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Paperback Book Club Poll (Patreon)

Published:
2023-09-19 18:26:11
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Poll

Paperback Book Club Poll

  • Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy 118
  • The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner [first book] 1049
  • Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson 1039
  • A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer 908
  • The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel 736
  • Daughters of Eve by Lois Duncan 150
  • Down a Dark Hall by Lois Duncan 85
  • The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder 309
  • Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine 829
  • The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney 985
  • The Hot Zone by Richard Preston 253
  • The Immortal by Christopher Pike 134
  • A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett 745
  • Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards 104
  • My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George 397
  • Six Months to Live by Lurlene McDaniel 121
  • Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt 771
  • The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi 279
  • Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn 152
  • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle 1257
  • 2023-09-19
  • —2023-09-22
  • 10421 votes
{'title': 'Paperback Book Club Poll', 'choices': [{'text': 'Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy ', 'votes': 118}, {'text': 'The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner [first book]', 'votes': 1049}, {'text': 'Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson', 'votes': 1039}, {'text': 'A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer', 'votes': 908}, {'text': 'The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel', 'votes': 736}, {'text': 'Daughters of Eve by Lois Duncan', 'votes': 150}, {'text': 'Down a Dark Hall by Lois Duncan', 'votes': 85}, {'text': 'The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder', 'votes': 309}, {'text': 'Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine', 'votes': 829}, {'text': 'The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney', 'votes': 985}, {'text': 'The Hot Zone by Richard Preston', 'votes': 253}, {'text': 'The Immortal by Christopher Pike', 'votes': 134}, {'text': 'A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett', 'votes': 745}, {'text': 'Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards', 'votes': 104}, {'text': 'My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George', 'votes': 397}, {'text': 'Six Months to Live by Lurlene McDaniel', 'votes': 121}, {'text': 'Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt', 'votes': 771}, {'text': 'The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi', 'votes': 279}, {'text': 'Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn', 'votes': 152}, {'text': "A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle", 'votes': 1257}], 'closes_at': datetime.datetime(2023, 9, 22, 19, 0, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc), 'created_at': datetime.datetime(2023, 9, 19, 18, 4, 57, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc), 'description': None, 'allow_multiple': False, 'total_votes': 10421}

Content

We asked, you answered. You suggested countless amazing options for the next paperback book club episode with me and Carmen Maria Machado (plus enough paperbacks to keep me busy for maybe the rest of my life). From these selections, we narrowed it down--after a lot of deliberation--to a list of 20. 

There isn't any V.C. Andrews on this list: we plan to return to her eventually, but for now, here are 20 brand-new books to choose between.

VOTE EARLY, VOTE OFTEN. Polls close noon PT, Friday 9/22. You can select as many books as you like. We can't wait to see what you pick.

Comments

Jessica

I might be the only person who votes for Daughters of Eve, but as someone who especially adored this book and absorbed a crazy amount of Lois Duncan in elementary school... Fingers crossed!

Erin!

I had to read my side of the mountain in sixth grade and I HATED it

Suzanne Weiner

Oh my god, how am I to choose? You've got books I dearly love and books I love to hate and books I just passionately loathe! I don't know what to do!

Fami

I want to campaign for Clan of the Cave Bear!!

Lizz

Seems I can only pick one 🤔

Laura Patterson

Oh my god I didn’t even remember some of these till I read this list

Leslie

At 12, I really thought “the true confessions of Charlotte Doyle” was the best book I’d ever read, and would ever read - it had such a chokehold on my life

Beth hinson

I saw Dave Pelzer speak and he’s WILD so that’s my vote.

Elisa Koler

I CANNOT WAIT to hear y’all’s take on Clan of the Cave Bear.

Jim Finn

Shocking how many of these are books I read to my son before bed.

Katherine

my teacher read a child called it to my class in middle school and those stories have stuck in my brain!! always wondered how much truth there is to the story.

Suzanne Weiner

Not to mention that Tuck Everlasting was reportedly inspired by the woods and glens surrounding my alma mater, so I'm *bonded* to it! Ah!

Lizz

Refreshing seemed toet me vote again 😅

Orion Spencer

Tuck Everlasting!!! legit one of my all time favorite books

Nicola

I LOVED A Little Princess but considering the grip A Child Called It had on society at the time, had to go with that

Nicola

Oh wait you can choose more than one 😂 that’ll teach me to skip ahead

Suzanne Weiner

Oof, thank you. I had to refresh in between every vote, but that did work for me.

anthroxagorus

Yeah, I think I heard that it's not all true. It's depressing but could make a good episode...

Suzanne Weiner

Nevermind, thanks to Elizabeth below, I was able to vote for all the things I wanted to.

Nina Talley

Finding out that A Child Called It was faked was my original "you're wrong about" moment, and I so so hope it wins so Sarah can eviscerate it.

Emma

Omg my entire childhood, this is so hard to choose.

Stacy Magerkurth

This is so exciting and what an amazing list!!

Laura Bee

I LOVED THAT BOOK OMG

Suzanne Weiner

Hey, in other Abused Child Memoirs, did anyone read They Cage the Animals at Night as a kid? The author lived locally and did readings and book signings in my area all the time when I was in elementary school, but I was never sure if that book made any headway anywhere else.

Jayme

The absolute HOLD that Wait Til Helen Comes had on my sister!! Def needs an ep

Freddy Ray

I just ordered a used copy of Behind The Attic Wall because of this. Haven't thought about that book in years! 😭 looking forward to reading it again!!

Laura Bee

All these titles just tweaked another in my brain - did anyone else read The Doll by Cora Taylor?

Alexis Schaffer

The Egypt Game! I just reread that one and it was as good as when I was a kid!

Chena M

This poll has made me ridiculously happy. Regardless of voting outcome I will be there. You couldn’t keep me away in fact. 🤓

Jen

Did anyone else read "Running Out of Time" by Margaret Peterson Haddix? I was absolutely horrified and transfixed by this book as a child.

Corina

The Face on the Milk Carton was my first intro to true crime, I can still picture the cover art.

Poleena Vassiliev

so many good books in here but I was truly obsessed with the hot zone (and the demon in the freezer) in 8th grade

Julia D

All of the Haddix books had be in a chokehold as a child!

Joe Peters

i haven’t read a single one of these so i’m going to abstain. i trust the community on this one 🫰🏻

Rachel Stout

Completely forgot Behind the Attic Wall existed until this very moment but my GOD did I love that book so much

Laura Bee

Also. I just realized this minute that A Child Called It is not, in fact, the same book as Five Children and It

Annabel Gilliam

Tuck Everlasting PLEASE! Holds such a special place in my heart from elementary school and have been too scared to read it as an adult for fear it will lose its whimsy. Wont happen if you cover it though :)

Erin Carver

I wish I could vote for Six Months To Live 800 times, I was OBSESSED with Lurlene McDaniel

Haley Siler

Wow, the way the cover flashed in my mind at your comment

Adrienne

Same on both counts!

Megan Sullivan

Bridge to Terabithia crushed me as a kid - and I now live in the city where the author used to live. It’s based on her son and his friend and we walk along their creek every weekend. Chokes me up for sure.

winter

scrambling to look up the books i don't know about.

Jorie Slodki

Oh man, I would love an episode on Clan of the Cave Bear. I read that in 6th grade and it probably had more of an effect on my views of sex than I care to admit. I also single-handedly corrupted the girls in my grade by passing around the spicy parts of Valley of the Horses. When I was majoring in anthropology in college, I took a class on Archaeology in the Movies where we had to read the book and watch the movie, and talked about the inaccuracies.

Allie Brady

Omg SAME. I distinctly remember a summer I think I read one Lurlene McDaniel book every 2 days or so. So much death! Why?!

Sara Atwood

I loved The House With A Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs (still do!) Wish it were on this list!

Wendy B

I’m just laughing at the “vote or die” tag

Christina

Come on guys, a child called it will be classic You’re Wrong About

Sassy

i haven't read Clan of the Cave Bear but i have Heard Things and would love to hear y'all talk about it!

Jen M.

I recently bought a copy of Charlotte Doyle because I loved it so much as a kid I wanted to reread it 🥰

Danya Endres

Omg throwback! I’d love it if you did “The Face on the Milk Carton.” That book was WILD.

Abby Self

I had to go check the synopsis, because it sounded familiar, and realized that, scaredy-cat that I was as a kid, when I reached the part with the dolls I noped out and never finished it 😅

BostonTom

So many wonderful books. I revisited many of these at the beginning of the pandemic and read several of them to my kids. My Side of the Mountain still makes me want to runaway to the mountains and live in a tree.

Matt Killmon

Oh man, several of these are, like, _foundational_ to me.

HEBP

I have to say I haven’t heard of most of these! But am looking forward to hearing more about it. If it’s not too hackneyed I’d like to hear a discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird which so many kids and young people are supposed to read, many white people think is right on, but is eeeesh problematic. However I know people have talked about this in other places.

Sara Ray

I read SO much Lurlene McDaniel in middle school! I was definitely into dying dramatically...

Kenyatta Matthews

Honestly anything Christopher Pike but two of my favorites: Weekend and Remember Me.

Bree Scully

Omg Lois Duncan!!! I loved her books!!! I also had a friend who basically made My Side of the Mountain her entire personality, but I can’t remember much about it, lol.

Dane Peterson

I really loved Jean Craighead George's books when I was a kid. I didn't read them that many times, but they really left a mark in my memories. For some reason, one thing that really stuck with me from My Side of the Mountain is the fact that trout lily (aka dogtooth violet) tubers are edible — maybe because two big patches came up in our yard every spring. I don't feel like any of my peers had read her books, and I don't really know how I came by them. Probably my very outdoorsy dad. My mom was the big reader, but Dad was the one who read White Fang to me, introduced me to the Hardy Boys, and got me to read Gary Paulsen's Hatchet books. Also delighted just to see The Egypt Game here; that's another one that nobody I knew as a kid had read, either.

Tova Fertal

My fifth grade class did a play that my teacher wrote about Charlotte Doyle, I'm sure I remember the songs. If my parent have recordings....

Tova Fertal

I tried explaining this book to my husband like last month and how I definitely read it in like middle school 🤣

Abby Self

The description of Ella's internal (and physical) struggle as she's finally breaking her curse is something I still think about. It felt so *raw* and...gritty almost? It really made an impression as a 10 year old reading it. It also gets the special award of being my first adaptation disappointment.

Danya Endres

I remember getting a copy at the Scholastic Book Fair and rushing home to read it.

Friendly Statistics

Oh wow, such a great list! The image of Clan of the Cave Bear clinched it for me ... it was kind of pivotal for me trying to get my head around it. Between it and the Dragonriders of Pern (I'm Gen X, we were sheltered) I struggled to understand why being a fierce female badass always had to include such weird sex stuff!!!!

Emily

I'm just so excited for the pod on Baby Island. So many good/bad books here! The Face the Milk Carton had a grip on me I read the whole series.

Friendly Statistics

For the future: Valley of the Dolls was also pivotal (the breast cancer suicide, yikes) in a bad way ... but Katherine Patterson's Jacob Have I Loved was pivotal in a good way (if you haven't read it, it's one of the best books about sisters I've ever read). I know, you have way too many suggestions already but ...

Rachel Santoro

I can't figure out how to submit the vote. It let's me pick 2 but there is no place I see where it will send it.

Larisa

Omg same. (Minus the archaeology class, I mean). And I read it in 7th grade. Smh LOL

Elizabeth Atkinson

WHAT. This book (and the sequels) fucked me up so bad when I was way too young to read them. I’m having a YWA moment right now, although the surprise is lessened after years of all the things I’ve been wrong about.

Alex Grawe

apparently the voters need a You're Wrong About Lois Duncan bc Daughters of Eve slaps

Larisa

I am hoping for Clan of the Cave Bear, but I have to say that the first Box Car children comes a close second. I have soooo many questions, most of which start with, "Really, grandpa? You cut off relations and now you want to meet the kids?" I have notes. Also, are we talking about the first publication in which we learn about the children's alcoholic father or the one that was published later, in the 40s? Either/or or none, I'm in. Can't wait for the next pick!

Rebecca

Desperate for Six Months to Live. I was an ordinary nerd child reading my nerd books - and then I turned 10 and, out of nowhere, became batshit obsessed with this inspirational kids with cancer novel. What happened to me??

Diane

I loved the Boxcar Children, Tuck Everlasting (which actually has a very good musical adaptation, imo), and A Little Princess as a kid. Excited to see the end results!!

Rebecca

She was also my first encounter with Amish romance. 😂

Mary Wilson

I was assigned to read The Clan of the Cave Bear in 9th grade English class.

Mary Wilson

What were they thinking???

Duffl3bag

a little princess! I've actually never read the book but the movie had me bawling every time I watched it,

Suzanne Weiner

We didn't read it IN school, but my 9th grade global studies teacher told me I should read it! Still the wildest teacher recommendation I've ever gotten.

Rachel Santoro

There is that Lois Duncan book that is non-fiction where she uses her other books as "hints" on solving her daughters murder.

La Chiva

as a children and family social worker for 20+ years I BEG you to talk about the atrocity that is 'A Child Called It'! This book has been thrown in my face for years, and it bears no resemblance to the abuse and deprivation I have seen in my work. It is a porn novel.

Kelsey LS

I looooooooved that book, wow

Kelsey LS

My 5th grade teacher either read to is from or recommended to me The Egypt Game, and it became a quiet obsession for a year or so 😏 I haven't revisited it in at least 25 years

Hillary

What?! I must hear more about this!

Hillary

I really don't remember what it was about, but I remember I LOVED that book!

Amanda

Thank you for reminding me about Lurlene McDaniel! I read "Don't Die, My Love" as a kid, and then later I remember encountering a list of all her book titles and cracking up at how over-the-top maudlin they were.

Ani Monteleone

My bestie and I just realized that the Boxcar children deeply informed who we both are as 40-something adults. Like, the “polishing old silverware in the stream” to “living in a loft in a Brooklyn furniture factory with no running water” pipeline cannot be understated. Wrinkle in Time & Bridge to Terabithia also very important texts! Great list!

Rachel Santoro

I was obsessed with this in middle school. It's called "Who Killed my Daughter" and she investigates using a psychic. I can't remember exact references but there are a lot of implications of "I wrote about this in x book and now it's what I am experiencing" like she also might be psychic

Ann Marshall

I desperately hope you will eventually cover so many books from this list. I loved several of them as a child! However, Mandy holds a very special place in my heart and I gasped out loud when I saw it on the list. These book clubs are just so so good! 🤌💖

Bridget

The Little princess was one of my favorite favorite books as a little kid. I was an only and pretty lonely when shipped to my dad’s house all summer, and this just spoke to me

Jen

Daughters of Eve is such a weird book that I thought I made up for the longest time. I'd love to hear a take on it, just to know if it was as wild as I remember.

Elli

The Face on the Milk Carton *elmo in hell meme* yeeessssssssss

Melisa Simo

It's only letting choose one, but if that's the case absolutely, please, please, choose The Egypt Game. I know it won't win. Hot Zone is my #2, which DEFINITELY will not win, but I have a few loose personal ties to things in there.

Melisa Simo

Honestly, this is probably the best choice for this podcast to talk about.

Bex

We read The Egypt Game in my sixth grade HISTORY class!

Alice Freda

Did anyone else read A View from the Cherry Tree as a kid? I was kind of obsessed.

Bryer Blumenschein

not sure I could emotionally handle A Child Called It

Melisa Simo

Like this comment if you tried to start your own Egypt Game.

NatalieMac

You don't have to send - they send as you select/deselect.

NatalieMac

Me too! I must've read that book at least 100 times and several others like it. I was obsessed with death. In college I worked at a bookstore and I remember a customer coming in and finding Six Months to Live on the shelf and coming up to the counter to complain because she was absolutely horrified that such a book would be marketed to children.

KJ Sff

Ohhhh yesyesyesyes please!

KJ Sff

Oh gosh, if you end up doing A Wrinkle In Time, I beg you to treat it so lovingly. I could not bear it any other way!

NatalieMac

Thank you for saying this. I could not read that book and literally got physically sick trying to push myself to read it. I had to throw it in the trash maybe about a quarter or a third of the way in and I've always felt terrible about that.

laureninDminor

I read Clan of the Cave Bear when I was maybe 9 or 10? It made quite an impression. I was a weird little loner and I'm sure I wouldn't have talked to anyone about how it affected me. I always love it when you guys tackle things like this from my childhood that I took in but never fully processed - it's so healing (as cheesy as that is to say!)

Billy Idyll

I also read Clan of the Cave Bear when I was wayyy too young.

G. Weber

My partner’s parents gave Clan of the Cave Bear to her AS sex ed

Ana Gavrilovska

Wait how is it possible that one was not included in the original list??? The Westing Game FOREVER 🖤

Species 867-5309

Same — though I remember picking it because it had horses on the cover, and then getting bored because it wasn’t about horses, and maybe not actually finishing it. I remember pretty much none of the content.

Jessamyn Harris

I read and loved the Egypt Game (among her other books) as a kid, and will never forget how I looked at Zilpha Keatley Snyder (what a name!!) on Wikipedia several years ago, only to discover that she'd DIED THE DAY BEFORE, in a town very close to mine. Shivers!

Mae

I feel like Clan of the Cave Bear would have changed my life if I read it too young like everyone else in the comments, sadly I've never read it. I'd LOVE to hear Sarah talk about A Child Called It but that's a heavy read, so it's gotta be My Side of the Mountain for my vote. Super influential childhood favorite but I've never revisited it as an adult.

Jessamyn Harris

This was very much part of my sexual awakening around age 13 and my partner looooves to laugh at me for it (but then, he's never read it! Spicy!)

Stephanie Zars

Oh my gosh, I've read so many of these, how do I choose??

sam tapes

my mind wants a child called it, my heart wants a wrinkle in time. (needless to say which one i went with)

Cassandra Lewis

I loved/love a little princess…but a child called it was something I read as a young teen and I think would make a fascinating podcast 👀

Isabelle

My Side of the Mountain and a Wrinkle in Time!

Michelle Labbe

I remember seeing the trailer for M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village" and immediately going, pfft, obvious ripoff of "Running Out of Time"...

Michelle Labbe

Doesn't look like it's ahead, but I'd die for a discussion of this one. There is simply so much to unpack in that book!

Michelle Labbe

This book fueled soooo many "plucky young girl learns her way around a ship" pretend-play scenarios for me

Jessica Jernigan

I get that A Wrinkle in Time was a whole thing—although I was shockingly unimpressed when I reread it as an adult. Can we maybe talk about a rich text rather than a sentimental fave? This is, by the way, my campaign for Clan of the Cave Bear.

Nate

Honorable mention: Remember Me by Christopher Pike

Michelle Labbe

"wHaT iF fEmInIsTs wEnT toOoOoO fAr????" — the plot of Daughters of Eve

Juliana

Clan of the Cave Bear- SUCH a rich text. And like many people, my mom gave it to me to read!!

Lo

Good lord, my husband came in from the other room because, "I couldn't tell if that was screaming or maniacal laughter." It was both. I was reading this list. I forgot all about writing in, and I don't remember what I suggested, but literally everything I could have included is here! I will be delighted with whatever wins, but let it be known henceforth that I will steadfastly listen to this podcast and be a patron until The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is covered, or the heat death of the universe, whichever comes first. I will discover the secret of immortality if I must. I checked it out from the library last year, thinking it couldn't possibly hold up, and wow this book explains so much of how my life has gone.

Johanna Dennie

Omg same! My mom gave it to me when I was quite young, I do not think she realized/remembered the content! I did not realize this was a common experience - I don't think I knew anyone else who read it at the time. It would be fun to revisit it!

G. Salem

The series is so special to me. Mitochondrial spiritual guides!

Tiare Bentley

Wow, I forgot about Behind the Attic Wall

Sophie Freestone

I have never read Face on the Milk carton or the child called It but I remember hearing about them constantly as a young reader. Teach me of their ways!

Heather Marie Vitale

Face on the Milk Carton was a Thing. I remember everyone being so attracted to it like a moth to a light, it was kind of weird but fully encapsulating!

Erica Kennett

I was OBSESSED with The Boxcar Children as a kid. By kindergarten, I had memorized the order of all of them and could name the title if you gave me any number in the series. #neurodivergenthindsight

k8seren

OMG Please talk about The Face on the Milk Carton. It's so weird and delightful. I remember reading the whole series in maybe 5th grade? It seemed scandalous at the time, but is probably hilarious now. I'd also settle for any Christopher Pike, wild wild books.

Kelly Stiver

Goddam I loved Clan of the Cave Bear, book 2 was surprising to young me LOL

Kelly Stiver

The only issue is the really porny stuff doesn't start until Valley of the Horses when we join Jondalar on the fucking journey

Kelly Stiver

Valley of the Horses was a SURPRISE TURN

Kelly Stiver

my dad gave it to me and he had Vally of the Horses on the shelf but had never read it so LOL he had no idea what he was handing me

Alicia Pearson

I want to point out that The Hot Zone is not a good representation of ebola. Richard Preston is not a scientist. Other actual scientists, like Michael Oldstone, have critiqued this book as something akin to "disease porn" not based on fact. I am junior microbiologist myself and prefer the opinions of other professional scientists over that of a writer trying to sell books. Rant over.

alexa 🌼

yes, it absolutely holds up for me! but i know it’s not for everyone!

Jennifer

Omg CHARLOTTE DOYLE!

✨ sophie ✨

I thought I was the only person who was obsessed with the Egypt Game! I associate it so much with fall, every season when it starts to cool down, I feel transported into it! I find it so interesting how many of the stories I loved as a young person were pretty disturbing. people underestimate how much kids are fascinated with darkness.

Resi Baucco

I couldn't even remember what it was called but this was like, a formative book for me. Omg.

Erica Scharbach

As a kid who grew up living way out in the woods I absolutely loved My Side of the Mountain and continue to think about it all the time.

Michelle Rose

I’m so happy that you are doing another book club episode! 💕

Michaela

Behind the Attic Wall is a book I have like such distinct memories of, but also forget completely until it’s mentioned. As a bookworm kid I feel very seen by this list.

Madison Pappalardo

I would in fact love to never hear anyone talk about Bridge to Terabithia, as I am still scarred from that movie theater experience

Eny

The way I NEED to hear you discuss Behind the Attic Wall but also The Egypt Game

Eny

I went into such a frenzy when I remembered that book existed. I read it so many times!

Olivia Jennie

Holy shit the Face on the Milk Carton! So many memories

BinsQ

Oh what joy awaits! I'm a HUGE France HB reader and my goodness this will be a real treat!

BinsQ

I discovered Lois Duncan in my very posh girl's high school where we had a V.C. Andrews black market trade in the locker rooms. Lois is an ICON of the era!

Zoë

oh my god i’ve been trying to remember the title of Behind The Attic Wall for almost two decades!!!!!

dollum

missed a few of these so have some reading to do…can you warn me about the ones that may get flung?

Stacy Magerkurth

This whole discussion has reminded me of all those books I used to love to read to give me that cold slivery feeling.

Anna Cohee

I re-read A Wrinkle in Time last year & it’s truly one of the weirdest & greatest books. Madeleine L’Engle is very interesting herself. Would LOVE to hear you discuss!

Lindsey

I read that book as an adult. It is truly wild and very worth talking about.

Lindsey

I couldn’t believe how bad it was when I re-read as an adult! It made me wonder if my mom just loved the Christianity of it all. CHARLES WALLACE?! x348

mary

oh my heart ♥️ Tuck Everlasting

Julia Schaible

And how she had to be “disobedient” but do what she knew was right to protect the person she loved &/or her own autonomy… it meant a lot to me as someone who grew up in a religious context which valued obedience/cheerful compliance. Also, her being passionate about linguistics!

Julia Schaible

I haven’t read all of these books, but the specific selection and how passionately I loved a lot of them speaks to how much all of us listeners were the same type of kid

Nicole

this is when sarah takes off her mask to reveal she's been your middle school english teacher all along

Abby Self

Respectfully to everyone who loves it, the kid inside me is amazed at how many people are voting for the Boxcar Children. I couldn't stand it. ....Although, now that I'm thinking back, it might have to do with me being a contrarian of a child and my older brother loving the series. That would have probably been right around the time of our very heated Nancy Drew v. Hardy Boys debate. That could also be a contributing factor, I would have gone scorched earth in defence of my girl Nancy.

Abby Self

That was... certainly a choice on their part.

Abby Self

Words cannot express how disappointed I was in myself that I wasn't a natural at living up foreign languages after this book becoming part of my personality. I bet if my parents had ordered the Muzzy VHS from the infomercial like I begged them I'd be a polyglot now 😂

Samantha Arnold

True Story: The copy of "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle" I had placed the author name so LARGE and the title so smol that I truly thought this book was called AVI for an unfortunate length of time.

Erin Prizant

Omg I read A Child Called It constantly as like a 5th grader. Not sure why it fascinated me so much.

Catherine Ezell

Oh! Do both versions of The Boxcar Children! The original, 1924 version, is VERY different from the one we all probably grew up with! The 1924 version is in the public domain and is available here https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/42796

Axel H.

My vote goes to A Child Called It. This book was assigned reading for some English classes at my high school, but my own class never read it. Knowing what it’s about, I don’t think I’ll ever read it. But I know it’s a phenomenon and I know there are many questions about its veracity, and I think it would make the perfect deep dive discussion topic for this podcast.

Ash Hillary

The absolute chokehold that A Child Called It had on my high school peers...phewwww.

Maggie Morris-Owens

THE EGYPT GAME omg. I made my little brother play Ancient Egyptians with me for YEARS because of that book. Truly looking forward to whatever you choose!

Ingrid Russmann

I knew in my heart Tuck Everlasting would be on this list, and I sought it immediately.

June Guerra

So happy to see Daughters of Eve and Christopher Pike on there. I loved the creepy tween horror/thrillers so much!

hey_boo

Would LOVE to hear y’all talk about Frances Hodgson Burnett (and a Little Princess)

Cassandra Ichniowski

Clan of the Cave Bear scarred me in high school. And I’ve craved a YWA response to A Child Called It. All of my middle school friend group read it and were obsessed. It makes me feel so gross now, but it means I do understand the appeal of abuse porn, awful as it is. Humans have some gross urges and expectations of access to people’s personal traumas and that book fed it well.

Cristina Anderson

Campaign to bump A Wrinkle In Time off of first place!

supremewarpig

To be honest, you could do an hour on your shopping list, and I'd happily listen and want more. Whichever if fine

Katie Straw

Holy buckets. So many of these. I didn't know there were other Wait Till Helen Comes people out there!! I must have read that book a thousand times...

Elizabeth Petruy

The Clan of the Cave Bear was first introduced to me by my very sweet and earnest pentecostal friend in middle school, and then when it got to the spicy bits in the second book she repented and gave it up, but I did not. I will say the descriptions of scenery over the series get incredibly repetitive, and Ayla is somewhat of a prehistoric Mary Sue, but I think about this book as often as some men contemplate the Roman Empire.

danceswithpugs1980

aw hardly any votes for Wait Till Helen Comes lol. Freaking loved that book when I was little. I think I may still have a beat up copy of it around somewhere ☺️

Daisy Tackett

FACE ON THE MILK CARTON!!!!!! i was so obsessed with that book and no one ever knew what i was talking about

Bailey Doolittle

I really enjoyed "Just Ella" by the same author, and I remember seeing "Running out of time" on the library shelf but never picking it up.

Nathalie Ballard

I don't know if these books were just big in the states, because by and large I haven't heard of any of them!

Emma Bear

I stole The Clan of the Cave Bear books off my mum's shelf as a kid in the 90s and they remain my all-time favourite books!!

Tara Goodin

I haven’t thought of the Egypt Game in years but was obsessed with it in Jr High! Would LOVE to revisit with y’all as an adult!

Bri Zimmer

So many excellent choices! Wait til Helen Comes was a well-loved favorite. I still reread it from time to time. Whatever the result, I can’t wait for the episode.

Jen Fingal

I had not thought about the Face on the Milk Carton in decades and now this is ALL I WANT!

Brandi Pursley

Omg Wait Til Helen Comes just unlocked a childhood memory!!! I was obsessed with it and my parents made me stop checking it out of the library because *Christianity*

Jackson

Okay, I too have a special brain so this paperback didn’t occur to me until it was too late. CONSIDER! For the Future: Tipping the Velvet

Emily Ibison

Right? That book rocked my world as a 6th grader and then I read everything I could get my hands on by Caroline B Cooney. I had basically memory holed all of it until this very moment lol

Sarah Perry

My buddy Abby Santamaria is working on a L'Engle biography--maybe worth reaching out to if you do Wrinkle in Time!

Hallie Lentz

Why was I reading books like A Child Called It when I was 12? Omg 😬

Chaney Monan

Well I have my fall reading list 📚

Chaney Monan

My mom encouraged it when I was like 12!

Ronin Fredricson

I read the Clan Of The Cabe Bear books when I was 11! It feels like a feber dream. My mom recommended it to me because I liked Wolfbrothers (also a book that takes place in the stone age). I brought it to scout camp! Not until I was older I realized it was perhaps bit innapropriate for my age...

MuchAbides

Ah omg Mary Downing Hahn! I haven't heard that name in forever but I LOOOOOOOVED Time for Andrew when I was in elementary school. Alright spooky season is here so I guess I'm gonna have to search for a copy!

Lauren Lambert

Im literally reading a wrinkle in time right now!!

laurence m

I am just glad I wasnt the only person reading Clan of the Cave bear.

Hilde Festerling

Okay but do My Side of The Mountain with Blair Braverman

Ian

I wonder if she read the Julie wolf books 🤔

Allysun Welburn

I just reread Behind the Attic Wall. So good. So creepy.

Meaghan

Too late to vote but I absolutely need to hear real live people talk about Clan of the Cave Bear out loud so I can confirm it wasn’t just a horrible fever dream.

Frances Gumm

Can not believe other people know about six months to live

Ariana Tino

I regret not voting for Mary Downing Hahn as well - I got so excited at Caroline B. Cooney I think I short-circuited

Kate C.

The thornbirds!!!

Ricky B

Am I the only one using this as a reading list? I'm currently listening to an audiobook of the boxcar children lol

Britt

More Lois duncan options please!!! I loved those books as a kid. No clue what clan of the cave bear is ngl