What books did you read in Junior High that had a profound impact on you?

A Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L’Engle.

Most of the books by Andre Norton particularly Catseye and the Beast Master series.

Lots of Robert A. Heinlein. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

Of Mice and Men. Opened my eyes to literature without a happy ending. Taught me that difficult subjects don’t get swept under the rug and can’t be ignored.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox.

I don’t know that my 13-year-old reading exactly shaped my current world view. But I think being a reader at 13, and finding books I loved, made me into a life-long reader. So I was setting myself up to enjoy the real world-changing books later.

I was into science fiction in junior high. I would recommend Arthur C. Clarke for the science and Ray Bradbury for the fiction. Bradbury wrote some beautiful fantasy books that were not “science” fiction.

Something Wicked This Way Comes comes to mind for Bradbury. Rendezvous with Rama is the Clarke novel I remember best.

Great question, BTW. I am looking forward to hearing more opinions on this.

I’m not sure if this is what you had in mind, but when I was 10 or 11 I started reading my way through Edgar Allen Poe and Sherlock Holmes. By the time I was 13 or 14 I was working on Dostoevsky and other such dark literature, even though I still also liked the Andrew Lang “colored” fairy books from my early years. I continued to read those into my twenties, even while working on a degree in English and plowing through Nabokov. Ten years later I was reading about folktales, mythology, archetypes, etc., and those interests still generate themes in my reading.

I’m pretty sure my reading affected my view of myself, life, and the world, and it certainly influenced my further reading, right up to the present, which has in turn had ongoing effects in my life.

Fahrenheit 451, Cave of time, Black like me.

I liked The Phantom Tollbooth by Jules Pfeiffer. It’s quirky but it’s a classic.

I also liked Judy Blume books and books by S. E. Hinton (i.e. The Outsiders).

Another one was Catcher in the Rye. Another one (a long one) was the Grapes of Wrath. I really liked The Yearling.

@jca The Phantom Tollbooth always gets lurve from me. :)

@jca, they just read the Outsiders. That’s kind if what prompted the question.
I suggested Orwells Animal Farm for one.

“Brave Men” -Ernie Pyle. I was probably influenced by this read to join the service as much as really wanting to see other places in the world. I’m sure it set my path in life to where it is now.

“April Morning” -Howard Fast. I remember being almost shocked by this story, again setting into motion things I feel strongly about to this day.

Thats all I can think of right now. Its been 40 plus years and I may have forgotten some.

A self-help book called something like ‘How to organize your life as a student in college’.

Did they read The Little House books (i.e. Little House on the Prairie)?

Ill ask. She strikes me as more of a cosmopolitan girl. Not sure if that’s the right word but it was the first one that came to mind.

Seconding “A Wrinkle in Time.” Those books are great!

Also, middle school is when I first read Lord of the Rings. That really got the imagination going.

Speaking of imaginative books, James Gurney’s Dinotopia is really vibrant and great for all ages.