Security Blankets of the Literary Persuasion

I was reading this article yesterday and it got me thinking about my own comfort books. You know, the ones I can count on to give me the warm and fuzzies when I’m feeling homesick or just need a little break.

Given how frequently I like to revisit books, my list of such stories can get pretty unwieldy. So, I’ve limited myself to ten of my most tried and true. Many of them have been popping up in my reading rotation for the last 10-15 years. I’m happy to say that since getting out of school in May, I’ve read a number of books that are sure to be added to this list. But for now, I’m sticking to ones that have proven themselves as reliable soothers for at least a few years.

To keep this from getting too out of hand, I’m going to describe my favorite aspects of the stories in ten words or less. 

The Two Princesses of Bamarre (Gale Carson Levine)

-          Adventure centered on sisters, with happy (but not neat) ending.

Wraith Squadron (Aaron Allston)

-          Screw-ups who aren’t ready to throw in the towel yet.

Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)

-          Not an unflawed character in the lot. What’s not to love?

Cards on the Table (Agatha Christie)

-          Murder victim sets up card game between sleuths and suspects.

Animorphs: In the Time of Dinosaurs (K.A. Applegate)

-          Animorphs, time travel, dinosaurs. Pure awesome.

Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)

-          Book banning at a more intense level. Terrifying.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K. Rowling)

-          Introduction of Remus Lupin. Enough said.

Jewels of the Sun (Nora Roberts)

-          Whose life wouldn’t be improved by some lovelorn ghosts?

The Doomsday Key (James Rollins)

-          Classic race to save the world and some Celtic lore.

The Indian in the Cupboard (Lynne Reid Banks)

-          Old cupboard? A lone figurine? Best birthday gifts ever.

Okay, your turn. What books do you go back to when you need a little pick-me-up?