As an adult, it’s been a constant source of frustration to me that there are huge gaps in my knowledge when it comes to literature that other people of my generation have read - either through school, or because they were popular at the time, or because they’re regarded as “classics”*
But it wasn’t like I didn’t read as a kid. I read A LOT. But the funny thing was, I was really specific about what I read.
For example, Jaws by Peter Benchley. I read that as an 11-12 year old and loved it. And then I read it 6 times in a row. Did I read anything else of his? Of course not. Wasn’t interested.
Or the Point Horror series (because I’m too old for Goosebumps!). I absolutely devoured them, but only the ones by R.L.Stein. Why? Because I read one of his first. That’s literally it.
Anyone else had this relationship with books as a kid?
*don’t worry, I know this is often more to do with matters of capitalism/patriarchy/colonialism than quality.
As a kid, I was obsessed with just about any book with animals in it (including non-fiction reference books). Especially horses and wolves, but really anything, including fantasy animals (I especially loved dragons and unicorns). My cousin once lent me her copy of Into the Land of the Unicorns and I read it 21 times. It was so bedraggled by the time I was ready to return it, I ended up buying a fresh copy for my cousin and keeping the ratty one myself.
Thankfully, I started expanding my horizons a lot more in middle school. But animal books still factor heavily in my reading habits.