One of the places in which I can first trace my love for literature is school, and it was fostered by many of the amazing teachers who encouraged me to pick up new books and explore new worlds. If not for my elementary school teachers who first introduced me to the zaniness of Junie B. Jones and the adventures of Harry Potter, or my high school AP Language teacher who taught me the power of words in every context, my appreciation for reading would be nowhere near where it is today. Through the work of the many dedicated teachers I have had over the years, I came to see reading not as a burden or a chore, but as a joy, as something that recharged me. I recognize that this is not a common experience for students; I have often heard it said that school kills any love for reading that people might have once had. Knowing that this is so often the case makes me even more grateful towards the educators who encouraged me, and it makes me sad that their compassion and sincerity is too frequently the exception to the rule.
The venn diagram of my family members and educators is practically a circle, as my dad’s side of the family are all teachers. However, I think the way in which each group influenced my reading journey necessitates their separation into different categories. My parents have always, since the day I first picked up a book, encouraged and took an active role in my love reading. I can recall numerous trips to the library and countless recitations of Llama, Llama Red Pajama, Pinkalicious, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and more that first introduced me to the humor, love, chaos, and adventure inherent in literature. While these will always hold a special place in my heart, as I grew older and my reading tastes evolved, my parents played a different, yet equally important, role as pillars of our familial literary community. On every family vacation, it was a foregone conclusion that we’d be taking a trip to the bookstore. My mom is a consistent source of literary inspiration, always recommending thoughtful stories she knows I will love. I will forever be indebted to my parents for many things, not the least of which is continuing to introduce me to different narratives and worlds through the lens of literature.
Part of the beauty of books is their ability to connect you with emotions you never thought you had the words for and with people that feel the same way, and nowhere is this clearer to me than in some of my own friendships. My literary life and interests would be nowhere without my friends. Who else would I go to new book release parties with, or stay up late with debriefing the most recent Emily Henry novel? Friends who share my literary interests (and those who challenge them) have played such an integral role in my development as a reader and as a human being. I am so incredibly grateful for the people I am able to discuss this passion with, and for the recommendations and inspiration they are constantly giving me.
As a kid, my competitive streak came out because of the annual summer library reading contests just as often as it did because of the club sports I was involved in. The library was yet another channel for my literary pursuits growing up, and as both a book lover and the daughter of someone who worked in a library for a long time, these places felt like a second home to me. I will always have a profound appreciation and admiration for the work done by the library systems in Arizona and across the country. Just as I was encouraged to read, learn, and explore in these literary havens, so too are other children who may not have access to some of the other bookish communities I have participated in. Even with the threats posed to literature accessibility these days, most notably book bans, libraries persist in being spaces that foster curiosity and wonder.
The jury’s still out on whether I think social media has a net positive or negative impact on our society, but I know with absolute certainty it has played a crucial role in my growth as a reader. Various reading communities on social media, such as BookTok and Bookstagram, have introduced me to a vast array of titles, authors, genres, and fellow literature lovers that I may not have otherwise found. In fact, I have discovered some of my favorite books through BookTok recommendations, and I am also incredibly appreciative of the way these social media accounts and algorithms have made reading more accessible to audiences who may not have previously thought reading communities were for them. Social media’s role in building a stronger and more diverse “bookish” community, connecting people of all backgrounds in a shared reader space, cannot be overstated. I will always be grateful for the connections and new perspectives I have gained as a result of this new era of book influencing on these platforms.
Last but certainly not least is the wonderful literary community I have found here at the University of Arizona through Pine Reads Review. Joining this group has genuinely changed my life in the most positive way. It is incredible to be a part of a group that shares the same love for books I have always felt and is so committed to fostering a safe space to express this love. Through the encouragement and teaching of this group, I have been able to develop a more distinct literary voice for myself and have been exposed to a diverse range of perspectives, stories, and voices. With all of this noted, I would be remiss not to mention the Pine Reads Review community, which has been instrumental in both my collegiate and literary journeys.
Sam Parker, Pine Reads Review Social Media Manager