Oh my goodness…so many books. The Anne of Green Gables series, for sure—the older I get, the more of Anne’s story I understand, so I keep rereading it.
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, by Julie Andrews Edwards, which is essentially a book about observation, imagination, and critical thinking.
So many YA dystopian novels of the early 2010s: looking at you Hunger Games, Divergent, Selection, etc.
I finally read Anne of Green Gables for the first time last year! Can definitely see it being a great reread. And strong support of the YA dystopian series too. Children of Blood and Bone is another great one.
I’m eager to check out Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles, thanks for the rec!
Emily, I swear to you that like, earlier this week I mentioned "How to Eat Fried Worms" in some conversation and then had to take a pause and think, "HOW DID THAT BOOK GET PUBLISHED?!" I am too scared/repulsed to revisit it!!
You named so many of my favorites; I recently invested in used copies of "Wayside Stories from Wayside School", "Wayside School is Falling Down", and "The Witches" via paperback bookswap so I can one day lend them out to my niece and nephews. I also still have a shelf of my original Nancy Drew books!
Some other favorites FROM childhood that I love to revisit (in addition to your list, which is superb):
"The Westing Game" by Ellen Rankin - a mystery that stays a little mysterious and strange no matter how many times you read it. I read it in the fourth grade and I kept getting in trouble for reading ahead, but I couldn't stop myself. The kids in the book are the main focus and I remember thinking I wanted to be in their friend group.
"Down a Dark Hall" by Lois Duncan - I found this on the shelf in my third-grade classroom and read it countless times because it scratched a childhood boarding school fantasy I had (pre-Harry Potter!). I re-read it recently and found it to be pretty wild.
"Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbit - I don't remember when or how I found this one, but it was the first book I remember enjoying where there was a love story of sorts in it. I need to watch the movie that stars Alexis Bleidel.
"The Giver" by Lois Lowry - I MEAN this book was my first exposure to an ambiguous ending and blew my mind. Lowry also builds incredible worlds. I still think about it a lot (but refuse to see the movie).
Books ABOUT childhood and/or buildingsromans that I love:
"To Kill a Mockingbird" (I wish I could re-read this again for the first time)
"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" (EUGH OBSESSED)
"Little Women" (sentimental but also deeply relatable)
Yesss so many great additions here! And I deeply love you curating your library for your nieces and nephews in the future <3
I somehow missed ever reading The Westing Game, and Down a Dark Hall is New to Me but now I want to read them both! HARD agree on all others mentioned, and I can obviously relate to being a kid who would get in trouble for reading ahead, hahaha.
Sweet valley high 💓 somehow I was convinced I could be blonde too
Yessss I can’t believe I forgot those! Love this <3
Oh my goodness…so many books. The Anne of Green Gables series, for sure—the older I get, the more of Anne’s story I understand, so I keep rereading it.
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, by Julie Andrews Edwards, which is essentially a book about observation, imagination, and critical thinking.
So many YA dystopian novels of the early 2010s: looking at you Hunger Games, Divergent, Selection, etc.
I finally read Anne of Green Gables for the first time last year! Can definitely see it being a great reread. And strong support of the YA dystopian series too. Children of Blood and Bone is another great one.
I’m eager to check out Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles, thanks for the rec!
Emily, I swear to you that like, earlier this week I mentioned "How to Eat Fried Worms" in some conversation and then had to take a pause and think, "HOW DID THAT BOOK GET PUBLISHED?!" I am too scared/repulsed to revisit it!!
You named so many of my favorites; I recently invested in used copies of "Wayside Stories from Wayside School", "Wayside School is Falling Down", and "The Witches" via paperback bookswap so I can one day lend them out to my niece and nephews. I also still have a shelf of my original Nancy Drew books!
Some other favorites FROM childhood that I love to revisit (in addition to your list, which is superb):
"The Westing Game" by Ellen Rankin - a mystery that stays a little mysterious and strange no matter how many times you read it. I read it in the fourth grade and I kept getting in trouble for reading ahead, but I couldn't stop myself. The kids in the book are the main focus and I remember thinking I wanted to be in their friend group.
"Down a Dark Hall" by Lois Duncan - I found this on the shelf in my third-grade classroom and read it countless times because it scratched a childhood boarding school fantasy I had (pre-Harry Potter!). I re-read it recently and found it to be pretty wild.
"Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbit - I don't remember when or how I found this one, but it was the first book I remember enjoying where there was a love story of sorts in it. I need to watch the movie that stars Alexis Bleidel.
"The Giver" by Lois Lowry - I MEAN this book was my first exposure to an ambiguous ending and blew my mind. Lowry also builds incredible worlds. I still think about it a lot (but refuse to see the movie).
Books ABOUT childhood and/or buildingsromans that I love:
"To Kill a Mockingbird" (I wish I could re-read this again for the first time)
"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" (EUGH OBSESSED)
"Little Women" (sentimental but also deeply relatable)
Yesss so many great additions here! And I deeply love you curating your library for your nieces and nephews in the future <3
I somehow missed ever reading The Westing Game, and Down a Dark Hall is New to Me but now I want to read them both! HARD agree on all others mentioned, and I can obviously relate to being a kid who would get in trouble for reading ahead, hahaha.