#36 – My Earliest Book Memory
So, my guest posters have been *much* better than I have with the whole “Stuff Books Taught Me” theme. And they’ve written these beautiful, touching, insightful masterpieces. And me, not so much. But they have inspired me to talk about the first book I remember: Donkey Daniel in Bethlehem.
It’s a book about the Christian nativity, told from the point of view of Daniel, the donkey who carried Mary to Bethleh2m. I *loved* that book. I made my parents read it to me over and over and over again. Until I knew it word-for-word. I knew at which point to turn the page. I truly, truly believed I knew how to read. I mean, when people were “reading” they were looking at book, saying words and turning pages. I was doing that. Thus, I was reading right? I think I was about 3, maybe 4, at this time – it’s one of my earliest memories.
And then I remember trying to read a different book… I picked it up, opened it and… nothing. I didn’t know what it said! And I remember this very clearly, I thought, “Oh no! I’ve forgotten how to read!!” Seriously, I didn’t think, “Oh, I have just memorized that other book,” I thought “I’ve forgotten how to read!!”
I think I also really liked the book because it had “Beth” in the title1. I may also have believed that I was the second coming of the Virgin Mary. Because, you know, my name is actually “Mary”2.
It made sense to my 3-year-old brain.
1see, I’ve always been a rampant narcissist!
2Mary Elizabeth.
Comments |3|
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This anecdote is adorable. I'm going to have to check out donkey Daniel, just for kicks. As I mentioned in the comments of Dan's entry, I had an Xmas book I loved – “The Christmas Cat”. It's about rescuing a stray cat on Xmas Eve. Very sweet indeed.
I remember this book. We must have also had a copy of it. I do recall reading a number of books as a child with a huge Christian slant. It must be why I'm the pinnacle of religiousity that people know and love today. Ha!
Oh yeah, me too. Hmm…. this makes me think that reading DDinB as a child turns one anti-religion! n = 2