The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone:
Plain and simple, this was my favorite book as a child. It’s really a bunch of
nonsense, but it kept me snickering until the last page. There is no
significance to the plot since it is just the Sesame Street character, Grover,
trying to stop the reader from turning the page and finding the monster at the
end of the book. I remember reading this to my parents because I wanted to show
off how I memorized it, and I would laugh hysterically at their faces because
they acted terrified when I would warn them that I was turning the page…which
is what Grover didn’t want me to do.
The BFG by Roald Dahl: I’m
pretty sure this was the first book I wrote a book report on in elementary
school. I stepped out of my comfort zone at the time because this was a pretty
hefty chapter book. Despite the ghastly number of minutes it took me to finish,
it remained one of my favorite books a young reader. The BFG got me into
the groove of reading to spur my imagination. Roald Dahl painted fantastic
pictures in my mind with the obscure characters, activities, and vocabulary
sprinkled throughout the book. The Big Friendly Giant ate “snozzcumbers,” drank
“frobscottle”, caught dreams and labeled them in jars, and even broke wind by
“whizzpopping.” As a matter of fact, I loved this book so much that I reread it
five or six times in grade school after giving my report. 
Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo: Not only is this a
fantastic book for any Christian, but also a nice conversation starter. This is
about a young boy who takes a visit to Heaven while under the knife in emergency
surgery. Colton Burpo describes the vivid images of Jesus and meetings he had
with family members who were deceased and he had never seen pictures of. I
enjoyed this book because it got me thinking about my life in the next world.
Many people at my church read it and their awe inspired me to pick it up and
give it a try. It is a great read for anyone struggling with their faith
because it comes from an innocent child who happened to have a beautiful
experience with divinity.
Just
Listen by Sarah Dessen: Taking time to find out who you are on the inside
is something this book taught me- as Annabel Greene was outcast by her friends
and discovered a special friendship with Owen Armstrong. Both of these
characters have trouble with the idea of their appearance and reputations and
together they realize the importance of music as well as the power of silence.
This book thoroughly prepared me for high school because the themes spoke to me
in such a way that I knew it was important to know who I was before I could
become friends with others. Sarah Dessen also teaches the harmful effects of
judging others without knowing them first. It is a great lesson for teenage
girls who struggle with confidence and those who feel the need to live up to ‘social
standards.’
The Picture of Dorian
Gray by Oscar Wilde: To be honest, this was the first book I read in school
that I actually enjoyed and found interest in. For some odd reason, the whole
idea of being beautiful on the outside but corrupt on the painting thing turned
on the light bulb for once. I think that this book has great historical
information and shows that evil will eventually get the best of us, no matter
how hard we try to run from it. It’s the first book that I didn’t mind reading,
even though most other classmates found it utterly disturbing. I don’t have a
super deep connection with this book, but I know that out of all the English
novels I’ve endured, Oscar Wilde placed first in the “like” category.
