Page-turning Classics to Read This Spring

Since the early years of childhood, I have always loved to explore new worlds through the pages of fascinating stories. Even today, although I don't read as often with other ongoing projects, I still consider myself an avid reader who is passionate about exceptional literature. Thus, I have prepared a small collection of ground-breaking novels that are ideal for middle-grade readers and young adults, alike. The following books are purely chosen based on my opinion, as I have read and cherished all of the aforementioned books, and I hope to share these amazing stories with the world.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

In a gloomy town called the Protectorate, citizens live in eternal sadness, for every year the youngest child is sacrificed to the witch in the woods, presumably to die. One day, a young girl is left by the leaders of the town, and is collected by the witch, like every child who has been sacrificed. However, contrary to the townspeople’s beliefs, the witch is actually a gentle, kindly woman named Xan, who carries the children to happy towns on the other side of the forests. This year, the girl is taken across the woods by the witch and given starlight, as all other children are. But when Xan accidentally feeds her moonlight, she fears the child may become unpredictable and decides to raise her as her grandmother, giving her the name Luna. As the years pass, Luna’s moonlight magic becomes unstable, and as her thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to overflow with fickle surges. Luna also begins to find out who she really is, and the secrets her grandmother has been keeping her entire life. As a dangerous enemy reemerges, and a deadly volcano threatens to destroy the world, will Luna be able to embrace her magic, truly find herself, and save everyone she loves, before it is too late?

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance are simply a few children each with varying backgrounds and individual talents. One day, they are united by a man named Mr. Benedict, who provides a series of exams designed to recruit children with unique intellectual abilities. Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance are the only children who pass and they quickly become valuable friends within their exclusive society. However, the lives of these resourceful children are soon hurdled into jeopardy as they must proceed in a classified mission to discover the source behind strange entrancing subliminal messages that have been broadcasted worldwide. To accomplish such, The Mysterious Benedict Society must infiltrate the facility where the messages have been broadcasted; a vice institution disguised as a prestigious academy, run by the malicious Mr. Curtain. The kids all discover dangerous secrets in the academy, and in themselves as they overcome struggles to blend in with the rest of the students and contemplate on their own identities and true intentions. With perplexing riddles and clues awaiting every corner, will these exceptional children be able to figure out the answers to their questions, and to each other? In The Mysterious Benedict Society, an unlikely band of heroes will solve a series of puzzling mysteries and rise against a cruel entity that threatens to rob the truth from society.

My Experience Reading These Stories

Both The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart and The Girl Who Drank The Moon are books that I have re-read and cherished for years.

I initially began reading The Girl Who Drank The Moon during the early summer of 2020, and finished it later during that same summer, after we had relocated to a new house. I was astonished at how layered the fantasy was, and how the gripping and eventful the plot and sequence of the story united. Complete with memorable characters, the story shifts perspectives and blends into an unforgettable story. The Girl Who Drank The Moon is by far my favorite fantasy novel, and is amongst the most classic stories I have ever explored. After all of these months, I still fondly write about the book and occasionally review glimpse into the story, once again. I would highly recommended The Girl Who Drank The Moon by Kelly Barnhill for whoever wishes to embark on a compelling journey.

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a book that lives within me every day, and is unboundedly one of the most profound novels I have ever read. My journey within the society began on Christmas Day of 2020, when I was gifted a book series titled The Mysterious Benedict Society, and once I began reading, I was engrossed in the story, with all of its descriptive details and thought-provoking themes. Within a month, I had read all four layered volumes of the series, and by February, I began to explore the prequel, The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict. Although I found each book in the series intriguing, my favorite volume was the first novel, followed by the prequel, which offers a glimpse into Mr. Benedict's early life. Currently, I am watching The Mysterious Benedict Society series, which is based on the first two books and is available on Disney Plus. So far, I am enjoying the series, although the original books reign supreme, and I would advise one to only watch the show upon relishing the vast collection of The Mysterious Benedict Society.