When I was a pre-teen / teen, there were books that impacted me more than others. Here are a few of them that I loved:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
I connected with Jo the most–not quite knowing who I was, but wanting to find my place. And like her, I wanted to be a writer.
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
Anne had big dreams, just like I did. And she was the hopeless romantic that I was on the inside. I think I wished I could’ve been as open about it as she was, but in my own way I was always imagining things. Even if no one ever knew. And, again, she wanted to be a writer.
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
I’m beginning to see a pattern here…another aspiring author. When I read about Harriet (and I think the movie influenced me too), I had my very own “spy” notebook that I wrote things down in.
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
I was in love with books, so of course it was a dream come true to have them come alive.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Ella felt like someone who could be my best friend. And, okay, I was in love with Char.
Rose Daughter and Beauty by Robin McKinley
Retold fairy tales were big for me when I was a teen, but none so much as stories about Beauty and the Beast. I think I’ve always found it romantic for the beautiful girl to fall in love with someone who is ugly and tragic.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Oh how I wished I could find a way into Narnia. It was such a beautiful world, I had to read them again and again to go there.
The Island and the Ring by Laura Stevenson
This book is basically unknown. On Amazon, there’s not even a picture for the cover. But somehow I got my hands on a copy when I was a kid, and I read it every summer for four or five years. I loved it. (Again, that may have been because there was a Beauty and the Beast type romance to it.)
The Lost Years of Merlin by T. A. Baron
I loved stories of Merlin. And this one had fun characters and great description. The only thing I can remember now about the whole series is a scene in this book. Young Merlin climbs to the top of a tall tree and sways with the trunk as the wind blows it. I thought that image was beautiful and it stuck with me.
What books impacted you when you were in middle school and high school?
A Wrinkle in Time was definitely on my list…I probably read it about twenty times. Oh, and Harry Potter.
A Wrinke in Time! How could I forget that one? Yes, that was one of mine too.
A Tale of Two Cities. I read it when I was maybe 14 or 15 and even though I didn’t understand it at all, I loved it. It’s what made me want to be a writer.
I would also add The Fountainhead, which was just one of those books that I have never been able to get out of my head.
I’ve never read either of those, but I’ve wanted to. Add on to my long list of books to read!
Thanks for sharing
A Tale of Two Cities. Even though I didn’t understand it when I read it, I loved it. It’s what made me want to be a writer.
Harriet the Spy was a childhood favorite of mine. I also loved A Wrinkle in Time and the related books. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth were other favorites. To Kill a Mockingbird made a big impact on me in high school.