I know we've had some discussions in the past about recommended reads, and I know I'm not the only bookworm here, so I'm interested in hearing about what others' favorite books are.

For me, my "favorite" books are those that stick with me throughout the years. (I'm *very* much a repeat reader, so I usually have my nose in my favorite novels at least once a year.) Basically, if I had to pare my book collection down to just a few, these would *have* to make the list.

If I could only read one book for the rest of my life, there's no question that it would be Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. I borrowed it from my grandparents' bookshelf when I was 13, and it's consistently been my favorite ever since. I love the way that sensitive, dark topics are treated seriously but realistically given the time period in which the novel is set, as well as the fact that the narrator is a child.
I would seriously consider Atticus, Scout, or Dill as prospective names for future pets, too.

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and also Persuasion would be included, as would Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South and of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. The Secret Garden, Little Women, several Madeline L'Engle young adult novels, and Anne of Green Gables were childhood favorites that still remain on my bookshelf.

Books that joined my favorites list a little later in life include Billie Letts' Where The Heart Is, John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley, Father Melancholy's Daughter by Gail Godwin, and Open House by Elizabeth Berg. I adore many of Barbara Kingsolver's novels, and it's a toss-up between The Bean Trees and Animal Dreams for my favorite.

I love Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody mysteries (waves to Celia!) and the first of the series, Crocodile on the Sandbank, would have to make my list, with He Shall Thunder In The Sky a close second.

Okay, readers - what makes your "favorite" list?