Storybook: Introduction

I grew up in a realm of literature. There was nothing more sacred than the halls of a quiet library, or losing oneself in a book for hours on end until someone had to track me down. I devoured every word I could get my hands on. I was in third grade when they finally tested my reading level and they began to force me to read books that would challenge me. It alienated me from my classmates, since when we went to the library most of my classmates would be in our grade level or so and I would be sent away to the "older kids" literature. This only pushed me further into the realm of books. This is not a complaint, but an introduction. I have spent years reading and processing literature of all types. Some of my favorites all follow the similar themes.  Books such as Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, phantom tollbooth, pride and prejudice, and the hero and the crown that have left an impact on my life. Many people use Christmas to think of those who have impacted their lives. For me, though there were people who had incredible impacts in my life, books had just as large on an impact on who I have become. As the Doctor from BBC Doctor Who once said, "We are all just stories in the end...". In that context, these stories can have just as much impact on my life as these people who have poured into my life. I am on Christmas break which I like to use as a time of reflection. I am hoping to run over some of my favorite book encounters and think how it actually impacted me through out my life.