She Smiled Like A Knife

Here’s a little fact about myself – I’m a bookworm. A huge bookworm. Always have been. Bookstores and libraries are among my favourite places to hang out and I always carry a book in my bag. You can also find me sitting in cafes for hours with a latte and a book pretty often. I guess I have my mum to thank for this. Being an English teacher, she made sure I was able to read from a very young age. Besides teaching me to read, she also introduced me to the magic and beauty of the storybook and I have never stopped reading since. Tonight, I shall walk down memory lane and talk a bit about the more memorable books I have read as a little girl.

The Malory Towers series by Enid Blyton

Enid Blyton was probably one of the first authors I was introduced to and I guess I do somehow hold her responsible for turning me into the anglophile I am today. I read many other books by her – Secret Seven, Noddy and all that – but this series was my favourite. I found the students and the mischief they got up to fascinating. I too wanted to go to a boarding school, play lacrosse and play pranks on teachers (invisible chalk, anyone?).

The Odyssey

I was first introduced to Greek Mythology through this illustrated, abridged version of Homer’s epic poem. I remember reading it again and again and becoming obsessed with gods, goddesses, heroes and all sorts of mythical creatures. I even brought it to school for “Show and Tell”! My obsession also led me to beg my mum to buy me the next book.

Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green

This is to me, the perfect book for someone just starting to get interested in Greek mythology. It contains stories of all the significant immortals as well as stories of the more famous heroes like Theseus, Jason, Heracles, Perseus, etc. Great stories told in a simple enough manner for 9-year-old me to understand and not get bored. It also has a pretty comprehensive list of the gods and goddesses at the back which I still refer to once in a while. Despite being tattered and yellowed with age, I still keep this book within reach.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

I had to read this book for one of my school projects and it was my first taste of fantasy. Magic, talking animals, a completely made up world, what’s there not to love, right? I didn’t get the Christian themes back then but I did go on the read the entire Narnia series. It started to lose its charm by the 7th or 8th book but by then I was already a fantasy convert. Soon after, I was diving into the world of Tolkien, Raymond E Feist, David Eddings, Terry Brooks, Mercedes Lackey, Terry Pratchett…

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

The review on Amazon says “If anyone tried to determine the most common rite of passage for preteen girls in North America, a girl’s first reading of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret would rank near the top of the list.” Well, I’m not North American, but I agree. Judy Blume tells of a group of girls going through puberty in such a light-hearted and funny way and any adolescent girl would be able to relate to at least one character. I can see why my mum encouraged me to read this when I was 12. I’d do the same if I ever have a daughter.

The Animorphs series by K.A. Applegate

This is one of those books I randomly picked up from the library and ended up getting hooked to the entire series. I loved the intrigue, the fast-paced action, the aliens and the fact that this bunch of kids could morph into any animal they wanted to! Unlike fantasy however, reading this did not make me a Sci-Fi fan. I did try reading a bit of Piers Anthony and Isaac Assimov but my interest wasn’t really quipped.

So there! I did read many other books, some of which I strangely remember the plots but not the titles but I guess these are the ones that mattered the most. What books did you read as a kid?

All pictures taken from Amazon.