Beloved first books...

It goes without saying, we’re passionate about books--and about encouraging reading. So is First Book,
a nonprofit organization founded 15 years ago with the sole mission of getting new books into the hands of needy children.

As part of its latest literacy campaign, the First Book folks polled authors, celebrities and plain old kids to answer this question: What book got you hooked?

Ray Bradbury’s short story "The Rocket Man" was the inspiration for bestselling novelist Michael Chabon ("The Yiddish Policemen’s Union," "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay"). "I read it for the first time when I was 10 and the pleasure I took in reading was altered irrevocably," Chabon tells First Book. "Before then I had never noticed, somehow, that stories were made not of ideas or exciting twists of plot, but of language."

Wendelin Van Draanen, author of the "Sammy Keyes" and "Shredderman" series, says Bradbury’s "Dandelion Wine" hooked her on writing for children because "it perfectly captures the magic of being a kid."

Lois Lowry, who has captivated many a reader with "The Giver" and "Number the Stars," said she was 8 when "The Yearling" by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings "changed my literate life." She credits her mother with "the insight and wisdom" to read the book aloud. "I still remember the sound of her voice, the shape of her shoulders as she held the thick hardcover book, and the hall light illuminating her as she sat in the hallway and read to me and my sister, each in our bedrooms." Actor John Krasinski of NBC's "The Office" is still smitten by memories of Roald Dahl’s books. "Every book from ‘James and the Giant Peach’ to ‘The BFG’ to ‘The Witches,’ nobody wrote more imaginative stories for kids. These worlds he created had the nonsensical appeal of Dr. Seuss, while at the same time, the characters were all written with wonderful complexities and enormous heart. It was a feast for any imagination!"

More than 100,000 people responded to First Book’s poll. The vox pop’s top five are:
1. Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene
2. “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Seuss
3. “Little House on the Prairie” by Laura Ingalls Wilder
4. “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott
5. “The Cat in the Hat” by Dr. Seuss.
“Many of us remember the one book that we wanted to read over and over again — the book that really stirred our imaginations and left us wanting just one more chapter before bedtime,” First Book President Kyle Zimmer told Publishers Weekly. “The fact that there are millions of children in our own country that will grow up without these kinds of memories because they have no access to books is devastating. We are delighted that so many people shared their stories in order to help us shine the spotlight on this critical issue.”

Want to know what rapper Bow Wow, violinist Joshua Bell, author Joyce Carol Oates and actor Edward Norton chose? Just click here. Do you remember the first book that grabbed you? Tell us about it.

Kristina Lindgren