And Though She Be But Little

And Though She Be But Little

• Mar 11, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they post a new topic/top ten list and invite everyone to share their own answers. I'm so obsessed with lists - so it makes perfect sense that I'd love this feature!

Sometimes, topics like this week's are a real challenge for me. They are so open - with so many choices available - that it's hard for me to choose something that I can easily narrow down to just ten books and not seem completely repetitive from week to week. So, I thought it would be fun to focus my list a little more instead of just choosing a genre. And that's how I ended up with:

Top Ten Favorite (Childhood) Classics With Young Heroines

1. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett 

Orphaned, spoiled, prickly little Mary Lennox. She's the kind of heroine that you just want to shake but also just really love. She moves to Misselthwaite Manor after the death of her parents, and who could expect the change she'll bring to the place? The garden Mary discovers slowly becomes a place of beauty - a transformation that takes place in the hearts of the characters, too.

2. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I like Mary Lennox, but I love Sara Crewe. I have to be honest and tell you that part of it is probably because I adore the movie version of this book. Just like with books, I rarely cry when watching movies. But something about this movie makes me cry every single time I watch, even though I know the tearjerker moment is coming. So, I think that's made me love this book just a little bit more. Either way, I love this story about a girl who becomes destitute after the death of her father but manages to retain her cheerful spirit despite her loss. 

3. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Does this one count? I think it does because Fern is important in the story, even if Wilbur and Charlotte kind of steal the show. Only a book like this could make me love three things I'm inclined to dislike in real life: spiders, pigs and rats. I love this story of friendship! This was a favorite growing up, and I keep meaning to sit down for a long overdue re-read.

4. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

I first read this book in high school, and I absolutely fell in love with Francie Nolan. She felt real to me! This coming-of-age tale just worked its way into my heart, and I've had a soft spot for it ever since. I love how it can be both utterly heartbreaking and absolutely delightful. And I can't even tell you how many things I highlighted in it! Seeing Francie discover the world around her and face the harsh reality of it just felt so honest and relatable. Even though my childhood was nothing like hers, there was something about this book that makes you feel like you understand Francie. I love the hope that infuses this book!

5. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I read this book for the first time in 2012, and I was completely amazed by the fact that I hadn't read it before. It was so up my alley - how did I miss this growing up?! Written as Cassandra Mortmain's journal, I fell in love with her voice and the way she described the world and people around her. As I wrote in my review: "She charms you and disarms you with her thoughtful (and often comical reflections)." It's a book that I wasn't sure whether I should be happy I finally discovered it or mad that it took me so long to find it! Either way, I can't get enough of I Capture the Castle and see myself re-reading for years to come.

6. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This was never my favorite of the Little House books, but I think you've got to start with the first in the series for a list like this one. What little girl didn't grow up reading about Pa, Ma, Laura, her sisters, and Almonzo? Okay, I know plenty of people didn't read these as a child, but they definitely seem like rite of passage reads. I loved how aspects of history came alive through the pages of these books! Homesteading seemed so adventurous but also so dangerous, and I loved this little family so much for the way they faced all the challenges that came their way.

7. The Betsy-Tacy Treasury by Maud Hart Lovelace 

I didn't remember this series as clearly as the Little House and Anne books, so I decided to re-read them all again last year. To say that I fell in love would be a total understatement! This is a ten-book series, and I actually like the later books (when Betsy is in high school and beyond) better than the first four. But I figured I should highlight the series beginning in this post! Anyway, Betsy Ray is one of the best heroines - flawed but admirable - surrounded by an amazing family and incredibly friends. Also, Joe Willard. DUH.

8. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Listen, you should have expected to see Anne Shirley on this list. I cannot get enough of this character! This is one of the books (and series) that made me reader growing up, and I love returning to this feisty heroine again and again. I know so many people who only read the first book, but I really love the entire series. It's so wonderful to watch Anne grow up! I think this is probably my favorite series ever, so you should definitely check them out if you haven't already fallen for this red-headed snippet!

9. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery 

Okay, I'm totally cheating with this book! Majorly. Valancy Stirling is 29, and her "old age" is one of the things that precipitates the novel's action. So, she's not a young heroine, but this is my list and I wanted to push this book... so you'll have to get over it. Aside from the Anne books, this is probably my favorite book by Montgomery. It's such an excellent read, and I wish it got more attention! This has long been one of my favorite books from Montgomery, and I can't recommend it enough.

10. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I think this is the perfect book to wrap up this list! I'm never sure if I read the book or saw the movie first. Sometimes, I think I must have seen the movie first because I remember being surprised by some of the things that happen in this classic novel. It's not because the movie changed stuff, but I just remember reading it and thinking that things are fleshed out so much more over the many pages in this book. These four sisters were some of my very favorites, and I know it's one of the reasons I love reading stories involving sisters even today. There's such a richness in that relationship!