My Reading History - Meme

I pulled this meme from Big A Little a, but it originated Kate's Book Blog wrote the meme herself (and has great answers).

1. How old were you when you learned to read and who taught you?
My mom says it was second grade. I'm sure I knew how to read before then, but perhaps not very well. She credits Mrs. Lichtey and her reading incentives (you got a free book) program for getting me excited about reading.

2. Did you own any books as a child?
Yes. Ummm, I remember The Lorax and The Friendly Beasts and The Pokey Little Puppy. I'm sure there were loads more.

3. What’s the first book that you bought with your own money?
I remember buying VC Andrews at the beach one summer during middle school, but I'm sure that wasn't the first.

4. Were you a re-reader as a child?
Yes, I always have been. Little House on the Prairie and Jurassic Park were both re-read many times. Oh, and Anne of Green Gables and the Secret Garden and the Meg mysteries*.

5. What’s the first adult book that captured your interest and how old were you when you read it?
Again, I can't recall. By the time I was in middle school I was reading mostly adult books (Jurassic Park, VC Andrews, Clan of the Cave Bear, Handmaids Tale). Some adults were not thrilled about this, but my parents never said anything.

6. Are there children’s books that you passed by as a child that you have learned to love as an adult? Which ones? I didn't read Bridge to Terabithia until high school, nor Little Women. I hadn't read any of the Alice books til this year.

*It is very difficult to find these books, or even any record of them.