Books I Loved As A Tween/Teen

My zest for reading really came when I was a tween. As an eleven year old in middle school, I never felt more alone. I didn't fit in with the rest of the class and I was achingly socially awkward. Naturally, books became my best friends. I escaped to other worlds, adventures (more often than not I pretended the hot guys were my boyfriends), other people. Young Adult books were the first books to actually interest me, and I'm not ashamed of saying that. Most people cower when they hear of young adult books, but I don't see what's the big deal. Books are books no matter what your "tastes" are. True, not all young adult books appeal to me, but a lot of them did at a time when I needed the escape the most. So here are my favorite books as a tween. Note, that these do not include the young adult books that I enjoyed recently. I've narrowed it down to the books that saved me as a lonely middle schooler trying to get by.

The Diary of Anne Frank Anne Frank was my BFF. I was thirteen when I first read her honest words--and (even though I was not a Jewish girl living in Nazi Germany) I felt, for the first time, that I could relate. Her passages about not being able to have a decent conversation with anyone because they wouldn't take her seriously took me head on. Everything she spoke about, I was feeling. It was an amazing experience.

Code Orange by Caroline B. Cooney This book was awesome. It's about a boy who contracts small pox. Need I say more?

Avalon High by Meg Cabot This book was the first (and quite honestly the only) book I fangirled about. Seriously. I wrote fan fiction about it. I made a playlist on my iTunes compiling all the songs that reminded me of the novel. I met Meg Cabot and she signed my hardcopy. I don't know what it was about the book (probably the plot? About a group of teenagers who may or may not be reincarnations of King Arthur and his court) but I gushed over it in seventh grade. This also started the love story between me and Meg Cabot books. I can't wait to read her new Princess Diaries novel for adults coming out next year.

Mates, Dates series by Cathy Hopkins I loved this series as a middle schooler with no life. The way these British girls lived (by the way, I reallllyyy wanted to be British in middle school), inspired me in a way that I thought, one day I'll be like them. They shopped with their own money, had boyfriends, were able to hang out--all luxuries that I was denied (haha).

Missing Persons by m.e. rabb I'm surprised that this series is not that popular, and even out of print (I feel old), but I loved this  mystery series. Hopefully I can find them in their original covers that I loved.

Guitar Girl by Sarra Manning I remember writing a book in middle school about a band, and it was highly inspired by this book. I remember reading it in one sitting on my couch. Sigh. Good times.

Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris Loved it because I got to imagine the guy as Hayden Christensen. I was obsessed with Hayden Christensen as a tween.

Queen Amidala Journal Gurrrlll, I was OBSESSED with Star Wars in middle school, when I first discovered the films (refer to obsession with Hayden Christensen). I really wanted to be Padme Amidala, and I remember loving this journal because I learned a lot about government (I think).

Fear Street series by R.L. Stine I remember spending one summer obsessively reading dozens of books in this series. I don't remember half of them, but it kept me interested.