| There is something about my childhood that I | | | | protagonist received by the time I reached my |
| think you should know. When I was just two | | | | "tween" years, I no longer treat others with |
| years old, I was diagnosed with a mild form of | | | | developmental disabilities the same way again, but |
| autism known as Asperger's syndrome. I had | | | | in an inspiring and uncondescending way, that is. |
| trouble talking with others. I had trouble with my | | | | Summer reading was no fun for me in both junior |
| handwriting. And, you guessed it, I had trouble | | | | high and high school. I had to read stories |
| reading. | | | | mandated by my teachers or, better yet, my |
| But, you'll be happy to know that I did improve | | | | hometown's Board of Education committees. I had |
| upon my reading skills when I was handed my | | | | to write increasingly intensive essays that didn't |
| first children's book in preschool at the tender age | | | | pertain to my simplistic, or rather juvenile, style of |
| of four. I can recall a "pop-up" book collection | | | | writing. I had to make sure everything was done |
| about a miniature Golden Retriever known as | | | | right before the first school bell rang on the first |
| Spot. These "pop-up" books made it much easier | | | | day of school. The list went on and on. |
| for me to read the words as well as navigate | | | | But what was deeply ironic about my adolescence |
| each vibrant page, each of which contained a | | | | was that I did, indeed, become a much better |
| hidden object that led to the clues Spot was so | | | | writer. The books I had to read in school may |
| eager to find. There was one "pop-up" | | | | have been insignificant or less than satisfying, but |
| pocket-sized book, in particular, in which Spot had | | | | that, by no means, interfered with my collective, |
| to find his bone for dinner. I had to "lift" a "golden | | | | self-reflective diaries. I always wrote in my journal |
| toy chest," "open" a "kitchen closet," all until he | | | | about how I was feeling about my education and |
| finally found his bone back in the "toy chest!" The | | | | personal life, as well as how others perceived me |
| words in these books were by no means | | | | in the process. I also began to teach myself about |
| powerful, but they were still a critical tool for my | | | | how to write solid non-fiction essays, for that |
| all-important cognitive skills in every sense of the | | | | meant something even more self-sustaining |
| developmentally delayed word. | | | | altogether. |
| Perhaps no other children's book collection, | | | | But who deserves credit for this improvement? |
| however, had a more profound impact on my | | | | Well, I would have to admit that it was my high |
| childhood (and in my later years in life) than the | | | | school English teacher who made me much more |
| Berenstain Bears. They "lived down a sunny dirt | | | | enthusiastic about my reading and writing both in |
| road in Bear Country," but the lessons they | | | | and out of the classroom in the end. She truly |
| taught me, as well as every other friend and | | | | cared about my potential to rise to the top of |
| relative of mine, were of great, if not | | | | my special education class. She knew I literally had |
| astronomical, importance to life itself. My all-time | | | | a learning disability that was hard to classify or |
| favorite in this series is "The Berenstain Bears | | | | explain, let alone admit to others openly. More |
| Get the Gimmies (1988)." It teaches you how not | | | | importantly, she realized just how difficult it would |
| to be greedy when you're at the grocery store, | | | | be for me to succeed beyond high school. The |
| the retail store, and even at home. I realized that | | | | rest is history. |
| I should never ask for more money and/or more | | | | I am now an avid reader and writer. I'm not much |
| candy and other "addictive" material things | | | | of a fiction lover, although I do read some |
| because, as I began to realize at the end of the | | | | bestsellers like "The Da Vinci Code (2003)" when I |
| story, asking for more and more on a continual | | | | have spare time, especially at night. Most of the |
| basis can be embarrassing and totally impolite. In | | | | time, however, I like to read a diverse range of |
| other words, I realized it was important for me | | | | non-fiction treatises and "novels," even if they are |
| to be grateful for whatever I have rather than | | | | for "escapist" pleasure rather than as academic |
| what I don't have, which continues to be my | | | | food for thought. But even more important than |
| most moral status quo to this day. | | | | my current reading habits are the ways in which I |
| Although I did love reading children's books in | | | | write. I'm no longer apprehensive about writing |
| preschool and elementary school once I got the | | | | scholarly essays and book reports, so I'm no |
| hang of their colorful words and illustrations, I hate | | | | longer writing in my journal on a daily basis. |
| to admit that my middle school reading | | | | Although I still struggle with my writing in terms |
| experiences were less than fulfilling. I had trouble | | | | of finding the most appropriate style and syntax, |
| reading slightly more intricate chapter books like | | | | I would have to admit that improvement is no |
| Daniel Keyes' "Flowers for Algernon (1966)," S.E. | | | | substitute for continuing to explore new avenues |
| Hinton's "Rumble Fish (1975)" and "The Outsiders | | | | and pathways for as long as I remain most |
| (1967)," "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and many | | | | literately competent. |
| other stories tailored for young adults; they | | | | But do I still read a favorite book from my |
| simply didn't contain any pictures. I also had to | | | | childhood that continues to be in my collective |
| start doing more detailed book reports not just | | | | self-consciousness? You bet. I happened to (and |
| on the stories themselves, but on the broad, | | | | still happen to) memorize almost every single gem |
| sometimes taboo, themes they emphasized as | | | | of a line in Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole |
| well. What I did find fulfilling about "Algernon," | | | | Christmas (1957)." I'm sure I'm not the only child |
| however, was that it was about a man with | | | | still at heart who can do I what do at my Grinchy |
| severe mental retardation; I began to realize that | | | | best. So, that said, it's always comforting to know |
| being retarded was a chronic medical condition and | | | | that even the most trivial of all things wordy can |
| not merely another indirect, derogatory synonym | | | | live in your heart forever for whatever reason |
| for acting stupid. Although "Algernon" was still | | | | you make it to be. |
| dated in its depiction of the medical treatment the | | | | |