Greatc topic! Thought I'd join and add my 2 cents: of course, I'm repeating some!
These are most of the books and authors I read between ages 8 and 16 that really, really influenced me to want to write:
The Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace
The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe
Nancy Drew books
Virtually anything by Judy Blume, but specifically Are you there God? It's me, Margaret and Deenie
ALL the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary
Sunshine by Norma Klein (heart-wrenching, compelling)
Rainbow Jordan by Alice Childress, also by her: A hero ain't nothin' but a sandwich
Edith Jackson by Rosa Guy (one of the very few african-american teen novels written during the late '70s, early 80s, along with Ms. Childress' titles above--great role models for my writing dreams)
The cat ate my gymsuit by Paula Danziger (and also There's a bat in bunk five)
Little women by L.M. Alcott
Most titles by Lois Duncan (Down a dark hall and Summer of fear, especially)
Jacob have I loved by Katherine Paterson
Flowers in the attic series by V.C. Andrews (and also the Heaven and Rain series)
It and The tommyknockers by Stephen King, and a few others
These are all I can think of for now, but I'm sure I could include a few more.
Oh yes, Pippi Longstocking.
Crystal