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Early Reading
I learned to read in kindergarten. I read all of the usual early reader books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Rainbow Fish, and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. -
The Giving Tree
I read The Giving Tree in the second grade. I was so moved by the tree's generosity that I stole the book from my school's library because I believed that no one could cherish Shel Silverstein's words as I could. Silverstein taught me the importance of generosity and gratitude. -
Spanish Literacy
I got my first cellphone in the fourth grade. It was an off-brand Blackberry but I was excited to have something of my own. The phone came with new responsibilities, like texting my mom. I learned to read and write in Spanish on my MetroPCS Blackberry. -
The Hunger Games
I read The Hunger Games trilogy in the seventh grade. The movies had just come out and I was hooked. I was also battling an incredibly humbling lice outbreak so I had a shocking amount of time on my hands. I actually looked forward to coming home from school and having my mom check my scalp for lice because it meant that I could read uninterrupted. -
Dystopian Frenzy
I discovered my affinity toward dystopian novels during a lice outbreak in the 7th grade and I fueled it during an 8th grade ELA unit on dystopian novels where I read Scott Westerfeld's "Uglies". I enjoyed the book so much that I asked my mom to buy me the entire series. -
I do not like Shakespeare
I read and analyzed Shakespeare's Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet in my 10th-grade ELA class. 7 years later, all I can remember is how easily I fell asleep when trying to read either piece. The literary style is not my favorite and I struggled to follow the plot of both plays. -
Reading Adaptation Inspirations
Some of my favorite books to read are books that have been adapted into other media forms like television series or movies. I like to compare the differences that exist between the book and the adaptation. Some of my favorite examples are The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn, and Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I have been a big Harry Potter fan since early childhood but did not read the books until I was 16. -
Reading Spanish Literature
During the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, I became intrigued by famous drug lords and organized crime. I quickly found that the best literature about organized crime comes from authors who originate and live in countries with high levels of organized crime and subsequently write in their native language. My favorite author in this genre is Anabel Hernandez. The first Spanish book I read was Emma y Las Otras Señoras Del Narco, a book about the wives of famous drug lords. -
Self-Help Books
2020 is the year the entire world tried to reinvent themselves. I tried reading a wide variety of self-help books and could not make it past the first chapter in any. I found the genre to be boring. I took it as a sign of my perfection! I have not made any further attempts. -
Current Reading
The academic era of my life is in full swing and schoolwork takes up the majority of my time. While I still enjoy reading Anabel Hernandez, Suzanne Collins, and Julia Quinn, I spend most of my time reading literature that will guide and influence my practice as an educator. A book that has had a profound impact on my educational philosophy is Teaching and Learning with Infants and Toddlers: Where Meaning-Making Begins by Mary Jane Maguire-Fong.