My Bookworm Origin Story

I really believe every adult bookworm has an origin story. Perhaps it was a standalone or a series, a comic book, or even the stories your grandma told you as she tucked you up in bed—a single story that planted the seed and ignited a lifelong passion and love of reading.

This feels like the perfect place to start. How did I become a reader? Which book(s) lit the spark, and when did reading transform from a hobby into something I couldn’t imagine my life without? P.S. even if you’re only here for a little nostalgia, I’d love to hear your bookworm origin story in the comments!

The authors that started it all

Like many other children in the UK at the time, my earliest love for books was ignited by three authors: Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Morpurgo, and Cathy Cassidy.

It was incredibly easy for me to retrace my bookworm origin story. The work of these three authors truly shaped my early reading years, and their books were probably the first I’d ever felt genuinely connected to. They weren’t just short-term entertainment for me, but each book stuck by me long after I turned the final page.

Jaqueline Wilson

I’m not sure about other countries, but in the UK Jacqueline Wilson was the go-to author for so many children growing up. Her books were honest, raw, and what I loved most about her was she never sugar-coated anything. She never patronised her readers.

She refused to shy away from uncomfortable topics—divorce, mental health, poverty, abandonment—and even at such a young age I knew these stories mattered. And every one of her characters felt so real. They were not the chosen ones, destined to save the world or capable of magical, mind blowing things. Nor were they perfect. They were flawed and misunderstood, and above all they were human.

My personal favourites of hers were My Sister Jodie, Love Lessons, and The Diamond Girls. Also, an honourable mention goes to The Lottie Project, which was so different from her other work and I utterly adored it!

Cathy Cassidy

Cathy Cassidy‘s books were always soft and sweet but never shallow. She perfectly balanced reality with quirky characters and whimsical settings, and wrote with just enough tweenage angst to feel thrilling when I was twelve and trying to make sense of my own feelings.

I connected with her books because Cassidy just understood me. She perfectly depicted how it felt to be a tween girl, encompassing all the big emotions, all the little and big things we cared about (for me, at twelve, it was popularity and boys), and how confusing and disorientating it is when your world begins to shift beneath your very feet. Her books felt like a good friend, who reassured me time and time again that life can be messy but it was okay to still be figuring it all out.

My favourite Cathy Cassidy books were Cherry Crush, Angel Cake, Ginger Snaps, and Lucky Star.

Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo was the bridge between my childhood books and something a little deeper. His stories were emotionally weighty, and I felt very “grown-up” and mature reading them (in the best way possible).

Above all, Morpurgo’s books taught me that stories could be both beautiful and heartbreaking, and that the best stories usually are. His books transported me to different places and eras, as his fiction was often grounded in significant historical events, but this wasn’t what made me connect with his work so deeply. It was the emotional core within each of his books, and how he wrote with such heart and empathy.

Often told from the perspective of a child, I felt as though I were experiencing everything with the characters. It was as if I were part of something bigger than myself. Above all, he trusted young people to handle complex material—grief, loss, betrayal, the brutality of war—and he never ‘dumbed it down’ for his audience.

While I don’t remember the ins and outs of the characters or the play by play of the plots, what I remember so vividly is how Morpurgo made me feel.

My personal favourites of his were Private Peaceful, Twist of Gold, and Arthur, High King of Britain.

Reflecting on what reading means to me now

As I reflect on my bookworm origin story, I realise just how deep an impact these authors have had on the person I am today. I’ve learned that every character and every story has something to teach me, even those I don’t necessarily agree with. That’s a lesson I carry with me in real life.

And now that I’m reflecting on it, I realise my career aspirations were inevitable. From the moment I realised as a child the impact words could have—how, in English, only 26 letters on a screen or piece of paper can change my perspective, communicate and share ideas, and transport me to entire worlds—I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

And, I suppose, it was always inevitable that my dream career would be within an editorial team for a publishing house! While I’m not exactly where I want to be yet, I still love my current career. I’m a freelance copywriter, web designer and virtual assistant. I get to work with creative people and language every day, helping my clients find and write the right words and design to communicate and share their work and ideas with the world.

To my younger self

If I could go back and tell my younger self something, I’d share with her the lessons I learned from the authors I grew up reading.

From Jacqueline Wilson, I’d say: “Life is messy, but it’s through the messy, difficult moments that you will learn the most about yourself.”

From Cathy Cassidy, I’d say: “It’s okay if you don’t understand your feelings or your identity just yet. They are both still valid, and it will take as long as it takes.”

From Michael Morpurgo, I’d say: “Never forget the power of empathy and understanding in the face of difficulty and conflict. This is what it means to be human.”

I would also tell her that a side part does nothing for her and to transition to a middle part much sooner!

What was your bookworm origin story?

Considering I started this blog only last week and the bookish community doesn’t know me very well (yet), I think taking a walk down memory lane and reflecting on where it all began was as good a place to start as any.

I’d love to get to know you all better and hear your reading origin story! What was the first book or author you fell in love with? When did reading become a habit or passion for you?