mary's personal library

important books from formative periods of my life by school level

i have always been a reader. i am a visual learner and when i read, i watch the story unfold in my head. i think that's what makes me enjoy the experience so much. as i have gotten older, i have become more busy and have strayed away from reading as a hobby, but i always make my way back. this library is a showcase of some of the books i remember and enjoyed the most as i have grown.

elementary school

a young reader, excited to delve into the magical and mysterious world of reading.

Henry and Mudge: The First Book by Cynthia Rylant Fairy Realm: The Charm Bracelet by Emily Rodda Diary of a Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix

my experience
  1. Henry and Mudge. I remember sitting in my sister's bed next to my mom, reading out loud. I was so proud to go from level 0 to level 1 Henry and Mudge books.

  2. Fairy Realm. I memorized where to find these books on the library bookshelf. Every time I finished one, I would beg my mom to bring me to the library to get the next one. Magical and fantastical.

  3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid. These books made reading easy and funny. My little brother is also named Manny, so I enjoyed the personification of a devious little brother named Manny.

  4. Double Identity. One of the many Margaret Peterson Haddix mystery books I enjoyed in later elemenary school.

middle school

growing, becoming attached to characters

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Divergent by Veronica Roth The Fault in Our Stars by John Green I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

my experience
  1. Percy Jackson. I read this book for class in 6th grade and it altered the course of my life in middle school. I read all of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and Heroes of Olympus series. I think I had a crush on Percy Jackson. I know that he is not real.

  2. Divergent. This book introduced me to the dystopian genre. I read so many dystopian series after this, I can't count...

  3. The Fault in Our Stars. I was emotionally attached to these characters. I cried a lot. Whenever I wanted to feel emotional, I would pick it off my bookshelf and read it again.

  4. I'll Give You the Sun. This book follows twins as they grow up, grow apart, and come back together in the end. I was deeply invested. It was also one of the first gay relationships I read about, just as I was forming my ideas about the world and how things should be.

high school

thinking about my place in the world

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

my experience
  1. Small Great Things. After reading this book, I read five other Jodi Picoult novels. Each one was as heart-breaking and thought-provoking as the previous one. I liked that the books were written from multiple perspectives, allowing me to get into the minds of others I could not understand.

  2. Throne of Glass. Although my favorite genre changed from fantasy to realistic fiction, this series was engaging, emotional, and complex. I don't even remember how long it took me to get through them all but I did.

  3. Perks of Being a Wallflower. I read this in middle school but I didn't fully understand it until I reread it years later. One of my most reread books.

  4. Little Fires Everywhere. This book was a summer reading book but became my favorite. It made me reflect on things I had the privilege to never have thought about. What kind of barbies did you play with as a child? Did they look like you?

college

reflecting through the eyes of others

Normal People by Sally Rooney Less by Andrew Sean Greer Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Circe by Madeline Miller

my experience
  1. Normal People. Reading sad books about regular people helps me work through my own experiences. The unique dialogue style really intrigued me and took a while to get used to. I didn't know what to do after I finished. Have you ever had an experience like that?

  2. Less. I found it hard at first to become invested. I like characters I relate to, and a 49 year-old gay man worrying about the death of his youth did not particularly resonate with me. However, I loved it and had so much fun watching the main character grow.

  3. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. At first, I enjoyed reading about characters working on CS stuff like me. I didn't know what I was in for. This book follows two friends through ups and downs in their life and friendship. Heartbreaking. I was destroyed by the end.

  4. Circe. I bought this book two years before I finished. Me and Circe were friends by the end. Although the story of Circe is thousands of years old, it felt new. A goddess who least enjoyed her divinity.