It's said that the best advice for someone who wants to write is to "read, read, read." So I have compiled a list of books I feel are worth reading. Please be aware this is my opinion only. This list may also be revised as time passes; I will let you know if it has with an appropriate notation.
Good Starting Points
- A book of fairy tales/folktales. Nothing sparks the fantasy writer's imagination more than fairy tales or folktales. The classics for fairy tales are Charles Perrault (known for his fairy tale compilation Histoires ou Contes du Temps passé, which introduced tales like "Sleeping Beauty"), the Brothers Grimm (who introduced "Cinderella" and "Snow White," among others), and Hans Christian Andersen (famous for stories like "The Little Mermaid" and "The Snow Queen"). Know what you can handle though, as the Grimm tales in particular can be quite unpleasant, as can Andersen's original "Little Mermaid" (it's not as nice as Disney makes you think). For folktales, you can go with whatever folktale tradition you choose; one that goes with your ethnic ancestry might be interesting. If you can stand the writing style, Arabian Nights (sometimes published under its original name, A Thousand and One Nights) is also an interesting read. You can probably find a good fairy tale or folktale book at the local library; if that's not doable, most of them are in the public domain and thus are probably available online at sites like Project Gutenberg. Andrew Lang's fairy tale books are supposed to be good too, though I haven't read them so I can't say for sure.
- A book of myths/mythology. This is a really good idea for anyone who likes fantasy; mythology has greatly influenced my own work. Not only is mythology full of useful character archetypes, but it also helps those wishing to create their own bestiary (list of beasts/creatures) or pantheon of deities. They're also interesting to read. Greco-Roman (from Ancient Greece and Rome) and Norse myths would be the easiest to get your hand on; Edith Hamilton's Mythology and the old staple Bulfinch's Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch are the most renowned sources for this. However, editions of classic works, including mythology, adapted for children are becoming more and more accessible; check either the library or the children's section of your local major bookstore. I own one such book containing myths from Ancient Egypt. Don't be afraid to venture beyond the major mythology categories, though; Asian myths in particular are quite interesting, and Africa has a rich mythological history as well.
- A science reference work. If you are into science fiction, look into a easy-to-read reference book on science, either all-encompassing or smaller books devoted to different topics. Dorling Kindersley (more often listed as just DK) has published many such books for children. Audubon Guides to different plants, animals, or stars can be useful too, though I have not tried them. Generally, at most a book on astronomy, a book on biology, and perhaps some basic work on physics will probably be useful to a budding sci-fi writer. Fantasy writers might also be interested in guides to flora (plants) and fauna (animals) that can be used for their worlds; any sort of resource on medicinal plants (I have a brochure on this, for instance) would be useful too if you don't want to make that stuff up. (Actually, a resource on medicinal plants would be useful to historical fiction writers also, as until early modern times herbs and plants were used quite frequently for their medicinal as well as purported magical properties).
Classic Fiction
- Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis – the first fantasy series I was exposed to as a child; my mother read the books to my brother and I. This series of 7 books is a fantasy classic and should be read by anyone. Recently, the books were reprinted in chronological order, which should help some people from getting confused about the timeline.
- The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien – This series might be more for older children, as the books are rather lengthy and complex. Nonetheless, this along with Narnia is a series worth reading. There is a "prelude" to it called The Hobbit and several related books, such as The Silmarillion.
- Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell – I first read this in fourth grade and loved it. It tells the story of a young woman named Karana who lives for years by herself on a island off the coast of California. It's based on a true story too!
- The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald – MacDonald is one of the fathers of modern fantasy, and his work greatly influenced other writers, including C.S. Lewis. I have read this book and I found it very interesting. There is also a sequel to this book called The Princess and Curdie.
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll – Since this story has been made into movies many times throughout the history of cinema (most recently by Tim Burton), most people are familar with the story of Alice, even if they have never read Carroll's book. I am a big fan of this book and recommend it highly. There is also a lesser-known sequel to this book called Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There, portions of which have also made it into the various Alice film adaptations.
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett – one of my favorite books of all time, and the thing I can probably blame for my interest in flowers and gardens. Like Alice, this story has been adapted to film several times. The basic plot is the story of Mary Lennox, a selfish little girl who learns to love both herself and others through her experiences in a long-abandoned garden on her uncle's estate. Worth a read definitely. Burnett's book A Little Princess is also a classic.
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – a great book which was adapted well to film with a recent film starring Wynona Ryder as Jo and Susan Sarandon as Marmee. This book tells of the trials and tribulations of four sisters from a poor family during the Civil War. Like most long pre-20th century novels, this book was originally published in two parts, but most copies of the book (including the one I read growing up) only include the first part. Try to find a book with both parts if possible.
- An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott – a lesser-known book by the author of Little Women. This book tells the story of Polly, a girl from the country, who visits a city friend, Fanny Shaw, who tries to make a city girl out of the "old-fashioned" Polly. Polly sticks to her old ways, though. It's a good read; I am somewhat old-fashioned myself so I could relate to Polly very well.
- Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery – I have loved this series since I was a kid and own all 7 books (though the copies are starting to fall apart). It tells the story of a young orphan named Anne Shirley who comes to stay with brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert at their farm, Green Gables, on Prince Edward Island. The books follow Anne from her teen years through college, marriage, and family, spanning a timeline from the late 1800's (approximately) to World War I (clearly stated in the last book, Rilla of Ingleside). The first four books were adapted into a very excellent Canadian miniseries (called Anne of Green Gables) starring Megan Follows as Anne. The first two books were also adapted into a Japanese animation series, Akage no An (with which famed director Hayao Miyazaki was involved), in 1979 as part of the long-running series World Masterpiece Theater. A prequel to this, called Kon'nichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables, was released last year. I am in the process of watching Akage no An myself, and in my opinion it is very well done and very close to the books.
- Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – the stories of one of the most famous fictional detectives of all time. The series was also recently adapted into a very good film starring Robert Downey, Jr., as Holmes and Jude Law as his faithful partner Dr. Watson.
Modern Fiction
- A.D. Chronicles series by Brock and Bodie Thoene – a great series that is set in Israel in the time of Jesus. There are currently 11 books in this series. I think they're more adult novels though, but older kids might still understand them.
- American Girl historical character series by various authors – I read these as a child and enjoyed them greatly. This series contains books for girls from historical eras ranging from Kaya (a Nez Perce girl from 1764) to Julie Albright (a girl living in 1974). I personally like Felicity (a girl from 1774 Virginia), Kirsten (a Swedish immigrant girl from 1854), and Samantha (a rich orphan from 1904) best.
- P.S. Longer Letter Later by Paula Danziger and Ann M. Martin – this book, written only in letters (what lit geeks like me would call an epistolary novel), tells the story of two girls, Elizabeth and Tara, who are childhood friends but are now separated as Tara and her parents have moved away. They go through things like school, the shock of Tara's parents having another child, and Elizabeth's parental troubles. There is also a sequel, similarly epistolary in nature, called Snail Mail No More (referring to the fact that the letters are now e-mails). Sadly, there will probably be no more books in this series, as Paula Danziger died of a heart attack in 2004.
- Baby-Sitters' Club series by Ann M. Martin – what Martin was known for before the previous book. This 100+-book series dates back to the '80's (though the most recent book was published in 1998) and tells the story of a group of friends who formed a club to help parents find baby-sitters for their kids. I read this series a lot when I was a kid. Sadly, it is out of print, but it looks like it is going to be reissued.
- Any book by Beverly Cleary – no doubt Beverly Cleary has been discussed lately thanks to the recent film based on her work, Ramona and Beezus. I like all of her books, but especially Dear Mr. Henshaw, a book about a boy named Leigh Botts writing letters to his favorite author, Boyd Henshaw, and later keeping a diary at Henshaw's suggestion.
- Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner – one of the classic children's mystery series and one of my favorite series of all time; also a big inspiration for TimeSavers. You may see books in this series where Warner is named as simply the "creator" of the series; this is because Warner died after having only written up to book 19 (Benny Uncovers a Mystery). The other (as of 2010) 127 books in the series (including the 21 specials) were ghostwritten under Warner's name by various unindentified authors.
Recommended Non-Fiction
- The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank – a favorite book of mine. This classic diary written by a young Dutch girl about life in hiding in Holland during World War II is worth a read, if you feel ready for it. It comes in many editions, so choose which one works for you. The book Tales from the Secret Annex, which collects what remains of the stories Anne mentions writing in the diary, is also an interesting read.
- The Upstairs Room by Joanna Reiss – an autobiography disguised as a novel. Similar to Anne Frank's story, Reiss's book is also about life in hiding in Holland during World War II. Unlike Frank, Reiss survived the war and now lives in New York.
- The Freedom Writers' Diary by The Freedom Writers – I found out about this book due to the recent movie adaptation starring Hilary Swank as teacher Erin Gruwell. The diary is one kept by the students in Gruwell's class at Woodrow Wilson High School and covers not only the personal struggles of the students but also the transformation Gruwell was able to work in them through her approach to teaching writing. It's kind of an intense book so prepare yourself before you read it.
- Zlata's Diary by Zlata Filipović – a diary written in the early 1990's by a girl who lived in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War. She is often compared to Anne Frank. She and her parents were able to emigrate to Paris in 1993, after which they moved to Dublin, where she currently lives. She also visited the Freedom Writers' class. In fact, it was due to the focus on the Freedom Writers at the time the movie came out that I was able to re-purchase this book; my original copy had been lost, but a new edition was put out about the time of the Freedom Writers' Diary movie, since Zlata wrote the foreword for the published version of the Freedom Writers' Diary.
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