February Firsts: Melody - The First Book I Bought as a Child/Teenager

Today, please welcome Melody, who blogs at Melody's Reading Corner from Singapore!

I couldn't remember the exact time I first started picking up a book (probably when I was in Primary 3), but I could remember very well the first book I received as a gift - Black Beauty by Anna Sewell.

Books are considered a rare gift in my family, not that my parents didn't encourage reading but books are considered expensive in those days (well they still are) and most of all, I could always go to libraries for books. To earn more income for the family my mother became a babysitter (or a nanny) to a family with two young children (during those days it was very common for middle-aged housewives to be babysitters. These days, however, is hard to even find a nanny since most would rather employ foreign domestic helpers as not only they could help take care of the children but they could do household chores as well.)

Anyway, the children's mother worked full time in an office and as a child she gave me the impression of a modern woman who is generous and knew how to dress well. And every Christmas she would give my younger sister and I presents. I remember there was one time in which she asked me what I wanted for a Christmas present, and without hesitation I told her I wanted a book. I wish I have a picture of the edition I owned but it was lost during the move. I googled it and the picture below is the edition I used to have.

Black Beauty is a great classic, and now looking back I can understand why this book makes a great gift to children and adults alike. While this book is written in the style of an animal autobiography, it is also very much a story that teaches its readers to be kind, sympathetic, and respectful in general, be it people or animals.

By the time I got into secondary school, I decided to use some of the money I saved to buy books. Nancy Drew books remain my favourites and I bought my first Nancy Drew's -  "The Mystery of the 99 Steps." Imagine the exhilaration I felt for getting my hands on it! My reading horizons have also expanded during that time, since the secondary school library has so much varieties as compared to the primary school's. Barbara Cartland's, the Sweet Dreams series of numerous standalone teen romances (such wonderful memories as I think they are all out of print now) were my favourites too.

It is no surprise I later signed up to be the school librarian (I'd participated in playing volleyball and was a cadet with the school's St. John Ambulance but being a school librarian remains the top.) Looking back, I am glad my passion for reading continues through adulthood. After all, reading is not only a form of communication but also as an escapism; to promote creativity and analysing things from different perspectives. And last of all, reading is fun.

Thanks so much for sharing today, Melody!

Leave a comment for Melody below!