Paperback Book Club Poll

More Lois duncan options please!!! I loved those books as a kid. No clue what clan of the cave bear is ngl

Please do Clan of the Cavebear !

Am I the only one using this as a reading list? I'm currently listening to an audiobook of the boxcar children lol

The thornbirds!!!

I regret not voting for Mary Downing Hahn as well - I got so excited at Caroline B. Cooney I think I short-circuited

Can not believe other people know about six months to live

Too late to vote but I absolutely need to hear real live people talk about Clan of the Cave Bear out loud so I can confirm it wasn’t just a horrible fever dream.

I just reread Behind the Attic Wall. So good. So creepy.

I heard this guy recently on Another podcast he wrote a book Called Carmegedon about how damaging cars are to society and I think he could be a really good guest of the show the topic is super interesting! https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/89f37644-d982-4f20-b294-51c1432a7b69

Okay but do My Side of The Mountain with Blair Braverman

I am just glad I wasnt the only person reading Clan of the Cave bear.

Im literally reading a wrinkle in time right now!!

Ah omg Mary Downing Hahn! I haven't heard that name in forever but I LOOOOOOOVED Time for Andrew when I was in elementary school. Alright spooky season is here so I guess I'm gonna have to search for a copy!

I read the Clan Of The Cabe Bear books when I was 11! It feels like a feber dream. My mom recommended it to me because I liked Wolfbrothers (also a book that takes place in the stone age). I brought it to scout camp! Not until I was older I realized it was perhaps bit innapropriate for my age...

Well I have my fall reading list 📚

Why was I reading books like A Child Called It when I was 12? Omg 😬

My buddy Abby Santamaria is working on a L'Engle biography--maybe worth reaching out to if you do Wrinkle in Time!

Okay, I too have a special brain so this paperback didn’t occur to me until it was too late. CONSIDER! For the Future: Tipping the Velvet

Omg Wait Til Helen Comes just unlocked a childhood memory!!! I was obsessed with it and my parents made me stop checking it out of the library because *Christianity*

I had not thought about the Face on the Milk Carton in decades and now this is ALL I WANT!

So many excellent choices! Wait til Helen Comes was a well-loved favorite. I still reread it from time to time. Whatever the result, I can’t wait for the episode.

I haven’t thought of the Egypt Game in years but was obsessed with it in Jr High! Would LOVE to revisit with y’all as an adult!

I stole The Clan of the Cave Bear books off my mum's shelf as a kid in the 90s and they remain my all-time favourite books!!

I don't know if these books were just big in the states, because by and large I haven't heard of any of them!

FACE ON THE MILK CARTON!!!!!! i was so obsessed with that book and no one ever knew what i was talking about

aw hardly any votes for Wait Till Helen Comes lol. Freaking loved that book when I was little. I think I may still have a beat up copy of it around somewhere ☺️

The Clan of the Cave Bear was first introduced to me by my very sweet and earnest pentecostal friend in middle school, and then when it got to the spicy bits in the second book she repented and gave it up, but I did not. I will say the descriptions of scenery over the series get incredibly repetitive, and Ayla is somewhat of a prehistoric Mary Sue, but I think about this book as often as some men contemplate the Roman Empire.

Holy buckets. So many of these. I didn't know there were other Wait Till Helen Comes people out there!! I must have read that book a thousand times...

To be honest, you could do an hour on your shopping list, and I'd happily listen and want more. Whichever if fine

Campaign to bump A Wrinkle In Time off of first place!

Clan of the Cave Bear scarred me in high school. And I’ve craved a YWA response to A Child Called It. All of my middle school friend group read it and were obsessed. It makes me feel so gross now, but it means I do understand the appeal of abuse porn, awful as it is. Humans have some gross urges and expectations of access to people’s personal traumas and that book fed it well.

Would LOVE to hear y’all talk about Frances Hodgson Burnett (and a Little Princess)

So happy to see Daughters of Eve and Christopher Pike on there. I loved the creepy tween horror/thrillers so much!

I knew in my heart Tuck Everlasting would be on this list, and I sought it immediately.

THE EGYPT GAME omg. I made my little brother play Ancient Egyptians with me for YEARS because of that book. Truly looking forward to whatever you choose!

The absolute chokehold that A Child Called It had on my high school peers...phewwww.

My vote goes to A Child Called It. This book was assigned reading for some English classes at my high school, but my own class never read it. Knowing what it’s about, I don’t think I’ll ever read it. But I know it’s a phenomenon and I know there are many questions about its veracity, and I think it would make the perfect deep dive discussion topic for this podcast.

Oh! Do both versions of The Boxcar Children! The original, 1924 version, is VERY different from the one we all probably grew up with! The 1924 version is in the public domain and is available here https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/42796

Omg I read A Child Called It constantly as like a 5th grader. Not sure why it fascinated me so much.

True Story: The copy of "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle" I had placed the author name so LARGE and the title so smol that I truly thought this book was called AVI for an unfortunate length of time.

Respectfully to everyone who loves it, the kid inside me is amazed at how many people are voting for the Boxcar Children. I couldn't stand it. ....Although, now that I'm thinking back, it might have to do with me being a contrarian of a child and my older brother loving the series. That would have probably been right around the time of our very heated Nancy Drew v. Hardy Boys debate. That could also be a contributing factor, I would have gone scorched earth in defence of my girl Nancy.

this is when sarah takes off her mask to reveal she's been your middle school english teacher all along

I haven’t read all of these books, but the specific selection and how passionately I loved a lot of them speaks to how much all of us listeners were the same type of kid

oh my heart ♥️ Tuck Everlasting

I re-read A Wrinkle in Time last year & it’s truly one of the weirdest & greatest books. Madeleine L’Engle is very interesting herself. Would LOVE to hear you discuss!

missed a few of these so have some reading to do…can you warn me about the ones that may get flung?

oh my god i’ve been trying to remember the title of Behind The Attic Wall for almost two decades!!!!!

I discovered Lois Duncan in my very posh girl's high school where we had a V.C. Andrews black market trade in the locker rooms. Lois is an ICON of the era!

Oh what joy awaits! I'm a HUGE France HB reader and my goodness this will be a real treat!

Holy shit the Face on the Milk Carton! So many memories

The way I NEED to hear you discuss Behind the Attic Wall but also The Egypt Game

I would in fact love to never hear anyone talk about Bridge to Terabithia, as I am still scarred from that movie theater experience

Behind the Attic Wall is a book I have like such distinct memories of, but also forget completely until it’s mentioned. As a bookworm kid I feel very seen by this list.

I’m so happy that you are doing another book club episode! 💕

As a kid who grew up living way out in the woods I absolutely loved My Side of the Mountain and continue to think about it all the time.

I thought I was the only person who was obsessed with the Egypt Game! I associate it so much with fall, every season when it starts to cool down, I feel transported into it! I find it so interesting how many of the stories I loved as a young person were pretty disturbing. people underestimate how much kids are fascinated with darkness.

Omg CHARLOTTE DOYLE!

I want to point out that The Hot Zone is not a good representation of ebola. Richard Preston is not a scientist. Other actual scientists, like Michael Oldstone, have critiqued this book as something akin to "disease porn" not based on fact. I am junior microbiologist myself and prefer the opinions of other professional scientists over that of a writer trying to sell books. Rant over.

Goddam I loved Clan of the Cave Bear, book 2 was surprising to young me LOL

OMG Please talk about The Face on the Milk Carton. It's so weird and delightful. I remember reading the whole series in maybe 5th grade? It seemed scandalous at the time, but is probably hilarious now. I'd also settle for any Christopher Pike, wild wild books.

I was OBSESSED with The Boxcar Children as a kid. By kindergarten, I had memorized the order of all of them and could name the title if you gave me any number in the series. #neurodivergenthindsight

Face on the Milk Carton was a Thing. I remember everyone being so attracted to it like a moth to a light, it was kind of weird but fully encapsulating!

I have never read Face on the Milk carton or the child called It but I remember hearing about them constantly as a young reader. Teach me of their ways!

Wow, I forgot about Behind the Attic Wall

Good lord, my husband came in from the other room because, "I couldn't tell if that was screaming or maniacal laughter." It was both. I was reading this list. I forgot all about writing in, and I don't remember what I suggested, but literally everything I could have included is here! I will be delighted with whatever wins, but let it be known henceforth that I will steadfastly listen to this podcast and be a patron until The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is covered, or the heat death of the universe, whichever comes first. I will discover the secret of immortality if I must. I checked it out from the library last year, thinking it couldn't possibly hold up, and wow this book explains so much of how my life has gone.

Clan of the Cave Bear- SUCH a rich text. And like many people, my mom gave it to me to read!!

Honorable mention: Remember Me by Christopher Pike

I get that A Wrinkle in Time was a whole thing—although I was shockingly unimpressed when I reread it as an adult. Can we maybe talk about a rich text rather than a sentimental fave? This is, by the way, my campaign for Clan of the Cave Bear.

My Side of the Mountain and a Wrinkle in Time!

I loved/love a little princess…but a child called it was something I read as a young teen and I think would make a fascinating podcast 👀

my mind wants a child called it, my heart wants a wrinkle in time. (needless to say which one i went with)

Oh my gosh, I've read so many of these, how do I choose??

I feel like Clan of the Cave Bear would have changed my life if I read it too young like everyone else in the comments, sadly I've never read it. I'd LOVE to hear Sarah talk about A Child Called It but that's a heavy read, so it's gotta be My Side of the Mountain for my vote. Super influential childhood favorite but I've never revisited it as an adult.

I read and loved the Egypt Game (among her other books) as a kid, and will never forget how I looked at Zilpha Keatley Snyder (what a name!!) on Wikipedia several years ago, only to discover that she'd DIED THE DAY BEFORE, in a town very close to mine. Shivers!

My partner’s parents gave Clan of the Cave Bear to her AS sex ed

I also read Clan of the Cave Bear when I was wayyy too young.

I read Clan of the Cave Bear when I was maybe 9 or 10? It made quite an impression. I was a weird little loner and I'm sure I wouldn't have talked to anyone about how it affected me. I always love it when you guys tackle things like this from my childhood that I took in but never fully processed - it's so healing (as cheesy as that is to say!)

Oh gosh, if you end up doing A Wrinkle In Time, I beg you to treat it so lovingly. I could not bear it any other way!

not sure I could emotionally handle A Child Called It

Did anyone else read A View from the Cherry Tree as a kid? I was kind of obsessed.

We read The Egypt Game in my sixth grade HISTORY class!

It's only letting choose one, but if that's the case absolutely, please, please, choose The Egypt Game. I know it won't win. Hot Zone is my #2, which DEFINITELY will not win, but I have a few loose personal ties to things in there.

The Face on the Milk Carton *elmo in hell meme* yeeessssssssss

Daughters of Eve is such a weird book that I thought I made up for the longest time. I'd love to hear a take on it, just to know if it was as wild as I remember.

The Little princess was one of my favorite favorite books as a little kid. I was an only and pretty lonely when shipped to my dad’s house all summer, and this just spoke to me

I desperately hope you will eventually cover so many books from this list. I loved several of them as a child! However, Mandy holds a very special place in my heart and I gasped out loud when I saw it on the list. These book clubs are just so so good! 🤌💖

My bestie and I just realized that the Boxcar children deeply informed who we both are as 40-something adults. Like, the “polishing old silverware in the stream” to “living in a loft in a Brooklyn furniture factory with no running water” pipeline cannot be understated. Wrinkle in Time & Bridge to Terabithia also very important texts! Great list!

Thank you for reminding me about Lurlene McDaniel! I read "Don't Die, My Love" as a kid, and then later I remember encountering a list of all her book titles and cracking up at how over-the-top maudlin they were.

as a children and family social worker for 20+ years I BEG you to talk about the atrocity that is 'A Child Called It'! This book has been thrown in my face for years, and it bears no resemblance to the abuse and deprivation I have seen in my work. It is a porn novel.

There is that Lois Duncan book that is non-fiction where she uses her other books as "hints" on solving her daughters murder.

a little princess! I've actually never read the book but the movie had me bawling every time I watched it,

I loved the Boxcar Children, Tuck Everlasting (which actually has a very good musical adaptation, imo), and A Little Princess as a kid. Excited to see the end results!!

Desperate for Six Months to Live. I was an ordinary nerd child reading my nerd books - and then I turned 10 and, out of nowhere, became batshit obsessed with this inspirational kids with cancer novel. What happened to me??

I am hoping for Clan of the Cave Bear, but I have to say that the first Box Car children comes a close second. I have soooo many questions, most of which start with, "Really, grandpa? You cut off relations and now you want to meet the kids?" I have notes. Also, are we talking about the first publication in which we learn about the children's alcoholic father or the one that was published later, in the 40s? Either/or or none, I'm in. Can't wait for the next pick!

apparently the voters need a You're Wrong About Lois Duncan bc Daughters of Eve slaps

I'm just so excited for the pod on Baby Island. So many good/bad books here! The Face the Milk Carton had a grip on me I read the whole series.

Oh wow, such a great list! The image of Clan of the Cave Bear clinched it for me ... it was kind of pivotal for me trying to get my head around it. Between it and the Dragonriders of Pern (I'm Gen X, we were sheltered) I struggled to understand why being a fierce female badass always had to include such weird sex stuff!!!!

The description of Ella's internal (and physical) struggle as she's finally breaking her curse is something I still think about. It felt so *raw* and...gritty almost? It really made an impression as a 10 year old reading it. It also gets the special award of being my first adaptation disappointment.

I want The Egypt Game to win so bad

My fifth grade class did a play that my teacher wrote about Charlotte Doyle, I'm sure I remember the songs. If my parent have recordings....

I really loved Jean Craighead George's books when I was a kid. I didn't read them that many times, but they really left a mark in my memories. For some reason, one thing that really stuck with me from My Side of the Mountain is the fact that trout lily (aka dogtooth violet) tubers are edible — maybe because two big patches came up in our yard every spring. I don't feel like any of my peers had read her books, and I don't really know how I came by them. Probably my very outdoorsy dad. My mom was the big reader, but Dad was the one who read White Fang to me, introduced me to the Hardy Boys, and got me to read Gary Paulsen's Hatchet books. Also delighted just to see The Egypt Game here; that's another one that nobody I knew as a kid had read, either.

Omg Lois Duncan!!! I loved her books!!! I also had a friend who basically made My Side of the Mountain her entire personality, but I can’t remember much about it, lol.

Honestly anything Christopher Pike but two of my favorites: Weekend and Remember Me.

I have to say I haven’t heard of most of these! But am looking forward to hearing more about it. If it’s not too hackneyed I’d like to hear a discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird which so many kids and young people are supposed to read, many white people think is right on, but is eeeesh problematic. However I know people have talked about this in other places.

Oh man, several of these are, like, _foundational_ to me.

Next time The Westing Game maybe?

So many wonderful books. I revisited many of these at the beginning of the pandemic and read several of them to my kids. My Side of the Mountain still makes me want to runaway to the mountains and live in a tree.

Omg throwback! I’d love it if you did “The Face on the Milk Carton.” That book was WILD.

I recently bought a copy of Charlotte Doyle because I loved it so much as a kid I wanted to reread it 🥰

i haven't read Clan of the Cave Bear but i have Heard Things and would love to hear y'all talk about it!

Come on guys, a child called it will be classic You’re Wrong About

I’m just laughing at the “vote or die” tag

I loved The House With A Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs (still do!) Wish it were on this list!

Oh man, I would love an episode on Clan of the Cave Bear. I read that in 6th grade and it probably had more of an effect on my views of sex than I care to admit. I also single-handedly corrupted the girls in my grade by passing around the spicy parts of Valley of the Horses. When I was majoring in anthropology in college, I took a class on Archaeology in the Movies where we had to read the book and watch the movie, and talked about the inaccuracies.

scrambling to look up the books i don't know about.

Bridge to Terabithia crushed me as a kid - and I now live in the city where the author used to live. It’s based on her son and his friend and we walk along their creek every weekend. Chokes me up for sure.

I wish I could vote for Six Months To Live 800 times, I was OBSESSED with Lurlene McDaniel

Tuck Everlasting PLEASE! Holds such a special place in my heart from elementary school and have been too scared to read it as an adult for fear it will lose its whimsy. Wont happen if you cover it though :)

Also. I just realized this minute that A Child Called It is not, in fact, the same book as Five Children and It

Completely forgot Behind the Attic Wall existed until this very moment but my GOD did I love that book so much

i haven’t read a single one of these so i’m going to abstain. i trust the community on this one 🫰🏻

so many good books in here but I was truly obsessed with the hot zone (and the demon in the freezer) in 8th grade

The Face on the Milk Carton was my first intro to true crime, I can still picture the cover art.

Did anyone else read "Running Out of Time" by Margaret Peterson Haddix? I was absolutely horrified and transfixed by this book as a child.

So many good ones!!!

This poll has made me ridiculously happy. Regardless of voting outcome I will be there. You couldn’t keep me away in fact. 🤓

The Egypt Game! I just reread that one and it was as good as when I was a kid!

All these titles just tweaked another in my brain - did anyone else read The Doll by Cora Taylor?

I just ordered a used copy of Behind The Attic Wall because of this. Haven't thought about that book in years! 😭 looking forward to reading it again!!

The absolute HOLD that Wait Til Helen Comes had on my sister!! Def needs an ep

Hey, in other Abused Child Memoirs, did anyone read They Cage the Animals at Night as a kid? The author lived locally and did readings and book signings in my area all the time when I was in elementary school, but I was never sure if that book made any headway anywhere else.

This is so exciting and what an amazing list!!

Omg my entire childhood, this is so hard to choose.

Finding out that A Child Called It was faked was my original "you're wrong about" moment, and I so so hope it wins so Sarah can eviscerate it.

I LOVED A Little Princess but considering the grip A Child Called It had on society at the time, had to go with that

Tuck Everlasting!!! legit one of my all time favorite books

my teacher read a child called it to my class in middle school and those stories have stuck in my brain!! always wondered how much truth there is to the story.

Shocking how many of these are books I read to my son before bed.

I CANNOT WAIT to hear y’all’s take on Clan of the Cave Bear.

I saw Dave Pelzer speak and he’s WILD so that’s my vote.

At 12, I really thought “the true confessions of Charlotte Doyle” was the best book I’d ever read, and would ever read - it had such a chokehold on my life

Oh my god I didn’t even remember some of these till I read this list

Seems I can only pick one 🤔

I want to campaign for Clan of the Cave Bear!!

Oh my god, how am I to choose? You've got books I dearly love and books I love to hate and books I just passionately loathe! I don't know what to do!

I had to read my side of the mountain in sixth grade and I HATED it

I might be the only person who votes for Daughters of Eve, but as someone who especially adored this book and absorbed a crazy amount of Lois Duncan in elementary school... Fingers crossed!