A few years earlier, I was mesmerized by a book of my mothers, that contains the essays of Montaigne, but it was the Dali illustrations that scared and fascinated me. At 6, Montaigne was so far above my ability to read, let alone understand, that that doesn't count at all. But many years latter, I did read that book and now own it.
It's so nice to see all of the posters who were earlier readers and who still cherish great literary works!
I took the opposite route from your Mother: I did nonfiction first.