What were your favorite books as a teenager?

Susan over at WizardWireless just tagged me for a meme: What were your favorite books as a teenager? I can always talk about books–especially my favorite ones!

So. These are some of my favorite books from when I was a teen–I guess from about age 12 to 18. I read all these again and again. They each spoke to me in a different way, and gave me something I needed. I still reread most of these books (and love them) every few years.

1) Down a Dark Hall by Lois Duncan. I read this book so many times. I wanted to have paranormal powers like Kit, and I identified with her intense feelings of rejection and pain, and loved how she ended up saving the day–with the help from her kind yet dead father. I loved most of Lois Duncan’s books, and read them many times, but this one I read until it was tattered.

2) Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt. This book helped reinforce for me that you could go through something terrible and manage not only to stay strong, but also to get through it and have things get better. It was also about survival when you’re abandoned by a parent, which I identified with. I loved how strong Dicey was, and how she managed to protect her brothers and sister and herself when their mother deserted them–and find a new family. And I identified with the pain. This is my favorite book in the series, the one that, to me, is the best written and most emotionally moving. I read it over and over again.

3) Three Legged Raceby Charles P. Crawford. I loved how Brent was an artist and a bit of an introvert, like I was, and I was drawn to the pain and friendship in this book, though I found the sadness in the end hard–but I still read it many, many times.

4) The Pistachio Prescription by Paula Danziger. I really identified with her shyness, anxiety, and turmoil, and also having adults try to coax and bully her out of the way her anxiety manifested itself.

5) Odds Against by Dick Francis. I read all the Dick Francis books over and over. I experienced severe abuse as a child and teen, and so I really identified with Dick Francis’ characters, the abuse and sometimes torture they endured, and the hero qualities the main characters possessed. This book in particular, I read over and over again.

6) Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan Aiken. This was my favorite in this series, and I read this book over and over. I identified with Simon, his goodness, kindness, courage, and artistic ability, and I loved how he went from poor and starving to having wealthy relatives, how his talent was seen, and how he saved others.

7) Blind Flight by Hilary Milton. I read this book so many times it became a bit tattered. I loved reading about a blind girl stuck in a small airplane, having to face tremendous fear and fly the plane alone (with radio help). I identified so much with her, with the fear and feeling helpless, and yet facing that fear, overcoming the helplessness, and ultimately saving herself and someone else.

Hunter in the Dark by Monica Hughes. I identified with the pain, but also with the need to survive. I wanted to know how to survive in the wilderness, all alone; this always appealed to me so much.

9) Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. I read this book, and all the sequels, over and over again. (As well as the first Emily of New Moon.) I really identified with Anne–with how alone and unwanted she felt in the beginning, how creative she was, how she’d swing dramatically from low to high. And I loved how she got a family, people that loved her. I loved her Matthew so much.

10) I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven. This book was so sad–and usually I couldn’t take too much sadness (I had so much in my own life) but there was something soothing for me, along with the sadness. Something that seemed to help work out for me some grief and pain, and fear of death. I read this over and over….

11) The Beacon at Alexandria by Gillian Bradshaw. This book made me feel so good–uplifted, strong, and happier–because the main character was a strong girl character who fought against the sexism of her time and became a doctor when women doctors weren’t allowed (by dressing as a eunuch). I needed strong girl models, and this one had a strong, intelligent girl throughout, overcoming incredible obstacles and succeeding. I loved her character.

12) The Outsiders and Rumble Fish by S. E. Hinton. I loved both of these books, and read them so many times they became tattered. I really identified with Pony Boy, with his vulnerability amidst all the harshness of his life.

13) A Wrinkle in Time I loved Meg and Charles, and really identified with both of them, but especially Meg, how much an outsider they were, and how they were both so talented and helped save the day.

14) Pigs Might Fly by Emily Rodda. I loved the magic and uplifting feeling in this book, the journey the girl was on to find her home again, and the quirkiness of the magic. This is a book that made me feel good, and though it was middle grade, I read it many times over the years.

15) Magic Grandfather by Jay Willams. The magic in this book was so strong for me and so believable. I loved Sam, and identified with him, with his initial disbelief in magic, and his growing awareness and talent in it. And I loved his grandfather, and that Sam had to end up saving him, along with the help of his cousin.

16) Haki the Shetland Pony by Kathleen Fidler. I read this over and over, even when I was older. I loved reading about Adam’s hardship, his strong bond with Haki, and how his love helped save his beloved pony.

I tag Elizabeth over at Fuse #8 because I know she likes doing memes and loves books.

October 24th, 2007