Did you have a schoolteacher who helped you become the reader you are today?
My first grade teacher, Mrs. Doore, encouraged us to read and made fun little contests out of reading. For most books read by a girl, I got to select a book as a prize…a ballerina book. 
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My Mom was the strongest influence. She loved to read and made sure that we had frequent library and bookstore trips.
Another factor, not person, was that we moved to Istanbul when I was a young girl and there was no television programming yet in the country. Reading was THE entertainment. What a gift.
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Growing up I read all the Nancy Drew and Little Women books.
However my sophomore English teacher introduced me to Idylls of The King by Tennyson which lead me to my fascination of Arthurian history. I then read Mallory’s Morte D’Arthur, The Once and Future King by T.H. White and the Age of Arthur by John Morris.
I also studied Shakespeare in high school but adapting to his unique language style and understanding his literal interpretation is difficult for me.
My mother was an avid reader so I grew up around books. When I retired I had the time to rediscover the joy of reading.
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For me it was also my first-grade teacher, Miss Ventura. I seemed to have a natural talent for reading, and she really nurtured it along.
Similar to @Lynne_G, one of the most memorable teachers I had was my 7th-grade teacher, whose name escapes me at the moment. She had us read The Adventures of Robinhood, and that led me to the other works Lynne mentioned. Definitely went through a phase!
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I had a third grade teacher who was very strict but every day after lunch and recess she had us put our heads down on our desks and took us on Pippi Longstocking’s adventures. We all wanted to be babysat by Mr. Pudgins and solved crimes with Encyclopedia Brown. She read the books with great expression and brightened my small world for half an hour every school day. I became an avid reader that year. My childhood was less than great but reading took me to different places when the place I was in was not so good. I can still hear Mrs. Brown reading.
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My 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Nagle, encouraged me to find different worlds in books. She alwways had a book of her own to read during a “quiet time” after lunch. Then I discovered the town library and I was off!
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My mother taught me to read at age 3 by having me read newspaper and magazine ads and billboards, etc. Adults were very surprised when I would read beer and cigarette ads out loud! I went to a country school with all classes in one room. When the older kids had their reading class the teacher, Mr. Delp, allowed the younger kids to listen and follow along in the extra copies of the reading books. After the country school closed and I transferred to town school, the school librarian, Miss Anne Williams, turned liking to read into loving to read my 4th grade year. A very tiny little lady in her 70s she saw a spark in me and always suggested books that would stretch me a little bit. I picture her with affection still.
Yes! First grade. Mrs. Kritser. Pulled my ears whenever my attention wandered. Ended up becoming a good reader — with big ears.
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Like @Lana_Maskus I was reading before I started school. I was determined to decipher the words in the magazines that were scattered about our house. Eventually it started making sense and as a result I was a very quick study when I got the tools to phonics in 1st grade. I never looked back and I can’t recall a time in my life when I haven’t been actively reading. My mother would drop me at our small town library while she ran errands and the librarian was my guide from kid lit all the way to adult books. She sent me on an amazing tour through science fiction that I wish now I could ask her about. As best I recall that was the bridge between youth and adult books.
Gosh, we sound like twins. My sister and I were dropped off at our town library, too. It was heaven on earth to us.
Yep! The library was definitely a happy place and there was never a question about what I was reading. I nearly always went home with stacks of books.
Mrs Paul, a high school Lit teacher, brought the classics alive for me. I took as many of her classes as I could for 4 years. We lovingly called her “ the culture vulture.”
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