The Books that Shaped Us: Part Two

Find Part One here!

Meg’s List:

1. Stone Fox by John Reynolds

This book was the first book to break my heart and yet I still read it again and again. In fact, whenever I needed to fake cry as a child (you know, typical middle child shenanigans), I would think about this book. It taught me that stories might not always have happy endings, but that doesn’t detract from their beauty.

2. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

This is a series, but the sequels weren’t as much my jam as the first. Hello quirky characters who band together to cleverly outwit a uniquely-written villain. This book taught me that doing the unconventional opens new doors and that differences are to be celebrated and encouraged rather than being a source of conflict.

3. Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli

Wow, this is a pretty contemporary book for me to like. How did I not become a contemporary fan after loving this book so much, you may ask. Well, you can blame John Green for that (just kidding, I just said that to irk Rachel). This book taught me that having sibling relationships can be difficult but working through those difficulties will always be worth it in the end.

4. Cryptid Hunters by Roland Smith

Did this book lead to Rachel and I’s love for talking about conspiracy theories in some way? Probably. Is that the only way this book shaped me? No. This book taught me that life throws a lot of crazy problems your way and it’s easier to handle them rationally and with the support of loved ones. Fun fact: this book is also one of the most worn on our family’s bookshelves because of how much we all love it.

5. Gregor the Overlander Series by Suzanne Collins

Wow, Suzanne Collins giving me Little Bear for when I was young, this series for the middle years, and then The Hunger Games for middle to high school? An absolute queen. This book taught me that I loved fantasy—that imagined worlds are the perfect escape and that heroes come in all shapes and sizes.

6. Legend Trilogy by Marie Lu

If you haven’t pieced it together from previous posts, I adore this trilogy. This series taught me that I love dystopias and I love split narration. I love them so much. This sounds like a simple lesson but it has been incredibly impactful in terms of my reading taste.

7. The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series by Michael Scott

This series is phenomenal. I reread it a few months ago and it is still phenomenal. Part of me feels like six books still isn’t enough. This series taught me that oftentimes people are not all that they seem.