Some (okay most) of my favorite titles of all time are YA, I once was a publisher of YA fiction, so of course I am going to give out a YA award. Here are my nominees:
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
- Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
- Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes By Suzanne Collins
- Flipped – Wendelin Van Draanen
A Wrinkle in Time – Madeleine L’Engle
An all time classic, it should not be surprising it is on this list. I knew nothing about this book other than I inherited it from my Grandma. I never read anything about it, never saw the movies, none of it. And boy did it knock me off my feet. Basically a deep philosophical and religious discourse wrapped in a children’s science fiction adventure, this was the only title I read TWICE this year, because I wanted to absorb everything I missed on the first go. My one nitpick is that it felt like the ending wrapped up WAY too fast, like in a couple of paragraphs fast, but still the journey was worth it in itself. But a word of warning, if you read the other 4 books in the series, you are in for some weird rides. Some good, some not (one almost got the dreaded one star from me) but they don’t take away from the brilliance of the original.
Anne of Green Gables – Lucy Maud Montgomery
Another absolute classic, that I had never read or watched any adaptations to. This was like the book equivalent of your favorite dessert or a beautiful spring day. An older couple is hoping to bring in an orphan boy to help them with the farm work they are struggling to keep up with. However, there is a mix up and they end up with the chatty and optimistic Anne. There is just so much joy infused into the story, and the characters from Matthew to Anne to her childhood nemesis Gilbert feel like they could be beloved characters from your childhood. If you haven’t read it, remedy that as soon as possible. Also, I am halfway through the series, but my favorite so far is Anne of the Island.
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
My 11 daughter was given this book by her cousin, and she is the target audience for the book. So how did I end up reading it? Well, I have an area dedicated to every book in my house that I have not read, and after finishing the long and heavy “Gone with the Wind” I needed something as light and fluffy as possible and boy did this fit the bill. Young teenage girl, Creel, is being sacrificed to the dragons for the sake of her village. Little does she know, her slippers give her certain powers and influence over the dragons and as she delves into their world, she finds more adventures and surprises than she ever thought possible. Even though it is about princesses, dragons, and a fierce heroin, I’d compare the humor and the tone to a slightly younger version of “Pirates of the Caribbean” and I had a blast with it.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
The perfect antithesis to “Anne of Green Gables” (only I would ever compare those two), The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes tells the origin story of Coriolanus Snow, who would eventually become the main antagonist of “The Hunger Games” trilogy. It is full of commentary on where selfishness, greed, and little wrong choices can shape our characters. I am such a huge fan of that world and to have a prequel that is able to so masterfully tow the line between sympathy and disgust for one of the world’s most dastardly villains was just the perfect recipe. If you hung out with me for a significant amount of time in 2023 you probably heard me shout the praises of this book.
Flipped – Wendelin Van Draanen
I loved this book. Everything about it. The concept. The flipping between characters. The heartfelt moments. The laugh out loud moments. It was all amazing for me. Bryce and Julie meet when they are about eight years old. Julie experiences love at first sight with Bryce and just knows that he will be her first kiss. And Bryce can’t stand her, writing her off as a weird stalker. As they enter their junior high years, both have significant lessons to learn both within themselves and from each other. Read the book then see the movie, they are a great time.
