The Books That Change Lives: Why the Books We Read When We’re Young Stick With Us Forever
By Kathleen McCleary | August 15, 2018 |
What book changed your life? As tempting as it is to give a lofty, literary answer, the truth (for me, at least) is probably A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which I read over and over and over, or C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, which upset me so much (the shaving of the lion’s mane) that I cried all afternoon and threw the book out the window because it distressed me too much to even have it in the house (a lesson in the power of story). Last week I interviewed writer Anne Lamott for a magazine piece. She’s a voracious reader and prolific writer (seven novels and even more works of non-fiction, including her classic book on writing, Bird by Bird). What book changed her life? Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, which she read for the first time at age eight.
What is it about the books we read when we’re young that makes them stick with us forever? PBS has a new initiative underway called “The Great American Read” which brought out a list of America’s 100 Most Loved books this spring. PBS worked with a public opinion polling service to “conduct a demographically and statistically representative survey asking Americans to name their most-loved novel.” Approximately 7,200 people participated. And what’s interesting about the list is that Americans don’t seem to love the books that are supposed to constitute great literature (Phillip Roth, William Faulkner, Jonathan Franzen). But we sure do love the books we read as children or teenagers—fully a quarter of the list are books aimed at kids and teens, from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to Charlotte’s Web to Harry Potter to The Hunger Games.
Here’s what many children’s/YA books have that make them resonate with readers:
They’re good stories; stuff happens. It sounds basic but it’s not: The primary reason people pick up a book and keep reading is because they want to know what happens next. And in a great story something is always happening next. It’s surprisingly easy to forget this when you’re writing, because you (meaning me and all of us who write) get so caught up in wanting to explain things to the reader, or in that beautiful metaphor you just crafted, or in providing every detail of this incredible alternate world you’ve created, that you lose your story. What happens next? Why? What happens after that? Will Frodo make it to Mount Doom to destroy that damn ring once and for all? Will sweet Wilbur the pig be turned into bacon? Will Jo March marry Laurie? When we read, Adam Kirsch wrote recently in The Wall Street Journal, “we mostly read for story, not for style. We want to know what happens next, and not to be slowed down by writing that calls attention to itself.”
They’re stories that help us understand ourselves and our place in the world. Anne Lamott loved A Wrinkle in Time because “it so captured the sense of isolation I felt as a child.” Francie Nolan of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was an exquisitely sensitive girl who often felt different and found an escape in books and longed to be a writer—something that resonated with 11-year-old me. We see these characters grow and change. We come to understand that “victory” doesn’t always mean winning but sometimes just surviving, that it can be worth it to fight for something bigger than yourself, that loss is an inevitable part of life, and that everyone needs connection.
We know and love the characters; and we never lose them. The books that change people’s lives generally feature a protagonist who is someone the reader can get behind and root for. That kind of investment—in a person who feels as real as the people in the next room—isn’t something you get over quickly. That character becomes a figure in your life, someone you’re happy to encounter again, which is why so many of us reread kids’ books endlessly as kids and, truth be told, once in a while as adults, too. And, unlike real life, where we know the pain of losing someone we love, we never have to lose Stuart Little or Pippi Longstocking. They’re there, waiting for us, forever and ever.
What books did you read as a child or teenager that have stuck with you? How have they shaped who you are as a writer?
[coffee]
Kathleen McCleary is the author of three novels—House and Home, A Simple Thing, and Leaving Haven—and has worked as a bookseller, bartender, and barista (all great jobs for gathering material for fiction). A Simple Thing (HarperCollins 2012) was nominated for the Library of Virginia Literary Awards. She was a journalist for many years before turning to fiction, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, and USA Weekend, as well as HGTV.com, where she was a regular columnist. She taught writing as an adjunct professor at American University in Washington, D.C., and teaches creative writing to kids ages 8-18 as an instructor with Writopia Labs, a non-profit. She also offers college essay coaching (https://thenobleapp.com), because she believes that life is stressful enough and telling stories of any kind should be exciting and fun. When she’s not writing or coaching writing, she looks for any excuse to get out into the woods or mountains or onto a lake. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband and two daughters and Jinx the cat.
Kathleen, I read Black Beauty several times as a kid because I loved reading about the bond between animal and human, and I think the story taught me lessons about compassion. As a teenager, Gone with the Wind introduced me to a truly formidable heroine in Scartlett O’Hara, but also to the quiet strength of Mellie and the wall of fierce love that was Mammy. These strong woman have lent me courage at difficult times in my life, as has the companionship of some truly amazing dogs, cats, and horses. Books have power. Thanks for this post.
Thanks, Susan. I love hearing about the books that mattered to you and WHY. Wonderful point about learning about the bond between animal and human through books (My Friend Flicka was another childhood favorite of mine) and of course the powerful lessons about character found in Gone With the Wind. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
So many, but my favorite children’s book is The Other Side of the Moon, by Meriol Trevor.
Even though the moon landings and spaceship flybys have confirmed that the other side is as dead as this side, they have also confirmed that we are forever locked to the same face because the moon ‘t rotates in sync. And the wonderful story of a group of explorers and who they find is a fable by a writer with deep roots who, like Dorothy L. Sayers, went on to write theology in her latter days.
I read it at least once a year, had to find a copy via internet because my mother gave mine away, and am dazzled by its depth every time. The world building gets me every time: I want to go there.
What a terrific story, Alicia! I hadn’t heard of The Other Side of the Moon before but I’m going to look for it now. I love that you read it every year. Thanks!
Kathleen, great post! I remember learning to read independently (I was six at the time) and whole new worlds opening to me. I devoured all of Enid Blyton and often imagined what it’d be like to be an orphan–they had the best adventures. I loved Oliver Twist. When I was 12, I read Magnificent Obsession (my first adult book). Next adult book was Adventures in Two Worlds by AJ Cronin. It made the dream of physician-turned-writer come alive for me. I didn’t do medicine (long story) but scientist-turned-writer is pretty close. I’ve read both these books a dozen times. They’re my old friends.
I discovered all the great American children’s writers as an adult. Love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn!
Yes, Vijaya, “old friends” is EXACTLY the right term. I forgot about Oliver Twist—that was another book that I read and reread. It is true that orphans in fiction always have the best adventures, and being an orphan presents some instant issues and obstacles the character has to overcome. Ever notice how every Disney hero or heroine has at least one dead parent? (Bambi, Snow White, Elsa and Anna, Simba, Cinderella… the list goes on)
Great post, Kathleen, and I think you’re on to something with your reasons why our childhood friends matter. So much of my childhood I focused on either biographies of famous people as kids (Crazy Horse was one of my favorites) or animal stories with Albert Payson Terhune’s dog books being my favorites (though I, too, loved Black Beauty, as well as Beautiful Joe and Lassie Come Home). All of those met your criteria, for sure.
However, there is only one book that can hold the top spot – David and the Phoenix by Edmund Ormondroyd. My mother brought it home from a church sale and once I’d read it I hid it so my sister couldn’t read it. I was certain that if anyone else read it, the magic would disappear. I don’t think I ever did let her read it!
I am a re-reader, so I’ve read the book many times, and even re-reading it as an adult, it retains its magical appeal, which is grounded in genuine warmth and friendship between David and the Phoenix.
Carol, I’m going to search out David and the Phoenix based on your recommendation. I love the story that you hid it from your sister so the magic wouldn’t be lost. Thanks for commenting.
E. Nesbit’s magical stories, Little Women and Eight Cousins/Rose in Bloom (also by Alcott), Anne of Green Gables, the Wizard of Oz books, Susan Cooper’s the Dark is Rising Sequence, and so many more.
I’m sure you are right that we never lose these companions, Kathleen. I enjoyed your post!
Thank you, S.K.! And I LOVE E. Nesbit. I read The Enchanted Castle over and over and read it aloud to my daughters when they were young. And the Wizard of Oz books, too. I’m so enjoying hearing about everyone else’s beloved books.
This is why I write for children, plain and simple. I count Francie Nolan is a personal friend.
Yes, this!!!
Oh, yes, Caroline! I agree.
Kathleen, I enjoyed your post. It made me turn the clock back and remember how enchanted I was with the characters in Little Women, Gone With The Wind, To Kill A Mocking Bird and my favourite, Anne of Green Gables.
In fact, I recently bought Anne of Green Gables again. I recall being eight and getting to a certain point in that story and just bawling. A book that can tug on your emotions like that is unforgettable.
Hi, Diana. Anne of Green Gables is yet another of my childhood favorites (I spent A LOT of time at the library). Have you seen the new series “Anne with an E” on Netflix? It’s interesting because they’ve chose to depart slightly from the books to bring more drama into the story—something that makes me want to re-read the books again. And also an interesting lesson for us writers in terms of how a story gets told in different ways, and what’s most effective.
The Pooh books, the Alice books, and perhaps first and foremost, The Wind in the Willows are the stories I most associate with my childhood. Which of them I read and which were read to me I have no idea. Although all these stories are meant to appeal to children, what is most notable to me is that they were written in terms of adult language. They are imaginative and fantastical, but in no sense are they dumbed down for young readers. They’re also all written by Brits in the Victorian/Edwardian period.
Today, people who write books for young children, older children, teens, and young adults have steeped themselves in what’s been written specifically for this or that genre and age group. I imagine something has been gained in the process, but can’t help wondering whether something has also been lost. Either way, though, it’s idle speculation on my part. I am a know-nothing on the subject.
There were so many, many stories, including all of Nancy Drew (could not wait to drive my own roadster). Also loved Harriet the Spy and all books starring horses as hero. Read Gray Magic until the spine fell apart….
The one book I most remember from childhood is The Summer Birds by Penelope Farmer. The story about children who are magically transformed into birds for one summer struck me with its strong, relatable characters and its themes of friendship, loyalty, and betrayal, of growing up and moving on. A priceless little gem.
So many wonderful memories with the books mentioned here. Little Women and other Alcott books were a treasure for me. All the Pooh books. Charlotte’s Web. And for my daughter’s 40th birthday we bought her a first edition of Anne of Green Gables which was her favorite.
My favorite book and the one that has influenced me the most is A Diamond in the Window by Jane Langton. It wasn’t until I was in college studying Thoreau and Emerson that I realised each of the children’s adventures embodied some aspect of Transcendentalism. At the time they seemed not only delightful and magical but of real use for me in learning how to be in the world.
To this day, perhaps my favorite book of all time is Richard Bradford’s Red Sky at Morning. It came out in 1968, so I must have been at least nine when I first read it, but it feels like I’ve known it all my life. I don’t think I’ve ever read a funnier book – or a sadder one. And it sparked a lifelong (so far!) fascination with northern New Mexico.
I read Roald Dahl’s The B.F.G. at five. I still have the copy my aunt gave me, and she is still blamed for the resulting effects on my language! :-)
I started in on the works of Agatha Christie and P.G. Wodehouse at six. The latter two in particular seem to have grown into the fibre of my being – though I can only dream of being so prolific!
Another childhood book I still own and love (though I didn’t get my hands on a copy of my own till my 20s), is Embroidery Mary by Priscilla M. Warner. It’s not one of the greats in terms of plot, but it’s a relaxing and yet enthusing read about a girl delving into an exciting new hobby for the first time, with explanations and pictures for the reader who wants to follow along.
Somehow I find myself unable to explain the enormous appeal it had and still has for me.