An Elementary Reader

1. An Elementary Reader How I came to be a reader and the role of books in my elementary years By Chris Bohne

2. Family Picture I come from a large family. My parents had 7 children, and I don’t recall a great deal of one on one time being read to by my parents. I’m the snazzy one in the plaid sport coat!

3. Story time When we were read to, I remember it being from a collection of literary classics we had.

4. Dr. Seuss Being a baby boomer I was of course exposed to Dr. Seuss. His books were readily available at grocery stores and as a book of the month club.

5. Learn to Read I learned to read from Dick, Jane, and of course Spot.

6. My First Book The first book I can remember reading independently was called Clumsy Clyde and Daisy. It was about a clumsy cowboy who befriends a bull named Daisy. The two save the day when bandits try to rob a bank.

7. School Library My Elementary School, St. Alexander’s in suburban Chicago, had no library when I first attended because they turned it into a kindergarten. Near the time I graduated they were beginning to add the library back in. I have few remembrances of a school library.

8. Cover to Cover I recall some of the earliest and best book talks I experienced were done by a man named John Robbins. He had a show on PBS called Cover to Cover. In the show he would do pencil and chalk drawings depicting scenes from books.

9. Memorable Book I think the first book I ever loved was S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders . I discovered it in sixth grade and became a reader.

10. Magic Books • In 7th grade I began an interest in magic and searched for any books I could find on the topic at the public library.