The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin. When paper mogul Samuel Westing dies, his sixteen surviving relatives learn that he’s leaving his entire 200 million-dollar fortune to the one who wins the Westing Game. There’s some great character work here and I cry, hard, at the end.
The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart. Really delightful series narrating the peculiar adventures of Kate, Constance, Sticky and Reynie, who must solve a number of puzzles as they work to defeat a sinister organization.
The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis. Essential reading for all children of a certain age. My eight-year-old nephew became obsessed with these books when we read them aloud together, standing atop his bed and blowing a toy horn whenever Susan’s horn was mentioned.
The Midnight Folk and The Box of Delights, by John Masefield. Before Narnia, before the Pevensies, there was Kay Harker. This delirious brew of witches, talking foxes, Roman soldiers, time travel, Cockney baddies and sinister old ladies was much admired by Lewis.
Nevermoor, by Jessica Townsend. My favorite middle-grade series of the past decade, centering on a girl named Morrigan Crow who’s rescued from death by the enigmatic Jupiter North (a loving homage to the Doctor) and taken to the London-esque Nevermoor.
The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame. Mole, Ratty and Badger undertake jaunts along the river, their rambles intersecting with the escapades of rambunctious friend Toad, who takes a keen joy in fast cars and mischief.
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexander Dumas. After escaping from an island prison, Edmond Dantes finds a fabled treasure and seeks revenge on the friends who put him there. I can’t think of a single reader who doesn’t adore this book. Among the most beloved classics.
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, by Sir Roger Lancelyn Green. Green succeeds in adapting the Arthur stories because he understands that they’re defined by their mystery and weirdness. Outside of Malory, this is probably my favorite Arthur anthology.
I still have my copy from when I was a kid — I love it!
I had this book! I used to read it a lot.
My favorites at that age were The Squire’s Tale series by Gerald Morris - also a retelling of Arthurian tales, very humorous and also moving
Aru Shah and the End of Time, by Roshani Chokshi. Similar to the Percy Jackson books, but with Hindu mythology rather than Greek. After foolishly lighting a lamp on a dare at a museum, Aru Shah inadvertently releases a demon who seeks to awaken a god who could destroy time.
Tom’s Midnight Garden, by Philippa Pearce. The story of a boy whose garden transports him several decades into the past, where he befriends a young woman. Philip Pullman loves this book, and Steven Moffat has called it an inspiration for his work on Doctor Who.
The Giver, by Lois Lowry. The story of a world in which no one writes or paints or makes music because making art is too difficult and evokes too many complex emotions. One boy is chosen to experience the memories that the rest of the world has given up.
Speak, by (Laurie?) Anderson and Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Just make sure it has the Shepard illustrations...
Already pre-ordered Book Four.
Never heard of it but will look it up.
One of my childhood favorites!