I know I'm an English major so hearing that I like books and reading won't come as a surprise to most people. But the novels and books I read currently almost have nothing on the novels and books I read in elementary school. They were my...gateway drugs into the wonderful world of literature!

1. The Harry Potter Series

Being the first book series I ever read, Harry Potter has been my go-to relaxing/stressed out/good laugh/good cry books. I definitely grew my love for reading through these books!

2. The Outsiders

I thought I was so cool reading The Outsiders with all the gang fights and the complex socio-economic dynamics...well maybe I couldn't recognize that. But most of my favorite literary quotes come from this classic.

3. Bridge to Terabithia

I cried when I read the book. I cried when I watched the movie. I cried through basically every experience with this book, but I had never fallen in love with characters and been so invested in the narrative of a story until this novel.

4. The Hobbit

I always enjoyed adventuring through time and fantastical forests, and the best way to do it was through the safe space of my reading corner.

5. The Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson

This book started my love for the genre of sports novels, especially the outsider entering the sport in question. I also heavily enjoyed reading a novel from the perspective of an immigrant for the first time and learned what asterisks meant in an angry conversation.

6. Island of the Blue Dolphins

Beautiful imagery, human-animal interactions, and wild adventures made my 10-year-old heart soar!

Even thinking about these books again fills my heart with so much joy because I remember what they meant to me growing up. I learned about distant places and different cultures on my own without having to take away my safety net of my home or local library.