These are my top five, although there are so many books that I would rank among my favorites. This was a hard list to think up, because I've read so many over the years. I tried to think about books that make me go "Wow..." when I read them. Here's why they're where they are on my list: (They're not in any real order, because each book is so different from the others)
THE LIFE OF PI, by Yann Martel: This is a wonderful story, and the ending really messed with my head.
DINNER WITH A PERFECT STRANGER, by David Gregory: This one definitely made me go WOW! You'll have to read it to understand...
THE FALL OF FREDDY THE LEAF, by Leo Buscaglia: I read this book in a bookstore, and it totally captured my heart. I actually want this book to be read at my funeral.
THANK YOU, MR. FALKER, by Patricia Polacco: This book epitomizes the reason I am in education--Patricia Polacco is at the top of my list of people I'd love to meet one day. She's my hero! I can't read this one without crying.
The Holy Bible: I had to include this one, because I spend a lot of time with it.
NOW...what are YOUR favorite books? Please click on "comments" and share--it doesn't have to be five; it could be one, three, or ten!
P.S. Other favorites of mine include: Little Women, Twilight (series), Tantalize, Are You There, God, It's me Margaret, Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, Uglies, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Copper Sun, Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Left Behind Series, God Went to Beauty School, 90 Minutes in Heaven, The Purpose Driven Life, The Giver, Speak, Moses: When Harriet Tubman led her People to Freedom, The Giving Tree, The Keeping Quilt, Christmas Tapestry, and many more....
All Time Favorites:
ReplyDelete1. To Kill a Mockingbird
2. Moby Dick
3. Huck Finn
I should be finishing up grades...so that is all for now. I may post in later with some others.
I've read over 500 hundred YA titles, so they vary from year to year...my top five as of this month:
ReplyDelete1. Unwind by Neal Shusterman
2. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
3. Gym Candy by Carl Deuker
4. Bad Boys Can be Good for a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone
5. Project 17 by Laurie Stolarz
1. The 7th Harry Potter Book! Loved it!
ReplyDelete2.. Caddie Woodlawn
4. Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH (the rats learn to read!)
4. Best Foot Forward
5. Watsons Go to Birmingham
I began to reply but realized that instead of favorite books it turns out I collect books by favorite authors and reread them while waiting for one of them to produce something new.
ReplyDeleteSo I will send my favorite authors because I buy all of their works:
Terry Pratchett
Stephanie Meyer
Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child - duo writing team
Lillian Jackson Braun
Diana Gabaldon
Those are just the top five
Dean Koontz, Michael Crichton, Robin Cook, Kathleen Harrison and Christine Warren round out the "large" collect authors on my bookshelf at home.
Okay, here are my top five:
ReplyDeleteSnow Flower and the Secret Fan
Water for elephants
The book thief
The kite runner
My sister's keeper
Others that are memorable:
The Sisterhood books
Whale Talk
Mother Theresa: a simple path
Good brother, bad brother
All time fav -- To Kill A Mockingbird! I read it in 5th grade -- can't even remember where I got it except that maybe some teacher gave it to me way back then. (When I was in second grade, a teacher gave me Rebecca of SunnyBrook Farm as a gift -- guess she thought I might like it since my "real" name is Rebecca -- go figure!) At any rate, since 5th grade, I've read the book numerous upon numerous of times. I was shocked when I started teaching that kids read it in 9/10th grade and that they don't really like it so much till they get really into it and even then . . . I guess "Mockingbird" doesn'
ReplyDeletet have as much animation and commercial activity as they are used to. Kids sometimes don't appreciate a good thing when it's staring them in the face. Okay -- enough babbling (c'mon, now, Teresa, did you think I could blog without blabbering? hehehe!) Next on list . . . Moby Dick -- HATED IT until the last 2 pages or so, after which I proclaimed it was the best book I had ever read in my life. It misses it's potential #1 spot just because I would never put myself through such an ordeal ever again! (as opposed to "Mockingbird") It was the hardest book I'd ever read, but, as I've stated, the final 2 pages or so were well worth the effort. Third on my list is "Death Be Not Proud". I couldn't tell you the author's name without going to the bookcase in my living room and looking at the actual book. (I reluctantly got "rid" of some books recently, but I could not get rid of this much-read, very-beloved book). Read it. I periodically re-read it to remind myself that 1) the problems in my life at this point are trivial, 2) I should educate myself (after my kids go to bed) beyond what the "Golden Girls" are griping about! and 3) I should appreciate every moment I have with afore-mentioned kids. Okay -- upon thinking for more than just two minutes, I do have more favorite books, but as Alice previously commented, I have favorite authors as well. As much as Mrs. Teresa Schauer, the librarian-of-the-year, is now my book guru, my dad was my author officianado (sp?)! He was a well-educated man who loved to read. He loved to read "complicated" books, but on most occasions, as he grew older, he very much enjoyed "easy" reading. Thus, my affinity for Sydney Sheldon! HAH! Easy-reading, mystery stuff! Read it as a young kid! Tom Clancy, Ken Follet -- reading those have aided me in answering Jeopardy and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire questions! (I DO! I DO! heheh) I always try to read what the kids at school are reading in English or what my youngest daughter Reba is reading for AR so that I can converse with the kids (school and birth!) about the books! (Hey, wait! Do the English teachers read my Biology book?) heheh! (That's waaaay more boring -- I fully understand! -- I'm way more of novel nerd than a Bio. nerd!) Alrighty then -- bent your "ear" long enough! Told ya so, Mrs. Schauer! HAH!
1.)Harry Potter Series
ReplyDelete2.)Lemony Snicket Series
3.)Cirque du freak Series
1. Holes by Louis Sachar: Why? the perfect combination of drama, comedy, action, adventure, mystery, morality tale - and even reluctant m.s. and h.s. readers like it!!
ReplyDeleteOthers:
2. The Right Stuff
3. Bonfire of the Vanities
4. A Man in Full
(All by Tom Wolfe) Why? The man is a wordsmith beyond compare!!!! He "knows" characters of a huge variety, and sets scenes so well, he must have been a spy! An ear for dialogue of many varied American characters! I could get lost in his story - interesting plot, etc.
Love him!!
5. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler. Why? It reminded me of my family, in a bittersweet way, and it was the book that I finished at 3 a.m. and immediately began to try to write my own, beautiful, meaningful novel!!!
1. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. This is the last book I read and I absolutely loved it. This book is my favorite because it focuses on situations teenage girls go through...including heartbreak.
ReplyDelete2. The first 3 of the Pretty Little Liars books because they are not only hilarious, but also suspenseful in a humorous and teenage drama kind of way.
3. Finally, The Breakup Bible is also a favorite because it reminds me exactly of my first breakup.
All Time Favorites
ReplyDelete1. The Shining
2. The Sackett series by Louis Lamour
3. anything by James Patterson
my favorite books are: the earth my butt and other big round things,the lemony snicket series, and definently the "HOLY BIBLE" I have to have one in my room.
ReplyDelete