There are certain books. We all have them. They’re the one’s that spring into your mind when someone asks you what you like to read. They’re the ones that impact you profoundly and just sort of linger in your mind. The ones that transport you to an exciting setting and make you forget your troubles for a few hours. The ones that keep you up when you’re supposed to be asleep.

You know what I’m talking about. Every reader has certain books. Tear-stained, worn and torn, sitting on that special shelf so everyone can see. Well, these are mine. These are books that I would recommend without any hesitation.

(Just a note, I’m excluding series from this list as I’m focusing on stand-alone books although some of the books mentioned do have sequels.)

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre is the story of a girl named (what do you know) Jane Eyre. The story follows a big part of her life; from when she lived with her horrible aunt and cruel cousins, to her time at Lowood school, and finally to Thornfield where she is a governess.

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite examples of great fiction in general. When I think Jane Eyre, I think about my memories of when I was Jane Eyre, because it’s always been a very vivid book for me. I hear ghostly howls, I see flames, I remember a certain nighttime garden proposal more vividly than many of my own memories. I think about injustice, hope, and disappointment. I think about love and resilience despite circumstance.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys classic literature or would like a good story. It’s not for everyone (almost no book is), but it is certainly worth giving a try.

2. The BFG by Roald Dahl

On to some lighter reading! Ronald Dahl is one of my favorite children’s authors and besides "Charlie and the Chocolate factory," "The BFG" is the book that made me fall in love with his writings. And yes, I still love his books to this day. As my boy, C.S. Lewis, once said, “No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.”

"The BFG" (short for Big Friendly Giant) is about a little girl named Sophie and her friend/kidnapper who happens to be a giant. The BFG is actually very small compared to the other giants, monstrous bullies that eat people. Together, Sophie and the BFG stand up to the bone-crunching giants and stop them once and for all.

This story is gloriously whimsical. It’s full of words you won’t find in a dictionary. It’s full of very silly, but very wondrous things. It’s about standing up to bullies and collecting dreams.

I would recommend this one for kids and for any human because we’re all kind of kids no matter how grown up we get. And I kind of prefer not growing up anyway.

3. "Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie

Speaking of not growing up…

"Peter Pan" is a story we’re all familiar with. A girl named Wendy and her brothers fly away with Peter Pan, a boy from Neverland who never grows up. There are Lost Boys and pirates and all sorts of adventures.

"Peter Pan" was a book I wanted to read slowly and savor. It’s so much deeper than the versions most of us know. J.M. Barrie had a wonderful imagination and it really shows in "Peter Pan."

There is so much thought on the nature of childhood and growing up in this book. It’s beautiful, joyous, and sad all at once. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This book is for remembering childhood fondly and having wild, wonderful adventures.

4. "The Blue Castle" by Lucy Maud Montgomery

If you have never read anything of L.M. Montgomery’s I would definitely suggest you do. "Anne of Green Gables" and "The Story Girl" are some of my favorite stories, but I’m going to suggest a book that I read more recently. It just nestled into my heart and became mine.

"The Blue Castle" is one of L.M. Montgomery’s only books written for an adult audience. It’s about Valancy Stirling, a girl who lives with a very judgmental and overbearing family. After being diagnosed with a terminal condition, Valancy decides to live her life just exactly how she pleases.

The book is hilarious, heart-warming, and altogether lovely.

5. "The Secret Garden" - Francis Hodgesen Burnett

I read this book close to the time I read "The Blue Castle" and I just fell in love with it. It’s another one of those books that became very close to my heart.

Burnett books are meant to be for children, but "The Secret Garden" is a book I would recommend to anyone. It’s about a recently orphaned, spoiled child named Mary Lennox. She moves into her uncle’s giant home on the moors of Yorkshire. There she meets a boy named Dickon who has an odd knack for growing things and befriending animals and a boy named Collin who challenges her own stubbornness with a strong will of his own.

This book’s about healing and growing. It’s about the magic of nature. It’s about leaving our dark room, going out into the sunshine, and getting stronger together.

This book is great for making your heart feel all warm and sunny. It’s wonderful for all ages and I’d highly recommend it.

So there you have it, five books that come to mind immediately when I’m asked to recommend books. Every reader’s list is a little different and every reader experiences a book differently, but one of my favorite things about reading is hearing different opinions from all sorts of people.

So feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think about these books or what your own top five would be!