9/18/13

15 Books That Changed You Profoundly

1. Hatchet
kidsource.com

Summary: Boy has to survive in the wild after his plane crashes.
How it changed you: All of a sudden, planes are scary. And if yours crashes, and
you happen to survive, people might not find you.

2. Matilda
hkedcity.net

Summary: A girl with horrible parents is a voracious reader and also has magic mind
powers.
How it changed you: If Matilda can get a beautiful, kind lady to adopt her and take
her away from her stupid parents, you can too, right?

3. The Giver
veryaware.com

Summary: In a world where no one feels pain, one boy is designated the next
Receiver of Memory, meaning he has to experience and keep all ancient
memories.
How it changed you: The world sucks.

4. Charlottes Web
kidsmomo.com

Summary: A runt pig named Wilbur stands out and gains wisdom thanks to his
friend, Charlotte, a spider who is really good at spinning webs.
How it changed you: Our time with our loved ones is too short. Why do we have to
die?

5. In the Night Kitchen

tumblr.com

Summary: Picture book about a boys dream in a surreal bakery-city-place-thing.

How it changed you: The boy enters his dream naked. And you have naked
dreams. Wait, being naked is weird and embarrassing.

6. The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Summary: Picture book in which a caterpillar munches his way through various
foods.
How it changed you: How can you ever be satisfied now?

7. The Red Badge of Courage

thethousanderclub.blogspot.com

Summary: A teenage soldier enters battle in the Civil War and is half-terrified, half
yearning to be wounded (to sport a red badge of courage) so he doesnt look
lame.
www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/15-books-that-changed-you-profoundly

1/3

9/18/13

15 Books That Changed You Profoundly

How it changed you: Made you feel lucky you werent fighting in a war. But it also
just made you really, really sad. For real, this is a pretty graphic novel for 7th
graders.

8. Tuck Everlasting
en.wikipedia.org

Summary: The story of an immortal family and their relationship with a girl, Winnie,
who is faced with the decision of choosing immortality or a life with death.
How it changed you: Just FYI, youre gonna die. Its OK.

9. Anne of Green Gables

Summary: The tale of a spirited orphan who is sent to live with a family on a farm
and the adventures she has there.
How it changed you: Anne taught you to love yourself, even if you were a bit of a
wreck.

10. Love You Forever

Summary: Picture book about a mom who sings the following to her kid through the
various stages of his life: Ill love you forever, Ill love you for always, as long as Im
living, my baby youll be. But then the MOM gets old and he cradles HER to sleep
and says this.
How it changed you: How are you not sobbing already? Parents arent allowed to
get old and die and stuff! WTF?

11. Where the Wild Things Are

en.wikipedia.org

Summary: A boy pissed off at his mom escapes his bedroom into a jungle of wild
animals.
How it changed you: You didnt exactly know what that feeling was before, but now
you can place it youre pissed at your mom. No one understands you.

12. A Wrinkle in Time

en.wikipedia.org

Summary: Meg, a teenage outsider, goes on a journey through space and time to
save her dad.
How it changed you: You were like, Whoa, SPACE and TIME, you guys.

13. Sabriel
fanpop.com

Summary: An 18-year-old badass has to fight a magic evil to save her people and
her father.
How it changed you: Sabriel was a BAMF who was tough and courageous. So be
more like her, already. Dont let that 4th grade loser take your place in the lunch line
again.

www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/15-books-that-changed-you-profoundly

2/3

9/18/13

15 Books That Changed You Profoundly

14. Bridge to Terabithia

etsy.com

Summary: Two friends, a boy and a girl, escape life at their secret spot in the
woods, creating their own imaginary kingdom. Except then one of them dies and its
really sad.
How it changed you: So youre a weirdo. But theres a place for you in the world.
Also: Death. Jesus Christ.

15. The Cat in the Hat

en.wikipedia.org

Summary: So iconic and fantastic, you dont even need this.

How it changed you: Instilled in you an early and everlasting love for cats. Or,
turned you into a dog person.

STATS

156,380 TOTAL VIEWS

View Stats Dashboard

Tagged:spice girls, books that changed you, childhood books, controversial books, grad school books

Hot Search

Viral on Facebook

Viral on Facebook

On YouTube

22 Times Jamie King

Was The Most Real
And

23 Reasons Everyone
Needs To Stop Getting
Married

23 Things That Enrage

New Yorkers

Who Were The Sexiest

U.S. Presidents?

www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/15-books-that-changed-you-profoundly

3/3