Writers who have inspired me

The first book to leave its mark on me was a picture book called Are You My Mother?  by P. D. Eastman.  I was about four when my brother read it to me and as soon as I was old enough to join the library I borrowed it and read it several times a day for weeks.  It started my love affair with books.  Soon after this I discovered Dr Seuss, and revelled in the rollicking rhythms of The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Oh the THINKS you can think, and co. They complemented my daily intake of Louise Bennett poems and monologues.

In primary school I memorised poems by Wordsworth, Robert Louis Stevenson, W. H. Auden, etc. and The Listeners, Walter de la Mare’s poem which I learnt at age ten is still a firm favourite.

The small branch library in my home town did not have a wide selection for teenagers. I soon finished the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and Chalet Girls series and there was a lean spell when I read everything I could find without really quenching the thirst in my mind. 

After graduating from High School I worked in the public library for a year before going to college. It was bliss, having first choice of the books which came from head office before anyone else could borrow them.  I discovered Langston Hughes, Roger Mais, Frank Collymore, Edward Kamau Braithwaite, V. S. Naipaul, Derek Walcott, and Martin Carter whose poetry can move me to tears.

Later I was inspired by Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Jung Chang and the African writers Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Ayi Kwei Armah, Ama Ata Aidoo and Ngugi Wa Thiongo.

Lately I have been reading more books written for young people and have been captivated by Phillip Pulman, Liam Hearn, Peter Dickinson, Catherine Fisher, Eoin Colfer, William Nicholson and Eva Ibbotson.  I have also rediscovered an old favourite, Ursula Le Guin.  I have recently read Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver and The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel, and they look set to become favourites as well.