,

Tell us which book made you fall in love with reading, and then visit First Book, a children's literacy nonprofit, and join its campaign to send books to low-income children!
1

by
4.47 avg rating — 11,509,698 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.21 avg rating — 302,909 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
4.21 avg rating — 2,060,329 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.53 avg rating — 21,472 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
4.24 avg rating — 3,170,920 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
3.68 avg rating — 7,361,731 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
3.97 avg rating — 1,292,892 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
8

by
4.35 avg rating — 10,001,082 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
4.17 avg rating — 1,305,973 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
4.33 avg rating — 1,122,841 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
4.30 avg rating — 4,492,392 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
4.13 avg rating — 140,164 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.34 avg rating — 1,119,659 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
14

by
4.17 avg rating — 2,481,631 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
4.35 avg rating — 1,517,031 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
4.21 avg rating — 287,104 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
4.26 avg rating — 6,942,686 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.17 avg rating — 936,037 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
4.58 avg rating — 4,892,262 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
4.57 avg rating — 4,232,443 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
4.43 avg rating — 4,537,047 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
3.88 avg rating — 351,111 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
4.32 avg rating — 851,450 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.62 avg rating — 4,139,007 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
4.20 avg rating — 589,933 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
26

by
4.12 avg rating — 2,830,731 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
4.30 avg rating — 4,856,401 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
28

by
4.13 avg rating — 443,182 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
4.28 avg rating — 711,798 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.15 avg rating — 210,080 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
31

by
3.98 avg rating — 84,718 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
4.58 avg rating — 3,684,796 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
3.95 avg rating — 257,041 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
4.39 avg rating — 1,242,632 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35

by
4.08 avg rating — 67,846 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
4.26 avg rating — 1,069,608 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
4.15 avg rating — 1,623,986 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.93 avg rating — 6,324 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
39

by
4.20 avg rating — 4,224,883 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
40

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 299,789 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
41

by
4.06 avg rating — 593,455 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
42

by
4.20 avg rating — 308,352 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
43

by
4.23 avg rating — 530,486 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
44

by
4.11 avg rating — 73,406 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
45

by
4.54 avg rating — 735,046 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
46

by
4.11 avg rating — 142,886 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
47

by
4.04 avg rating — 519,223 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
48

by
4.04 avg rating — 212,144 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
49

by
4.16 avg rating — 219,947 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
50

by
4.31 avg rating — 3,469,322 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
51

by
4.19 avg rating — 92,525 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
52

by
4.16 avg rating — 2,345,151 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
53

by
4.38 avg rating — 397,063 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.16 avg rating — 101,353 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
55

by
4.23 avg rating — 331,654 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
56

by
3.95 avg rating — 100,871 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
57

by
4.33 avg rating — 2,509,343 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
58

by
4.50 avg rating — 3,825,783 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
59

by
4.16 avg rating — 55,281 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
4.20 avg rating — 625,102 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
61

by
4.31 avg rating — 274,027 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
62

by
4.17 avg rating — 140,323 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
4.03 avg rating — 397,113 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
64

by
4.17 avg rating — 185,903 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
65

by
4.09 avg rating — 507,774 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
66

by
3.93 avg rating — 109,551 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
3.86 avg rating — 240,170 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
68

by
4.03 avg rating — 101,471 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 515,688 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
70

by
4.46 avg rating — 127,215 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
71

by
3.89 avg rating — 71,631 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
72

by
3.97 avg rating — 90,098 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
73

by
4.03 avg rating — 104,096 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
74

by
4.07 avg rating — 47,800 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
75

by
4.01 avg rating — 66,011 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
4.32 avg rating — 396,421 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
77

by
4.15 avg rating — 96,480 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
78

by
4.23 avg rating — 260,321 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
79

by
3.92 avg rating — 1,025,386 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
4.05 avg rating — 40,265 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
81

by
3.89 avg rating — 133,194 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
82

by
4.19 avg rating — 75,739 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.37 avg rating — 444,818 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
84

by
4.31 avg rating — 1,260,345 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
85

by
3.96 avg rating — 45,403 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
4.34 avg rating — 549,719 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
4.13 avg rating — 83,834 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
88

by
4.18 avg rating — 430,788 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
89

by
4.01 avg rating — 1,371,051 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
4.22 avg rating — 114,363 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
91

by
4.30 avg rating — 516,967 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
92

by
4.28 avg rating — 147,959 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
93

by
3.93 avg rating — 5,971,047 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
4.02 avg rating — 424,760 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
95

by
3.99 avg rating — 236,717 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
96

by
4.10 avg rating — 85,988 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
3.76 avg rating — 1,884,221 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
4.05 avg rating — 130,037 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
99

by
4.11 avg rating — 82,771 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
100

by
3.75 avg rating — 48,782 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3,898 books · 10,654 voters · list created August 15th, 2008 by Jessica (votes) .
345 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Jessica 1358 books
352 friends
Otis 1635 books
2013 friends
LaLa 561 books
2 friends
Nick 357 books
859 friends
Michael 719 books
286 friends
Mary Todd 128 books
30 friends
KATEtheGREATESTBESTONE 67 books
17 friends
Erin 2003 books
63 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-50 of 99 (99 new)


message 1: by Jessica (new)

Jessica Don't forget to visit http://www.firstbook.org/whatbook to help send books to kids in need!


message 2: by Tracy (new)

Tracy I remember this story and how it so hooked me in. I was so mad at the way Buck was treated! I'll never forget this book and the rest, as they say, is history.


message 3: by Mishqueen (new)

Mishqueen Okay, I can see by the fact that I'm clicking on every book, I suppose there wasn't one book that got me into reading (probably loved it at birth), but tons that I looooved when I was still deciding what types of books to read.


message 4: by Dana (new)

Dana good book but most of stephen king is


message 5: by Ceci (new)

Ceci I got hooked on the Beatrix Potter books, and Maurice Sendak's masterpieces that were read aloud to me when I was a little kid, and I could look at the amazing art. The first non-picture book I read myself, and that instantly hooked me, was C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.


message 6: by jo (new)

jo what really, really hooked me was a series of mystery/adventure paperbacks for kids. there were two i particularly liked: one had a young girl as the leader, the other had a group of boys who had their headquarters in a makeshift hideaway built with tires and planks and entirely hidden from grown ups. i can't count the occasions on which i hated my mom for calling me to the dinner table. i would have been entirely happy to skip dinner altogether and subsist on a diet of tap water just so that i could continue reading! for the life of me, though, i can't begin to remember the name of this series. too bad.


message 7: by [deleted user] (new)

Oh, I love Beatrix Potter too and read them all to my son. I also loved Black Beauty and all the Walter Farley books and was a fan club member. We never forget these books. I also had to read Alice in Wonderland but never really liked it that much.


message 8: by [deleted user] (new)

Some of these books do not seem like children's books to me!


message 9: by Jennie (new)

Jennie Interesting. I tried to come up with a specific book that "hooked" me, and realized I don't remember a time in my life when I didn't read. I guess I'm more like Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird: "One does not love breathing." It's just something I've always done.


message 10: by [deleted user] (new)

Well, some books really influenced me and I guess that is what is meant here. I have always read too as my mother did. But some books cause you to forget everything else and become totally focused on the book and change your outlook on life.
Tracey I also felt that way about Buck in The Call of the Wild. It upset me real bad. I liked White Fang better.
I have read many books and quite a few I barely remember at all but some books you NEVER FORGET. These are the ones that get you hooked and influence your life. There are also pages you remember all your life!!!!!


ღ Carol jinx~☆~☔ʚϊɞ Jennie wrote: "Interesting. I tried to come up with a specific book that "hooked" me, and realized I don't remember a time in my life when I didn't read. I guess I'm more like Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird:..."

Me too! And that is one of my books. When i had children I loved reading to them and, of course, all my children love to read. Two of my children are writers.


ღ Carol jinx~☆~☔ʚϊɞ jo wrote: "what really, really hooked me was a series of mystery/adventure paperbacks for kids. there were two i particularly liked: one had a young girl as the leader, the other had a group of boys who had t..."

I would love to find out what those books were because I seem to remember something like that. My mother used to call me to dinner by saying, "Go tell the lady that dinner is ready!" I always had to do dishes because I didn't help with the set-up.


message 13: by Ashley (new)

Ashley i love this book


message 14: by Ashley (new)

Ashley i love the way the author writes



message 15: by Jessica (new)

Jessica The Secret Garden got me hooked in third grade. I didn't really read before third, so I was a late bloomer. I wanted a secret place to have to myself to make beautiful. I liked the way a brat herself, helped another kid who was considered a brat.

Only one video of it is realistic, the Hallmark one, if I am not mistaken.


message 16: by Sunflower (new)

Sunflower Where are the Enid Blyton books? What about her Famous Five and Secret Seven books?


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads Why don't you add them, Sunflower?


message 18: by Irene (new)

Irene Hollimon I love this list such a walk down memory lane some of the books that shaped back then that I haven't thought about in years


message 19: by Ellie (new)

Ellie a lot of these books are some I read when I was really little and I'm still reading now.


SallyTheLibrarian My first love was a nonfiction book, X-raying the Pharaohs. I was entranced by mummies and Egypt...My first beloved work of fiction was Anne of Green Gables. I read it over and over!


message 22: by [deleted user] (new)

u guys r werd!


message 23: by Zoë the Awesome (new)

Zoë the Awesome Why on earth is Deathly Hallows so far down on the list?


message 24: by Jen (new)

Jen Watership down is NOT a childrens book, its likely at least a high school + reading level.


message 25: by Jen (new)

Jen Why is Gone with the wind in there? That is 1000+ page civil war love story, not a kids quick story.


message 26: by Mimi (new)

Mimi hello



message 27: by Mimi (new)

Mimi do you like roald dahl ??



message 28: by Anisha (new)

Anisha YA!!!!!!!!!


message 29: by Nancy (new)

Nancy This list is like a walk on Memory Lane. Thanks to my grandmother to brought books into our home and always took us to the library.


message 30: by Barb (new)

Barb Jen wrote: "Why is Gone with the wind in there? That is 1000+ page civil war love story, not a kids quick story."

For some people, reading as a child was not pleasurable, but was frightening and a chore. Some people did not have good experiences learning to read. I have heard many adults tell me, as a librarian, that it wasn't until they read a certain book as an adult that they got "hooked". So, I think it is fair to put adult books on this list if it fits that person's situation. Personally, I am more of the reading as breathing kind of person, but it is different for everyone. I got my first library card before I went to kindergarten and the library was on the next block. At 4 years old I was allowed to cross that one street to go to the library by myself! Boy, the world has changed - no parent would do that these days.




message 31: by Reader17 (new)

Reader17 Der I wasn't hooked into books until 8th grade (I had a reading disability). Read my first romance novel in 8th grade and fell in love with Romance novels. Now I'm in my 40s and started to branch out after reading Harry Potter and Twilight. Also as an adult got into manga first series Fruits basket.

There are some stories as a child I loved and brought for my kids when they where born. Green Eggs and Ham!!

Now I am hooked on Young Adult and Manga. Sad my romance is now on the back burner to the other books.


message 32: by Cutebabys (new)

Cutebabys Why is Gone with the wind in there? That is 1000+ page civil war love story, not a kids quick story.

I think I agree with you. In fact, I didn't manage to read it. I tried when I was 11, but I gave up. It was boring for an eleven-year-old kid. Now I've lost the book although I want to try it again.


message 33: by Daniel (new)

Daniel winie the poo is awesome i love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SPNONGE BOB IS BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


message 34: by [deleted user] (new)

what about skulduggery pleasant IT WAS THE BEST IN THE HISTORY OF BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


message 35: by Caite (new)

Caite Twilight!!!!!!!!!!!!


message 36: by Lina (new)

Lina have any of you ever read ,"The Fire of The Covenant"?
Greatest book EVER.


message 37: by Marc Jerry (new)

Marc Jerry THE Artemis Fowl Series got me hooked on reading.

"i hated books"


message 38: by Kim (new)

Kim The title of this listopia "What got you hooked?" made me reminisce my youthful childhood days with Enid Blyton. Marvelous!


message 39: by Morgan (new)

Morgan F I started early. Matilda and Tuck Everlasting got me hooked in 3rd grade.


message 40: by Laura (new)

Laura I can't remember not reading -- but was hooked on books early in elementary school. I liked all the series books and still remember reading them!


message 41: by Meredith (new)

Meredith This was a trip down memory lane. Of course I clicked on my than one book, but different books appealed to me at different ages. And some I now read to my students and see how the stories have opened their eyes to other worlds.


message 42: by Allen (new)

Allen Good list. I definitely thought that if I didn't read Harry Potter then I definitely will not be a book fanatic. I'm happy to see that Twilight isn't in the top 5.


message 43: by William (new)

William Apples in a Pail.. True story about a 3 yr olds snack request and the places she liked to eat it. Funny and gets the kid & parent(s) involved making the treat together.. Actual photography used.. book:Apples in a Pail|7506163]


message 44: by William (new)

William You may like Apples in a Pail.. My mother in law is a teacher (1st grade) and her students loved it.. Unsure what age group you teach, but thought I would just let you know..

Apples in a Pail


message 45: by Jacob (new)

Jacob I used to read a ton when I was a kid, but somewhere around late middle school I started getting bored and turned off by the books forced on me by the school curriculum and was sadly turned off personal reading for awhile. Then when I was 17 my friend let me borrow Ender's Game and I have not stopped reading since.

I think showing young boys well written books that they want to read will open them to the whole world of literature rather than forcing them read the Brontë sisters at age 13.


message 46: by Val (new)

Val Wilkerson Carol wrote: "jo wrote: "what really, really hooked me was a series of mystery/adventure paperbacks for kids. there were two i particularly liked: one had a young girl as the leader, the other had a group of boy..." Were these maybe the Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys????




message 47: by Val (new)

Val Wilkerson I can't remember not liking to read. I remember how great it was when I could read "chapter" books. I can thank my parents for always taking me to the library etc.


message 48: by Emily (new)

Emily The books that got me reading were the Harry Potter series. I didn't really like reading before reading those books. But now I can't stop reading.


message 49: by Brie (new)

Brie Hillman Magician: Apprentice plus Magician: Master. Read both books in the same day & night. BEST BOOKS IN THE WORLD!! First books to get me hooked too in 2008. I read before that but now I can't seem to be anywhere without gripping a book to my chest! I didn't really enjoy reading before; I only really liked reading Goosebumps back then; short, simple and amusing.
Eagle in the Sky by Wilbur Smith Try it; sad but semi-happy ending.


message 50: by Sarahsocoolio (last edited Mar 16, 2010 10:09AM) (new)

Sarahsocoolio I got hooked on the series of unfourtunate events and since then fantasy books have turned me into a book worm.


« previous 1
back to top



Related News

Adam Fites reads, writes, and makes his home in Seattle. He works in the library of a public school in nearby Kent, where he was the 2023–2024...

Anyone can add books to this list.