Wild Things: YA Grown-Up discussion

What were/are everyone's favorite YA (or children) series?


Mine were: Sweet Valley High, Boxcar Children,Little House, Nancy Drew, The Babysitter's Club, The Saddle Club, and definitely everything RL Stine--Fear Street, Goosebumps, etc.

Nancy Drew was my favorite. I'd do almost anything for a Nancy Drew when I was coming up. My neighbor had the full set, and I was so jealous!

Laura wrote: "Nancy Drew was my favorite. I'd do almost anything for a Nancy Drew when I was coming up. My neighbor had the full set, and I was so jealous! "

Good memory:

My mom (who passed away about 3 years ago) totally got me into the Nancy Drew series. She pulled out some old books from the attic and gave them to me. They had been hers as a child and I think passed down from her mom. I devoured them. I absolutely loved Nancy Drew..but it was even more special because my mom and I could talk about all the books. I treasure my Nancy Drew books that my mom gave me so much..they would probably be the first thing I grabbed in a fire. :)

We should have a thread about memories related to YA/childhood books.

Did anyone else love the American Girls series or the Dear America series?

That's a great thread idea, Jamie. Oh, it's so nice when you can bond with a parent over a book. Not every kid can say that!

I know...it's sad..I feel like as readers we have alot of childhood memories related to reading. I specifically remember being read to as a child by my parents and babysitters and I also remember going to the library once a week and getting a ton of books as a pre-teen with my stepmom. It's so sad to me that some children don't have such memories. I think that is why the Project Night Night idea over in COL is so near and dear to my heart.

Yeah, me too...but for a different reason - domestic violence was a part of my husband's family growing up. Once that touches your life, or the life of someone you love, you don't forget. Ever. And those poor kids are the innocent victims of their goofy parents, and alcoholism, drug abuse, whatever. They should not have to pay for their parents' mistakes.

Maybe we should do something for Project Night Night here at Wild Things - since we are a YA group. That's something we should consider!

I think that sounds like a great idea!

http://www.projectnightnight.org

It's a charitable organization whose beneficiaries are homeless children. Great website link there explains everything. They accept gently used or new books, blankets and stuffed animals as donations (and of course money). It's a great organization!

I loved Trixie Belden mysteries. I also loved to read Bobbsey Twins. My maiden name was Drew and I was often teased by being called Nancy Drew. I hated it so I refused to read that series.

My favorite series are: Harry Potter, Twilight, and House of Night.

Jamie wrote: "Did anyone else love the American Girls series or the Dear America series?"

I LOVED Dear America! I recently started buying them when I could find them in hardcover. (They belong that way, the paperback copies ruin the journal feel of the book, and don't have the ribbon bookmarker!)

It makes me really happy that you mentioned them! I read tons of them over and over!

Favorite were: Dear America (agree about hardcover/ribbons), American Girls (I had the Samantha doll), Sweet Valley, Fear Street, Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Little House on the Praire
Favorites are: Private by Kate Brian, Harry Potter, Twilight (first book only), Gemma Doyle

I am sure that there are others, but these are the important ones...

The Alice McKinley series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor was my favorite in middle school. And when I got a little older it was the Night World series by L.J. Smith. But before those I think it was probably the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I read all of the books in those series countless times.

The Redwall series by Brian Jacques - apparently more have been released since I last bought one a good few years ago so I might have to purchase them when I next have the money (never too old to read Redwall).

I loved L.M. Montgomery's books best when I was actually a young adult. Her series books start with Anne of Green Gables (of course), Emily of New Moon, Pat of Silver Bush, and The Story Girl (only two each in those last two). I also loved The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede

In my twenties, I've loved Harry Potter best, and The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud.

I love the Percy Jackson series and am sad that it just ended.

Jamie wrote: "Did anyone else love the American Girls series or the Dear America series?"

I did and I always wanted a doll...I kind of still do...I want to get the books for my home library

Kristen wrote: "I love the Percy Jackson series and am sad that it just ended. "

The Percy Jackson series is great!

When I was younger, I loved The Babysitters Club. I bought as many as I could.

I remember Boxcar Children, anything by Beverly Clearly...especially the Ramona series and the Ralph the Mouse series! My cousin and I devoured R.L. Stine for the entire summer of my eighth year. Harry Potter is a given...especially since I grew up alongside of him! My gramma's library had the entire collection of Dear America books, so I also spent quite a bit of time with them.

Oh, and DEFINITELY the American Girls series! I still have my Kirsten doll around here somewhere. I know that when I have children someday, I will introduce my daughter(s) to them. I feel like they are so good for girls growing up!

I read almost all of the books belonging to the first 6 American Girls. I think there is one book, maybe two from Josephina that I didn't read. I would love to own them all someday. I don't know that I want to read the books about the new girls though... Last I heard they added some new girls into the series... It feels weird to me.

Sam, I was the same! I read as many BSC books as I could get my hands on, and they were always my favorite thing to buy from the school book orders! I remember my mom talking to me when I was buying a bunch, and telling me to slow down, because there was sure to be a time that I wouldn't want to be reading them anymore, and I was horrified! Shocked that she would suggest there could possibly be a time I wouldn't be voraciously reading the BSC! It makes me laugh now, but I'm glad I have them for my kids someday.

I remember R.L. Stine too. He was THE big thing to read! It brings back all kinds of memories!

As a child, I loved the following series: Little House, Boxcar Children, Babysitter's Club, Ramona, all of those V.C. Andrews series : ), as well as those by Christopher Pike.

My current favorites are: Harry Potter, Twilight, and Percy Jackson, but there are so many more that I'm planning on reading that I'm sure my list will be growing. The ones I'm most interested in starting right now are: Anne of Green Gables, Inkheart, and The Goose Girl.

I remember my younger sister and I reading The Babysitters Club. I always wished I had my own club. I even remember some of their names... Claudia, Kristy... and maybe a Stacy?? And I think Claudia had dark hair. I could be mistaking her w/ Dana of my Barbie and the Rockers set, though. LOL!

Good times, good times... :-D

You're right, there was a Claudia with dark long hair. I loved the box of things they brought with them to babysit. When I started to babysit/nanny I always had a huge purse with me with all types of goodies to do with the kiddies...my brother-in-law and friends called it the Mary Poppins bag.

My friend and I were Kristy and Claudia for Halloween last year.

LOL! Are you serious, Alexis? That's awesome!

Yep! Although my friend had a better costume than I did. I was throwing the party so I ended up spending a lot more time on that than my costume.