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This week’s topic is-

Top Ten Books I Would Recommend to a Certain Person

Since I have a 13 year old daughter, I figured I would pick her.

Now, my kids read.  They enjoy it, though not as much as I do.  But they will read for pleasure, and I can only hope that their love for it will grow as they age.  Or at least when they are not in school, which seems to drain them of the desire to read for pleasure.

There are certain books that I really believe it is important for a young girl to start reading as they get older.  So here is a list of the books I would recommend my daughter reads as she grows into a woman- (sniff)

1.  Little Women

This was almost a no-brainer for me.  What an amazing tale of sister, love, and family.  I was very lucky to grow up with two sisters, though I am sad to say my daughter is not.

2.  Jane Eyre

The story of a strong girl/woman.  I think she would really love this one.  Jane is a woman before her time.  I love how she stands by her own moral code throughout the book.

3.  All books by Jane Austen

I could of course pick my own favorite- Pride & Prejudice- but I think almost any book by Austen is almost mandatory reading for young women( except for Mansfield Park- Franny is easy too wimpy for me)

4.  A Little Princess

This is a beautiful story.  All girls should read it.

5.  To Kill A Mockingbird

This is a tough one.  My son had to read it in 8th grade, and I don;t think he was mature enough to really appreciate it.  Hopefully my daughter will be when she reads it.

As she gets older-

6.  Gone With The Wind

While I do not think Scarlett is a great role model, I really want her to read this.  It is one of my favorite books, probably because Scarlett ISN’T a perfect southern lady.

7.  The Handmaid’s Tale

Hopefully she will read this in her 20’s.  Before that- it can be a bit too scary- or unimportant to the ever invincible teen.

8.  The Help

I loved this story.  We actually sat down and watched this movie as a family- the kids both loved it, though i think the boy especially liked the part about Minnie’s chocolate pie a little too much.  Boys are gross.

9.  The Book Thief

I might have her read this soon- she would be ready.

10.  The Year of Magical Thinking

Now, I know this seems like a strange choice, and I actually debated whether I should include it.  I would like to imagine my child will not have to go through the pain of losing someone she loves, but I think that is a little unrealistic.  Still I hope she will be much older when she picks up this memoir that takes a stark look into the grieving process.  When I read it, I felt almost a strange relief, that I wasn’t the only person who had that debilitating experience of waking up day after day and having to remember all over again that I lost one of the most important people in my life.  Seeing the same thing in print was like a salve, even years later.