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My life as an Elementary Reader. By Monica Cameron. Humble Beginnings. The youngest of 2 girls, I was born from 2 families in which many children did not finish high school and married at ages as young as 14. School was not a priority from either side but work was.
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My life as an Elementary Reader By Monica Cameron
Humble Beginnings The youngest of 2 girls, I was born from 2 families in which many children did not finish high school and married at ages as young as 14. School was not a priority from either side but work was. I don’t remember my parents reading to me. One or the other usually worked evenings. I do remember my grandma buying me some of the Little Golden Books such as The Pokey Puppy and The Tawny Scrawny Lion from rummage sales. (A flood destroyed our early family photo albums)
Main Street School • Kindergarten was only half-day when I went at the early age of four. • My first grade teacher, Mrs. Pennycuff, is who I remember teaching me how to read. Every day she called us up one at a time and had us read passages from early primer books out loud. I remember that Scotty McConnell always pronounced the as thee and it used to drive me bonkers! • I used to check out Berenstain Bears titles and Disney titles.
Interest Sparked • I was a horrible student, earning mostly needs improvement and unsatisfactory as marks. • Third grade with Mrs. Green changed my academic and personal life. She read to us Stuart Little and The Mouse and The Motorcycle and Ramona with so much enthusiasm that it was as if I could see her words as a movie in my mind. I wanted to read the same way she did.
Favorite Elementary Books • Over and over I would check out my favorites. • My mom, grandma, and aunts worked at the hospital so I read biographies of Clara Barton thinking that I too would be a nurse. • I loved the adventures of The Boxcar Children and Robin Hood. • Ramona Quimby reminded me a little of myself because she got into trouble but her intentions were good.
New Access, New Loves • In 7th grade, I fell in love with Stephen King books. To this day, I still read thrillers, paranormal, and horror stories, but my favorites are still Pet Sematary and Misery. When my family moved in town, I was able to get a free public library card which gave me access to many more books, authors, and genres.