i read a HELLA lot when i was a kid. i wish i had more time to now. i loved books that were scary, humorous, quotable, and/or about unique, interesting, non-conformist characters.

• The Phantom Tollbooth - Norton Juster
• everything by Roald Dahl
• Beverly Cleary's books about Ramona Quimby
• Tacky the Penquin - Helen Lester
• Gregory the Terrible Eater - Mitchell Sharmat
• Holes and all the Wayside School books - Louis Sachar
• Coraline - Neil Gaiman
• Stargirl - Jerry Spinelli
• A Wrinkle in Time (&sequels) - Madeleine L'Engle
• Harry Potter, duh. - J.K. Rowling
• A Series of Unfortunate Events (all of them!) - Lemony Snicket
• P.S. Longer Letter Later & Snail Mail No More - Paula Danziger & Ann M. Martin
• The House on Hackman's Hill - Joan Lowery Nixon
• Magic Treehouse Series - Mary Pope Osborne
• Because of Winn-Dixie - Kate DiCamillo
• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark - collected by Alvin Schwartz
• everything by Gail Carson Levine
• most everything by Eva Ibbotson