Hi, I’m Jim! I like books that stretch my imagination and encourage me to look inside. I especially like reading about wild places, eccentric characters, and different forms of magic.
What’s the first book you remember?
The first book I remember is Hippos Go Berserk by Sandra Boynton. By popular request, my dad would read it to my siblings and me almost every night when we were little. I loved the silliness of hippos wearing party hats and dancing all through the night. We read that book so many times that even today I could recite it word for word.
What did you like to read when you were young?
As a kid, I loved silly books. Junie B. Jones and Amelia Bedelia are some of the ones I remember most. They are also where I learned the wonderful word guffaw. Sometimes when we were reading Junie B. Jones, my dad would throw his head back and positively guffaw. One time he laughed so hard he started tearing up and couldn’t continue reading.
As a teen, I liked stories about people who felt out of place. Mostly, because they made me feel less alone. I spent a lot of time living in my head and was always wondering what other people were experiencing. When I discovered that reading gave me the ability to read minds and feel what other people were feeling, I was hooked. Some favorites were Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner.
Where is your favorite spot to read?
I’ve always enjoyed reading by water. Whether it is flowing, still, or cascading I find comfort in being close to it. If you’ve never taken a book to your favorite body of water, try it next time you go. Grab a book, a blanket, maybe a hammock and some shades. Hey, snacks never hurt anyone either. I love snacks.