[CC Posts: 487 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

What is your favorite book?

Any book -- pic book, MG, YA, adult. I know, I know you can't possibly pick one, but what's the first one you think of?


For me, I'd say Michael Chabon's The Mysteries of Pittsburgh.

[G.R. Posts: 637 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

At this point, I would go with Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Disturbing as it is, it's such a beautifully crafted piece of work...

[Carrie Posts: 86 Status: Offline Caffeine, please!]

There's no way I could possibly pick just one! But the first book I thought of was Anne of Green Gables. It meant so much to me when I was growing up, and I still re-read it regularly.

[Mike Jung]

Michael Chabon also jumps into my mind, but for THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY. A book for the ages. Lisa Yee's MILLICENT MIN, GIRL GENIUS is also a contender. As is Orson Scott Card's ENDER'S GAME. And Thomas Wolfe's THE RIGHT STUFF. Maybe Anne McCaffrey's DRAGONSONG. How about Nick Hornby's HIGH FIDELITY? Possibly Crockett Johnson's masterpiece, HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON. Or...see, the thing is, it's never been one book. The list of favorites just keeps getting bigger.

[Jennifer D G Posts: 691 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Two popped into my head immediately and then three-hundrend-and-eighty-nine titles immediately followed.

But, in fairness to your question, here are the two:

THE HOLLYHOCK WALL (a picture book) written by Martin Waddell with the most amazing illustrations by Salley Mavor. An absolutely perfect book.

THE POISONWOOD BIBLE by Barbara Kingsolver

[Debby G Posts: 596 Status: Offline WWW]

Definitely Catcher in the Rye.

[ecb]

TAMSIN by Peter S. Beagle

[olmue Posts: 3,457 Status: Offline WWW]

A WRINKLE IN TIME, Madeleine L'Engle
THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE, CS Lewis
HARRY POTTER (because it's really all one book, split into seven), JK Rowling

because they resonate with me more than anything else, because they've held up under multiple readings, and because they hit me in all the places that make me feel and make me wish I could do that in writing as well.

[Marissa Doyle Posts: 3,324 Status: Offline Charles Bewitched: out now! WWW]

Hmm.  For YA, A College of Magics by Caroline Stevermer or The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope.  Picture book, Zoom at Sea by Tim Wynne-Jones or Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey. For adult, either Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin or Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susannah Clarke or Uncharted Territory by Connie Willis or The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer or...must...stop...

[mariannabaer]

The book that I've read over and over since I was a teen is MY FAMILY AND OTHER ANIMALS by Gerald Durrell. It's a book I'd recommend to anyone. Just writing the title makes me want to start reading it again right now!

[andracill Posts: 5,221 Status: Offline Worlds within...screaming to get out! WWW]

First book that came to mind:  ENDER'S GAME, by Orson Scott Card
Second book:  PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL, by Tamora Pierce (and yes, that's a quartet, but I always read it as one book)

[redheadedali]

Absolute #1 favorite: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Favorite YA: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Favorite MG: The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye

[Wonky Posts: 402 Status: Offline]

Hmmm. Maybe Frank Herbert's DUNE.

Stephen Baxter's MANIFOLD: SPACE recently made a huge impression on me...

[ccw]

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee. Oh, how I love this novel.

[Meglin]

A Light In the Attic- Shel Silverstein
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass- Lewis Carroll
Jane Eyre- Charolotte Bronte
These are the books I read over and over or will just open up and read whatever page I land on.

[J.Ro Posts: 271 Status: Offline People talk in my head. Sometimes I listen.]

I'll go with three

The Velveteen Rabbit
Because of Winn Dixie
Poisonwood Bible

oh one more

Water for Elephants

[Joanna Posts: 174 Status: Offline WWW]

Sorry, just one won't do.

Lord of the Rings
Middlemarch
King of Attolia

[Deva Posts: 127 Status: Offline WWW]

The one that actually popped into my head first was Watership Down by Richard Adams.

Though like everyone else here I would have a very hard time actually choosing a list of favorites. There are so many fantastic books!

[Laine Posts: 51 Status: Offline WWW]

This changes...I remember when I was a kid, The Incredible Journey was my favorite book (still have the copy I had then!). And I remember when Six of One was my favorite, The Mists of Avalon, The Monkeywrench Gang, The Lord of the Rings...

Now? I love Fire by Kristin Cashore, Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver, and The Hunger Games trilogy.

But the book I'd be least willing to relinquish if stranded on a desert island? The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, by Christopher Moore. Or...aaaah! 

[Aimee W. Posts: 439 Status: Offline MADNESS WWW]

My all time faves will be HP and LoTR, probably until I turn to dust.

My fave read this year was WICKED LOVELY~ Oh, my stars and garters and forks and fireflies and kitchen sink. I loved, loved, loved it. When I finished the last page and set it down, I thought, This is how it's done.

[terrylynn Posts: 152 Status: Offline writing outdoor adventures WWW]

Cold Nights, Fast Trails by Dave Oleson

[jenniferfisher]

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Angela's Ashes

[teri]

At this point, I would go with Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Disturbing as it is, it's such a beautifully crafted piece of work...

I have to agree with G.R.  This book continues to amaze me with every read.

Also love The Cage by Audrey Schulman.  A masterful book.

[myriad_of_colors]

I have no ONE favorite! And it's killing me to try and pick one, I'd have to say Harry Potter and Beka Cooper: Terrier by Tamora Pierce.

BUT I'd like to add Pride and Prejudice, The Wide-Awake Princess, My Boyfriends' Dogs, The Mortal Instrument series....  SO MANY!

[Barbara Etlin Posts: 2,327 Status: Offline WWW]

Books I reread: The Alice books, Watership Down, the Harry Potter series. Can't choose among them for a favourite.

[Tammi Posts: 1,360 Status: Offline WWW]

Favorite MG:  A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

[ChrisLH Posts: 94 Status: Offline]

For adults: Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger
For my inner child: The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis. I can't pick out only one from the series.

[mswatkins]

Adult: A River Runs Through It
MG (and overall favorite): The Black Cauldron

[Melissa K Posts: 711 Status: Offline]

The first book to pop into my head was Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt, which was one of the most important books to me while I was growing up. I have a million more, but I'm going to restrain myself from listing them all. Instead I'm going to go work on my WIP.

[AnneN Posts: 531 Status: Offline]

I can't have one favorite!  But the book I reread in times of great trouble is DAVID COPPERFIELD.