Saved by the Page — Books that saved them

A Walk to Remember

Contemporary & romance

• № 1Nicholas Sparks’s novel, found on Zoe Allyn’s bed after her memories of abuse resurfaced. Jamie showed her she was not broken.
• № 1She still owns it and finds a new lesson on every reread.

The Martian Chronicles

Fantasy & science fiction

• № 2Ray Bradbury’s collection, met in a 1992 paperback, filled a hole Lynn Glass didn’t know existed; she collected copy after copy.

Harry Potter

Fantasy & science fiction

Also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Deathly Hallows

• № 3The fantasy Elizabeth Sagan tried and failed to give up.
• № 8A teacher pressed it on Michelle L. Villa; it helped her become “the girl who lived.”
• № 10Bought for Aurora Dominguez by her uncle Angel Aguilar Jusino. Also central to Ulysses Guerra (№ 16) and read by Elyse Reye (№ 5) and Isabelle Armstrong (№ 7).
• № 16J.K. Rowling’s series; Ulysses Guerra began with book three by mistake.
• № 39Came right after Tolkien for J.D. Netto; AlyMarie Fox tried rewriting it with an alter ego (№ 36).

Dragonlance

Fantasy & science fiction

• № 5A fantasy series and its offshoots that Elyse Reye lived through during her recovery.

Stephanie Plum series

Mystery & thriller

Also known as One for the Money

• № 6Janet Evanovich’s series, sent by Aunt Shari to Nicole M. Bohr in hospital; she stayed up giggling at 3 a.m.
• № 6Its first book, One for the Money, is her treasured item.

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Fantasy & science fiction

Also known as A Court of Wings and Ruin, ACOTAR

• № 7Its heroine Feyre Archeron comforted Isabelle Armstrong.
• № 29Sarah J. Maas’s trilogy. Jennifer Cazey Daniels read A Court of Wings and Ruin in the hospital during her mum’s cancer treatment and tattooed a line from it.

Goosebumps

Childhood reads

• № 8Found in the school library at eight, it gave Michelle L. Villa her first escape.

Finding Audrey

Contemporary & romance

• № 9Sophie Kinsella’s novel, bought on impulse by Kathryn M. Banks; its heroine faced the same struggles she did.

The Hunger Games

Fantasy & science fiction

• № 12Made Kendra Olson fall in love with dystopia.
• № 13Among the books Lilly Santiago read before City of Bones.

The Maze Runner

Fantasy & science fiction

• № 12James Dashner’s books; Kendra Olson had never related to a character more than Newt.

Red Rising

Fantasy & science fiction

• № 12Pierce Brown’s series, picked up by Kendra Olson at Comic Con at thirteen. “That series changed my life.”

City of Bones

Fantasy & science fiction

Also known as The Mortal Instruments, Shadow World

• № 13Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter novel shaped Lilly Santiago.
• № 19Gave H.B.D. confidence while she struggled with her sexuality.
• № 32Clary’s courage helped Audra Fetherolf leave an abusive relationship.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians

Fantasy & science fiction

Also known as The Lightning Thief

• № 13Read by Lilly Santiago.
• № 42Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief turned Emilie Messavussu from hating books to loving them.

Paper Towns

Contemporary & romance

• № 18John Green’s novel taught Alex that people are just people, not expectations.

Openly Straight

Contemporary & romance

• № 18Bill Konigsberg’s novel taught Alex not to be ashamed of who he is.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Contemporary & romance

Also known as Ari and Dante

• № 18Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s novel taught Alex not to be ashamed of what or who he loves.

Kissing Kate

Contemporary & romance

• № 20A lesbian romance Katherine Sorensen found in Teen Fiction; it started her journey to coming out.

Fifty Shades of Grey

Contemporary & romance

• № 21E.L. James’s novel. Reading it, C.A. Thomas found her mind quiet for the first time.

Anne of Green Gables

Classics & poetry

• № 22Told to Jenna Van Mourik by her grandmother; she could later reread it without crying.

The Secret Garden

Classics & poetry

• № 22Read to Jenna Van Mourik by her grandmother.

Little House on the Prairie

Classics & poetry

• № 22Read to Jenna Van Mourik by her grandmother, who helped her dress up as Laura Ingalls.

Twilight

Contemporary & romance

• № 26Gave Shannon Rose Lee a reason to look forward to living from 2006 to 2012.

The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe

Classics & poetry

Also known as Annabel Lee

• № 30In it Ashlyn Cowart found “Annabel Lee” after losing her best friend.

Delirium

Fantasy & science fiction

• № 33Lauren Oliver’s novel, lent by a best friend, made Barbara Kljaić a reader; she read its sequels in English.

Nancy Drew

Childhood reads

• № 36The mysteries AlyMarie Fox tracked clues for as a child.

The Chronicles of Narnia

Fantasy & science fiction

Also known as Narnia

• № 24Its magical wardrobe gave Jessica Shelley hope.
• № 38C.S. Lewis’s opening lines were Ana Paula Camacho Perez’s first words read alone.
• № 39Followed Tolkien in J.D. Netto’s reading.

Jurassic Park

Fantasy & science fiction

• № 2The first book of Lynn Glass’s senior-high reading class; she was written up for reading ahead.
• № 39Michael Crichton’s novel, found in a thrift store by J.D. Netto, who didn’t know it was a book.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Classics & poetry

• № 39Mark Twain’s novel, found alongside Jurassic Park by J.D. Netto.

The Lord of the Rings

Fantasy & science fiction

• № 39J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece; reading it in 2002 made J.D. Netto feel “completely sane.”

The Bell Jar

Classics & poetry

• № 41Sylvia Plath’s novel helped Abby Moeller recognize and heal from grief.

Empire of Storms

Fantasy & science fiction

• № 44Sarah J. Maas’s novel gave Yesenia M. Collado a reason to keep living.

King Lear

Classics & poetry

• № 2William Shakespeare’s play; Lynn Glass shocked a parental figure by reading it.

The Crystal Cave

Fantasy & science fiction

• № 2Mary Stewart’s novel, read in Lynn Glass’s literary class.

The Whispers of the Fallen

Fantasy & science fiction

• InJ.D. Netto’s novel; its book tours introduced him to the readers who inspired this anthology.