It’s spring break for me and the kiddos. While I’m prepping to do some major excavation in the manuscript, I thought it might be fun to list some of my all-time favorite books. Please note, this list is not in any order, nor is it final. And, dear reader, don’t forget to share your favorites in comments!
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak – Sendak tells the truth. Childhood is scary, lonely, and dangerous. Imagination doesn’t solve all our problems. Sometimes you just need your mommy. I have most of it memorized – quiz me sometime.
Too Many Frogs by Sandy Asher – My sister bought this for the kids years ago and I love it. Sometimes new friends are worth a little fuss and bother. And I have voices too.
Stephanie Laurens’ books – It can’t all be epic and classic. I like a good historical romance and I’m proud of it. Don’t judge me. Instead, join me. Laurens’ stories occur within the same social circles in Regency England, so characters pop up in each other’s books. She makes strong, sassy women who are more than a match for the overbearing, protective men roaming the ballrooms, and each book has a non-romantic plot too.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – I’ve mentioned this book before, but it is that good. TFIOS obliterates the line between teen literature and adult because Green just writes beautiful books that happen to be about teens. Savor the way he puts together sentences, then grab a few boxes of tissue.
Harry Potter series by JK Rowling – If you didn’t expect Harry to be on the list, then you are new here. Welcome.
The Lord of the Rings series by JRR Tolkien – Tolkien was the Old English professor you didn’t want at Oxford. However, in his spare time he created an entire world, complete with elaborate histories and functioning languages (those linguists know how to have a good time). These will always be the benchmark to which epic fantasy is held.
Edgar Allen Poe – I will always have a soft spot for Poe’s gothic short stories. I loved seeing his works on reading lists for school, and I’ll still pick up a short story only to get sucked in for an hour or two. He wrote dark, demented, and delicious.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett – If there was one book that dominated my childhood, this would be it. I read it so many times, my copy dissolved. I don’t know if it was the mysterious mansion, unlikely friendship, hidden garden, or miraculous recovery; but this story still warms my soul. Hmm, where’s my copy?
My Antonia by Willa Cather – Cather has other great books like O Pioneers!, but I like My Antonia. Pioneers lived hard, Antonia was no exception. It is a beautifully written story about a strong woman trying to survive.
“Good Country People” by Flannery O’Connor – This is another short story I’ve read over and over. Unexpectedly twisted – a good example that great literature isn’t boring or hard to read.
“Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti – I had to read this poem (yes, a poem) in Victorian Lit during grad school. I still love it today. Victorians had a reputation for being uptight and prudish, but not so in this poem. Fun fact – Rossetti claimed this was a poem for children.
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde – Want something a little different? Characters from classic literature are disappearing and Detective Thursday Next (great name) has to track them down. A mystery wrapped in science fiction tossed into the sea of classic literature. And I hear there are more books in the series. Seriously, good fun.
The Hunger Games trilogy – Dark story, strong female character, evil government, death matches: what’s not to love?
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury – I have a soft spot for dystopian books (probably that scyfy and fantasy class I took in college), but I couldn’t list them all. This is probably my favorite.
The Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind – I haven’t read George RR Martin’s books yet (I haven’t found the time and they are big books), so it is possible they’ll win as my current fantasy favorite. But until then, I really loved this series. It has 13 books, all big, all epic. The characters have lines so great, you want them on t-shirts, such as “Wizard’s First Rule: People are Stupid.”
The Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris – If you like your vampires on the darker and less sparkly side, but still fun – these books will satisfy your itch. There are 11 in the series thus far, with two more on the way. Fast paced, interesting characters, and fun all around.
Polar Express by Chris Allsburg – I first heard this story when my cheerleading coach read it to us (yes, I was a cheerleader – don’t act so surprised). I loved it then, I love it more now that I have my own children. Best Christmas story EVER!
Judy Blume – I read books I love over and over again. I always have. Judy Blume’s books, from Tales of the Fourth-Grade Nothing to Deenie and Forever were amongst the first to get this treatment. I don’t think I would have survived adolescence without them.
Get more of me on Twitter @aereichert.
