"My earliest independent reading memory is The Story of Ferdinand by Leaf and Lawson. I loved that bull! My favourite book growing up Big books gave me the whirlies so it took a while for them to start landing."
"Z for Zachariah by Robert C O'Brien... was a definite boom! moment, finding an original heroine. Ann Burden is a resourceful rural girl who has survived nuclear holocaust and has to outwit a male scientist trying to control her."
"Angela Carter and Buchi Emecheta issued powerful lessons about female narratives, creativity and life. How not to be submissive or stereotyped. How reactivity becomes proaction."
"I'd say it was Michael Ondaatje's Coming Through Slaughter. It occupies a beguiling middle ground and isn't concerned with definitions of form."
Formative reading memories include ghost tales from a headteacher, nursery rhymes from a mother, and bedtime stories from a father. The Story of Ferdinand sparked independent reading. Z for Zachariah introduced a strong female protagonist, inspiring exhilaration and agency. Influential writers like Angela Carter and Buchi Emecheta taught lessons on female narratives and creativity. Michael Ondaatje's Coming Through Slaughter inspired a passion for writing, blending poetry and fiction. These experiences collectively shaped a lifelong love for literature and storytelling.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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