Top 10 Favorite Books

A friend recently put forth the question of what were my top ten favorite books and why. I am an avid reader and have a wide variety of tastes so narrowing down my huge list of read books to just ten is extremely difficult but I am going to give it my best shot. Some of these will not just be a single book but a series. These are by no means in any particular order and are subject to change at any give time depending on the day but for now this will have to suffice. I've listed the book, author, and my reason for liking it. So enjoy!

1) Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom- If you have not read this book, pick it up and read it. Its not very long but it is extremely powerful. It is the story of a man (Morrie Schwartz) who is diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gerrig's Disease) and how he comes to terms with his impending death. This book will make you laugh and it will make you cry but most of all it will make you look at yourself and gets you thinking about how you would handle death if it was staring you in the face. I absolutely love this book. Morrie himself wrote a book entitled Letting Go in which you are able to really understand his thoughts, hopes, and fears. Both are excellent.

2) Beauty by Robin McKinley- This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I first read it when I was in middle school and it has forever been one of my favorite books. I don't know what it is about this version of the story but it just strikes a cord with me. I've probably read it a dozen times or more and every time I read it its like reading it for the first time.

3) Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen- The author of this book looks at 12 different high school history textbooks and the ways in which they teach history. This book looks at the continued "lies" we teach our kids about history. For example, Christopher Columbus being the first to discover America. I like this book because the author gets to the truth behind some of the most untrue historical stories. As a teacher, this book pushes me to not fall into the trap of continuing this trend.

4) The Lady Emily series by Tasha Alexander- This is a mystery series set during the Victorian Era in London, England. The series is set around Lady Emily, a woman who's husband of two weeks comes up missing in the first book and her journey to discover what truly happens to him. This is a great series because for one its got mystery and history rolled into one. What I also like about this series is Alexander does a great job of describing the society constraints placed upon women of this time period and Lady Emily's rebellion against what was deemed as proper.

5) The Grimke Sisters of South Carolina: Pioneers for Women's Rights and Abolition by Gerda Lerner- I read this book as part of my women's history class and loved it. It is a biography about Sarah and Angelina Grimke, two women from a slave holding family who left their home, moved to Pennsylvania, became Quakers and worked with abolitionists. They would be the only white, Southern women to do so. Both women were steadfast in their beliefs and it would be Sarah who would become one of the first women to connect the abolition of slaver to women's suffrage. Both women would work tirelessly for both.

6) The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling- I know, its cliche but I absolutely love this series. Every time I read them I find something I didn't catch before. I've read them all at least 3 times.

7) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak- When I first picked up this book and started reading I was a little disappointed because it wasn't what I thought it was going to be. I kept reading and the book became so much more than what I expected. I couldn't put it down and loved every page. So often times we read stories about Jews children being taken in to protect them from the Nazis but this story is about Leisel, a girl who's parents were sympathetic to Communism. Such a powerful, powerful book. Someday when I have my own classroom, this book will be required.

8) Forever Queen and I Am The Chosen King by Helen Hollick- These two books are part of The Saxon series by Hollick. The first book is about Emma, a young girl, married to a brutal Saxon king who is overthrown by Viking invaders. To save her crown and her kingdom, Emma married Cnut the son of the Viking invader, saving her neck and her crown. The second book is a continuation of the first book but focuses on Harold Godwinnsen and his reign as the last Saxon king of England. While these books are both almost 850 pages it doesn't feel like it. Hollick is an amazing writer and I love both of these books. Its a time period that isn't talked about much and even though these are fiction, it is obvious that Hollick did her homework.

9) Charlotte's Web by E.B. White- I remember reading this book when I was in elementary school and loved it then and love it now. Its truly a short of unconditional love and acceptance.

10) The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson- I had to read this book for a class and I am so glad I did. Its the first book in a trilogy. The story is about Jenna, a girl who wakes up from a coma following an accident to find that she and her parents have moved across country and she has lost a year of her life. Soon Jenna discovers things aren't what they appear. What is great about this book is that it brings up so many great ethical questions. I don't want to spoil anything if you decide to read it but its very very good and it makes you think, what if that was my child?

Wow that was harder than I thought! Like I said at the beginning this is subject to change because I'm always reading new stuff. Hope you enjoyed!