List: 5 Personally Defining Series
/This is one of the best lists ever. Cultivated straight from my childhood, the following five series inspired my lifelong love of reading. I will turn to them again and again.
Harry Potter. I first heard HP read aloud to me in school - 2nd grade. I’ll never forget it. My teacher pronounced it “Her-moy-nee” and was as into it as the kids were. Like many others, HP had an impact on my reading habits; my standards for literature; my life. My favorite: a tie between Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, because I like beginnings, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, because I loved the chapters about the Quidditch World Cup. Amazon | Goodreads
Dear America. These books fueled my interest in history and my obsession with diary books. Published before diversity and inclusion were loudly considered paramount, the Dear America books expanded my worldview in ways for which I am so grateful. I still see Colonial America through the eyes of Patience Whipple and thanks to her and the other girls I developed - almost unknowingly - a greater understanding of Big Concepts like slavery and war and colonialism at a young age. My favorite: A Journey to the New World, the Diary of Remember Patience Whipple. I also remember (so fondly it hurts) the Royal Diaries spin-off series (Amazon | Goodreads), my favorites of which included the ones about Cleopatra VII, Anastasia and Lady of Ch’iao Kuo. Amazon | Goodreads
Nancy Drew. I find these almost unreadable as an adult (after awhile you get tired of chapters ending with “...and everything went black.”). But I fully devoured and appreciated these as a kid. I walked away from every library trip with at least one ND book in my pile and loved the simple pleasure of watching such a badass, intelligent, fearless woman fight evil. I loved Carson and Hannah and Bess and George and “special friend” Ned. My favorite: The Hidden Staircase. Also highly recommend the Her Interactive computer games for people of all ages - my sister and I would stay up all night long playing them during the holidays. Amazon | Goodreads
The Princess Diaries. Ah, young adulthood. The worst. Meg Cabot though, what a gift. Clever, funny, amazing and on-point with her messaging. I consider this series personally defining because I definitely read them before I should have (I blame the aforementioned obsession with diary books), and it therefore served as a highly entertaining way to learn about … things (lol). My favorite: The Princess Diaries. Meg Cabot is prolific and her other series are just as great. The movie adaptation is fantastic as well and the only movie in which I can stand Anne Hathaway. Amazon | Goodreads
Sammy Keyes. Speaking of on-point messaging, oh my goodness Sammy Keyes! If I had half of her courage and heart I’d be so lucky. I was - still am - so drawn into Sammy’s twisted, insane world. My favorite: Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummy (so fucked up beyond belief in all the right ways). And I still have a crush on Casey Acosta. Amazon | Goodreads