Before English, I learned to read in Chinese.
Some of my earliest childhood memories involved reading with my mom, reading giant picture books full of colorful images and words. I would excitedly absorb all the details of each drawing as my mother read the words aloud to me. But the characters that appeared on the page were of all different shapes, none of which looked like the Latin alphabet used for English. For many years of my early life, the language that I encountered on a daily basis was Mandarin Chinese. I distinctly remember reading a Chinese rendition of Julia Donaldson’s The Snail and the Whale with my mom, enraptured by the adventures of the duo and the sights of that vast fictional world.
But my own world was still so small. As the child of immigrant parents, I was very much sheltered within our traditional culture. Even when we moved from China to America, I was hardly familiar with any English words. I’m told that I entered preschool only a basic knowledge of the then-foreign language. But as my exposure to American culture grew, through school and other outlets, I slowly migrated from Chinese to English. Of course, I still conversed in Mandarin with my parents, but the books and media that I consumed became predominantly English. My parents supported this shift, often taking me to the library to borrow books. And at home, they tried their best to guide me through learning this new language.
But much of my learning occurred outside the comforts of my house. At first, libraries were intimidating. It seemed to me that they were filled with an infinite amount of literature, and every book I picked up was packed with unfamiliar words and expressions, which was oftentimes discouraging. However, my parents were adamant that I should learn this new language, and learn it well. So every week, we headed over to our massive local library that contained stacks upon stacks of books. My goal was to borrow one book every time and read it through.
One particular experience during this time was a turning point in my literacy journey. When I was struggling to find something to read, a librarian walked up to me and handed me a book. I remember her telling me, “Try this book. My son read it and really loved it.”
At first, I was skeptical. I remember that it was an small, green paperback book, with the title Magic Tree House printed on the spine and an illustration of a flying dinosaur on the front cover. Initially, it didn’t interest me at all, even after reading the short introduction on the back. Nevertheless, I checked it out and placed it on my desk where it sat forgotten, collecting dust.
As the time came to return back to the library, I finally decided to open up the book. I remember it being completely uninteresting as I flipped through the first few pages. However, when the two main characters, Jack and Annie, discovered a mysterious tree house in the woods and embarked on their first adventure, I was hooked. I followed along as Jack and Annie were whisked into a world filled with dinosaurs and held my breath in fear when they barely made it back home in time. It was only after I closed the book that I noticed hours had passed. The next time we went back to the library, I checked out the next book in the series, excited to see what it had in store for me.
The wonder in reading the Magic Tree House series was the magic that filled each book. Inside each of those unassuming, green paperbacks was a new world that sprung out of the ordinary. The books were my own tree house, spiriting me away into a different time and place, outside the bounds of reality. I loved the contrast between the two main characters; Jack’s hesitancy in counterpoint with Annie’s enthusiasm and vigor. Each week, I checked out the next sequel, devouring them one after another.
These books opened my eyes to an elegant world of reading. I don’t remember many of the details within the series anymore. But its lasting legacy is the sense of wonder and discovery that it instilled within me. Now, when I read books, I chase for the same feeling that I felt that time, the first time I opened that book.
Hi Dingjia, I share the same feelings for the Magic Tree House books as you. They are one of the earliest books that got me into reading, and I’m thankful for that. I even have some Magic Tree House books still on my shelf, from when the Naperville Library was giving out some books for free. It’s been a pleasant surprise for me to know that so many people also have this series as a part of their childhood reading memories; it goes to show how special this series really was and how inspiring it was to our childhood imagination.
On a separate note, I can totally understand the feeling of being overwhelmed by a library. Even now when I step into a library, the aura of the books that surround me makes me freeze up for a second; it’s almost like the books are all staring at me, wanting to be read. For you, it was more overwhelming because you were still unfamiliar with the new language you were now submerged with – I think I would have just gone back to doing math problems in my workbook…
Thanks for sharing your story! I hope your curiosity forever remains intact.
Dingjia, I like how you started off your story with your memory of a book in another language, which is very unique. I like how you included your experience at the library as the library was also a very nostalgic place for many children including me. I related to your story very much as I barely knew English when I came to America and read many Chinese picture books as a kid. I also learned most of my English at school as both of my parents did not know much English. I remember the classroom library in my 2nd grade classroom was filled with Magic Treehouse books. It was one of the first and only chapter books I read and actually enjoyed. This series was a huge part of my childhood as I remember that I had trouble putting the books down. I remember how their adventures pulled me into the book and kept me engaged throughout the whole entire book. Before these books, I did not enjoy reading chapter books as much as they were a transition from the big colorful pictures. These books really helped me make that transition from picture books to chapter books a lot easier than I thought it was going to me.
Hey Dingjia, I could definitely relate to much of your narrative. While I’m not sure if I learned English or Chinese first, I’m sure that I learned them simultaneously. In fact, I’m quite certain I developed a better proficiency in Chinese before English. I can definitely relate to your troubles of having to juggle two languages.
I really admire your consistency in going to the library. While I don’t think your intention of reading books was purely just to enjoy them, I commend you for putting the effort to consistently and critically read.
The Magic Tree House was an eye opener for me as well. Traveling on those adventures with Jack and Annie were one of my favorite reliefs to life, and I got to learn a lot of history, mythology, and science. The reading world has much more in store for us, for sure, and it’s something that I would like to explore further.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading your narrative. I saw much of myself! Granted, it isn’t me, but I think we are quite similar in our approaches towards reading.
Dingjia–I loved reading your narrative! It seems like a lot of you remembered The Magic Tree House as an important book early on! Glad to see that the FEELINGS from reading are still there!