Midnight Snack

I suppose you think you deserved this a long time ago, eh? Well, don't get all excited now, because this is only the tip of the iceberg. For all my complaining about what gets published these days, what kids are reading, and how no one has any taste, there are a heck of a lot of good books to be had.
Today's posting is a small list, just a start, covering a few areas. You must realize what great restraint I show in not listing every book I've ever enjoyed (especially picture books).
Disclaimer: These are in no particular order and I reserve the right to change my mind if I deem necessary.
Ready?

Adult Books
(Or as we call them at the store, "Good Reads for Grown-Ups"):

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
The Brothers K by David James Duncan
The River Why by David James Duncan
Bleak House by Charles Dickens
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and further improved upon by Colin Firth

other adult books I've been recommending lately:
China Boy by Gus Lee
The Secret Life of Cowboys by Tom Groneberg
You are a Dog by Terry Bain


Middle Readers and Young Adult (terrible to Classify them together. Oh Well.):

Zazoo by Richard Mosher
Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles
Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards (yes, the actress)

I really do like more than three books in this category, but I wouldn't want to
get carried away


Picture Books (And by "Picture books" we don't mean wordless. We mean illustrated.):

Story for Bear by Dennis Haseley, ill. by Jim Lamarche
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, ill. by the author
Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French, ill. by Bruce Whatley
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, ill. by Ray Cruz

And, unless you want to see about 100 more, there I stop.


Classics I recommend over and over:

Narnia books (read in the original order) by C.S. Lewis
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Great Brain books by John D. Fitzgerald
Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary