone else, and throughout the series, ends up, like, being swapped into lots of other people’s bodies / becomes the other person to see what their life is like.
While not really a book that I was exposed to in elementary school, the earliest book that I remember reading that has a significant impact on my current writing interests is My Side of the Mountain. I found that the book’s focus on ecology and survivalism was really fascinating, and this, in some way, does track onto the books that I write, which do have this theme of survivalism in them.
My parents bought me the whole Fudge series when I was younger. I admit that I don’t remember much about the series, but I do remember enjoying it a lot.
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Yeah, just whatever you read and liked as a child.
I read a lot of hard sci-fi and adult fantasy when I was a kid. I was always an advanced reader. My mom only ever saw the titles when she ordered them, so she never questioned any of it. Good call on her part, tbh.
I barely remember any of it now either, but I loved them when I was a kid. I’m kind of tempted to read them again since she apparently put out another book or two after I grew out of them.
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I didn’t like reading as a kid. As someone with a form of aphantasia, I disliked it because it was boring since I couldn’t picture movies inside my head. It wasn’t until I read Twilight at the age of twelve when I got into reading and writing. That’s where it all started. 
When I read Twilight, I then started to read other random books we had lying about the house (mostly books my dad read or my sisters had from school or something). Some of those titles would be: the Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom, My Thirteenth Winter by Samantha Abeel, and the Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. Have they affected my writing? I’m not entirely too sure. I don’t think so? Although, when I was fourteen, I got into reading the Hunger Games which is still my favorite book now—eleven years later—and that has influenced my writing a lot. Haha. The symbolism, the genre and target audience, the plot… it all is what I aspire to write. c:
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Lol.
Let’s see, Dracula at 11, Lord of the Rings at 12, VC Andrews at 17, Terry Pratchett, random Regency Romances (especially series like Mary Jo Putney’s?), Sci-Fi/Fantasy included Orson Scott Card, Terry Brooks, R. A. Salvatore, Piers Anthony, C. S. Lewis, Alice in Wonderland, Stephen King, C. J. Cherry, Anne McCaffrey, Mercedes Lackey.
So, yeah, very well-read before turning 18 in scifi/fantasy/romance.
Read Dickens a good bit around 12, too. I predate modern YA/NA.
So…I generally have a mild sense of humor that permeates everything, and that can be seen in Terry Pratchett’s works (done well).
I tend to continually throw hell at my characters,but I don’t think anyone on that list does it except for maybe Terry Brooks and R. A. Salvatore.
C. J. Cherryh is a big influence because she has a habit of not allowing things to be explained all at once, allowing readers to feel as confused as the characters. I do that a lot., Yet I’d not touch writing a murder mystery, where that style is more common.
My love-hate relationship with series is why I write series, and that comes from serial romances.
Not flinching at plain disturbing is Stephen King and V.C. Andrews. So, sometimes I write things that would upset people (generally softly handled) and just have characters accept a world that you and I couldn’t handle.
A lack of care for writing style (as in, I don’t care to conform) comes from how diverse this list is.
Making morality make sense comes from C.S. Lewis.
Obsession with paradigm shifts is influenced by this but more stems from theological study as a child. Same thing with breaking a character to their core.
So, I’m all over the place, can see the touches here and there.
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Don’t know/don’t remember.
There were plenty of books that I liked as a child.
So many that gave me inspiration and I don’t remember the names.
So sad…
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Watership Down and Plague Dogs were my childhood favorites. I still reread Watership Down once in a while.
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Same! I grew up with those books. Would definitely trade a million dollars to read them again for the first time.
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I read Watership Down alot, too.
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I really loved Spiderwick Chronicles and Goosebumps. They both definitely influenced me. I’m now a fantasy writer. I’ve never really had to search for a genre I like to read or write because I’ve always known. And I’ve always been into the horror aspect, too. Only recently have I began adding more horror elements. But I’ve read horror books as well, long before I tried writing it.
Anything Andre Norton… particularly X-Factor, The Jargoon Pard, and Beast Master. Her works spoke to me as someone who didn’t quite fit in anyplace.
My work reflects much of her style and I’ve had people compare my writing to hers which is a huge compliment.
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