The books of my childhood were more to me than mere words on a page. They fostered my love for reading, for the imaginary, and for writing in general, and so I’ll always be very protective of their stories. I’m a firm believer that the books you read and the amount that you read as a child can influence the type of person you become (and how well you write). Each story contributes something entirely unique to a ‘little person’ and can be received in completely different ways. Here are some of the books that impacted me as I was growing up.
While this will come as no surprise, I, like many others my age, grew up reading Harry Potter. I was three years old when the first book was released, and turned seven the year it’s film adaptation hit our screens. At six-turning-seven I was as Hermione-like as a primary school kid could get – I was an insufferable know it all, would correct people constantly, always had my nose stuck in a book, and sadly, I didn’t have many friends. So when I heard the buzz about a character called Her-me-own (because honestly, no one knew how to pronounce it before the films), who loved books and learning and had brown hair (!), I set off on a mission to consume the first four available novels. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was the first chapter book I read without the help of my parents. I was six, and obnoxious, and fell in love with reading, magic, and fantasy in one go. It was the best introduction to ‘chapter books’ I could have had and it taught me how to open up – how to talk about books with other people and get lost in the stories.
Technically, Narnia should take the ‘first chapter book read’ trophy. I started this series as a five year old, and worked my way through them gradually until I was eventually able to read – confused? I don’t blame you. Basically, my mum was both a genius and very busy and knowing that she couldn’t hand me a book and leave me to it, she realized that there was another option – audiobooks. What made the Narnia audiobooks so special was that they weren’t merely actors reading the novel aloud, but a BBC Radio production with a full cast, a sound effects team, and a real love for the story. Each character had a unique voice, played by a different actor, and there was nothing rigid about it. “Susan walked down the road” wasn’t read off the pages, but illustrated with the sound of heels trotting down a cobbled street. The magic was real and existed entirely within my cassette player.
Another series that is of significance to me, A Series of Unfortunate Events, was the first set of books that I purchased myself. Over the year I would ferret away my birthday money, Christmas money, and any odd coins I found around the house, and trudge down to Big W or Target to grab the latest release. With thirteen books in total (plus a couple of spin-off publications), it was my prized collection and still sits proudly on my bookshelf back in Australia. This series is beautiful. It’s dark, twisted, depressing, quirky, and teaches readers that it’s all right to be a bit different. It’s main trio - Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are brilliant. They’re inventors, readers, creators, and cooks. They think on their feet, and even when they’re in the worst situation, they work together and find hope. I am so protective of this series. It’s such an important story and it ends tragically (something you’ll only discover once you've read The Beatrice Letters) but I once lived for Lemony Snicket’s dedications.
“For Beatrice –
darling, dearest, dead.”
- The Bad Beginning
The Georgia Nicholson Diaries (as the series is called) is probably something you should have read when you were thirteen. This series was the first to have me laughing loudly in the back of the car - tears streaming down my face and my parents in an utter state of confusion over what could be so humorous. Georgia Nicholson is the perfect protagonist. She’s witty, embarrassing, gutsy, and completely barking mad. The books themselves follow Georgia and her friends, The Ace Gang, as they progress through an all-girls high school in England. It deals with boys, volatile friendships, making mistakes, and loving your family even if they’re bonkers. Angus the Cat, especially when teamed up with Georgia’s toddler sister, Libby, is a riot. The stop-start writing style of the diary format works so well and it was the book that all my friends talked about – we even had our own version of the infamous Snogging Scale.
Perhaps unique to Australian readers, Tomorrow When The War Began and the following six books (and sequel series) are the novels that every high school student will read at least once. Set in New South Wales, the story follows a group of friends and their struggle to survive after an unnamed country invades Australia. Told through the eyes of Ellie Linton, the books deal with mortality, morality, and growing up in a war torn country. The Australian Bush features prominently in the series and serves as its own character, making it a relatable and believable story. The narration is raw and honest and Ellie is certainly not the faultless heroine found in young adult novels today. This is a series everyone should read. Each character is well written and developed, and had me sobbing after the third book.
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