It’s impossible to choose a favorite book. Much like music, books become attached to feelings that identify seasons of our lives. With that in mind, here are some of the books that filled the seasons of my middle grade years. For me, those years were roughly 1998-2003.

Island of the Blue Dolphins, Hatchet, and My Side of the Mountain all contributed to my desire to live the wild life. Looking back now, they probably influenced my future career as an environmental educator and park ranger as well.

Walk Two Moons, Esperanza Rising, and The Bridge to Terabithea were the first books that I remember being deeply emotionally affected by.

The Egypt Game fed a lifelong fascination with ancient Egypt, and it inspired hours of imaginary play.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I have read The Giggler Treatment, listened to it being read, or forced someone else to read it. This book had my entire family rolling every time and became a frequent road trip companion.

I waited patiently for every release from A Series of Unfortunate Events. The innate desire for a happy ending makes these books impossible to put down until your wish is finally granted (sort of).

I’ve never met a Roald Dahl book I didn’t love. I have fond memories of chasing my mother around the house, reading delightfully disgusting bits from The Twits.

Both of my siblings were assigned the Chronicles of Narnia in school. Even though I was in high school by that time, I still partook in evening story time every night. CS Lewis’s work is unmatched.

The dark humor and Scottish setting made The Boggart another family road trip favorite.

I went through a stage where I carried an illustrated copy of the Jungle Book everywhere. Riki Tiki Tavi was always my favorite.

Holes became an instant favorite. It was released while my family lived in Utah, so I was always eager to talk about the setting of the book and my home state of Texas.

I will update this list once I go through the books I have packed away because I know there are many that I am forgetting.

In general, I loved books with adventure, immersive settings, and female protagonists that could solve puzzles and throw punches. I wanted characters that broke the mold of how I thought “grown-ups” saw middle graders, which usually meant a more mature sounding voice and narration. I didn’t usually want to hear about school, crushes, or friendship drama. I wanted high stakes, life altering discoveries, adventure, and heroics.

Through reading I sought to explore unknown places and periods and go on independent adventures that I couldn’t in real life.

What was your favorite middle grade book?