Lists about novelists, poets, short story authors, journalists, essayists, and playwrights, from simple rankings to fun facts about the men and women behind the pens.

People Who Write

These are things that make America great. Get in the spirit and vote!

USA! USA!

America

Who are <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-americans-ever/jacariah?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the greatest American</a> authors of all time? In just two short centuries, the great U.S. of A. has produced an incredible number of writers that have influenced literature and art the world over. This list includes great American novelists, poets, the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-playwrights-ever/ranker-books" target="_blank">best playwrights</a>, and writers in the all genres of fiction and nonfiction alike. What American writers did you read in school and actually like? While most kids in this country are assigned works by top novelists like Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway, many don't truly love to read until their teen years, when they first find less traditional writers like J.D. Salinger or Kurt Vonnegut. Others are swept away by authors as varied as Stephen King, Harper Lee, or good ol' Dr. Seuss.Who are the greatest American authors? This list include writers in all mediums, both living and deceased. Maybe your all-time favorites include poets like Emily Dickinson or Robert Frost. If your tastes are more for the pictures, you may consider Mel Brooks, Quentin Tarantino, or even Wes Anderson among the top American screenwriters. Other authors on this list have created some of the most beloved and widely read series in history, including Louisa May Alcott and George R. R. Martin.The greatest American writers are some of the tops in their fields, producing some of the best novels, essays, films, short stories, stage plays, and poems of all time. While many have stood the test of time and are firmly represented in the literary canon, it remains to be seen whether more contemporary&nbsp;American authors of the 21st Century will be remembered in decades to come. Vote up your the absolute best, and please add any famous American authors that are missing.

Ernest Hemingway

The Greatest American Writers of All Time

Writer

Top American Authors | List of Best Writers and Novelists from the US

Ranker Books

Ranking the best novels and non-fiction books of every genre.

Bibliophilia

Ranking, deconstructing, and thinking about movies based on books, TV shows based on comics, plays based on cartoons, musicals based on toys, etc.

Great Adaptations

Entertainment

Here is a list of the best movies based off books, voted on by cine-bibliophiles everywhere. Many movies are based off of books but whenever a new <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movie-endings-better-than-the-book/elle-tharp" target="_blank">movie based on a book</a> comes out there is an endless amount of whining about how Hollywood isn&#39;t original and why can&#39;t they write their own stories? That&#39;s simple, it&#39;s because these amazing stories are already written and Hollywood has the means to bring them to life, and sometimes they do it better than even your imagination thought possible&nbsp; (then again, sometimes they simply <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/books-that-deserve-better-movie-adaptations/charley-ruddell" target="_blank">can&#39;t do the original book justice</a> or were <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tv-shows-adapted-from-both-movies-books/ranker-tv" target="_blank">later also adapted into TV shows</a> to continue the story or do it better). It&#39;s no surprise that <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-based-on-classic-literature/nydahmad" target="_blank">popular movies</a> are often inspired by classic literatures and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-inspired-by-paintings/megan-summers" target="_blank">works of art</a>, but which one is the best?

This list looks at the films based on the books - novels, literature, or nonfiction - that made you want to reread the book, started endless <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-that-changed-the-ending-of-the-book/tracey-graham" target="_blank">&quot;which was better the movie or the book&quot;</a> debates, made you squeal with delight that you pictured it that way in your head, and just blew your frickin&#39;&nbsp;mind.

What are the best movies based on books? Vote on the top movies based on books and share this with your friends to get their opinions, too!

Want to vote on more lists about book adaptations? Check out this list of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-film-franchises-based-on-books/ranker-film" target="_blank">film franchises based on books</a>, and our roundup of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/authors-who-loved-movie-adaptations-of-their-books/jim-rowley" target="_blank">movie adaptations that the book authors loved</a>.

The Green Mile

The Best Movies Based On Books

Film

Best Movies Based on Books | List of Top Cinematic Adaptations of Novels

Ranker Community

poll

List of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-writers-of-all-time/ranker-books?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best authors of all time</a> as voted on by normal, book-loving people. For this list, we will consider writers who are mainly novelists.&nbsp;Many of the people included on this list are famous authors who wrote popular books; others may not be as well-known, but are masters of their craft.&nbsp; The <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-selling-fiction-authors-of-all-time/walter-graves?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">most popular authors</a> are ones that have somehow enriched our lives. J.D. Salinger gave us Holden Caulfield and the term &quot;phony,&quot; James Joyce introduced us to stream-of-consciousness prose and Carson McCullers immortalized the misfits and outcasts of the U.S. South in the first half of the 20th century.The best writers are ones that changed the literary landscape in some way, introduced an iconic character, experimented with form and style and captured our imagination with their language.While lists of &quot;best novelists&quot; are often attempted by individuals, they can be easily disputed because they often amount to no more than one person's opinion. Since this Ranker list is crowdsourced and open to voting, it benefits from the collective wisdom of many rather than the whims of a few.&nbsp;Feel free to vote on this list of top authors, add some that may have been left off, or ReRank this list entirely.&nbsp;

Miguel de Cervantes

The Best Novelists of All Time

Best Novelists of All Time | List of Top English Language Writers

The opening lines of a novel can prove crucial, and many authors spend an inordinate amount of time considering how their books will begin. From Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities&nbsp;to Melville's Moby Dick, often the opening sentence or two of a book will become the most frequently quoted and iconic passage from the entire novel. This list has the best novels with great first lines, bound to make the best impression on readers.&nbsp;These books of fiction are well known for their opening lines. The authors know that books don't just need a great story, there also needs to be something that draws in the reader. The opening line is that hook and the books on this list all have intriguing, interesting, and unique opening sentences.This is a list of the greatest novels with the best introductory text, including world literature (with an emphasis on English literature), from throughout history, with <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/memorable-oscar-moments/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the most memorable</a> and significant beginnings. Vote up the most memorable first lines from fiction below.Source: American Book Review&nbsp;

The Catcher in the Rye

Famous Novels With The Catchiest First Lines

Book

Opening Lines | List of Books with Great First Lines

Info Lists

Ranking the best YA series and coming-of-age novels. 

Literature for Little Adults

Here is a list of the best movies based on young adult literature written by some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-young-adult-authors/book-keeper">best young adult writers</a>. These films were all inspired by or adapted directly from novels written for a young adult or teenage audience. Many of these books are widely regarded as &quot;classic children&#39;s literature&quot; that has been popular and even assigned to students in schools for decades. Others - such as recent hit films like The Hunger Games&nbsp;and the Harry Potter series - are based on newer works that have become important cultural phenomena in the past few decades. Some of the most popular, beloved, and <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-highest-grossing-movies-of-all-time/polkadotking">highest grossing movies</a> of recent Hollywood filmmaking, in particular, originated in stories from young adult books.

The massive success of The Hunger Games&nbsp;- which scored one of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/biggest-opening-weekends-for-superhero-movies/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">highest opening weekend</a> totals in US box office history - has inspired other studios and filmmakers to look to young adult literature for ideas, and a number of other YA books are already set to be adapted in the coming years. (For example, Orson Scott Card&#39;s sci-fi thriller Ender&#39;s Game&nbsp;has long been considered for a big-budget film version.) Many of these YA books, like Harry Potter, take place in <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-of-the-fantasy-worlds">magical and fantasy worlds</a>, making the stories even more compelling on a big screen. A few young adult book adaptations came out to considerably less fanfare, such as the first release from the ongoing Percy Jackson&nbsp;series - The Lightning Thief&nbsp;- but these are widely seen as exceptions rather than the rule.

This list compiles the best films ever made based on books for young adults. Be sure to vote for your favorites and move them up the list. Check back for new movies based on YA novels as they are released.

The Best Film Adaptations Of Young Adult Novels

The Best Movies Based On Young Adult Books, Ranked

List of some of the best American novels from classic writers, like Nathaniel Hawthorne, to more modern names, like Stephen King, with room for the list to grow. There is an option to add your favorite American novels to the list if yours is not already on there. The list asks the question, &quot;What is the best American novel?&quot; with novels from William Faulkner, Toni Morrison, Philip Roth and Nathaniel Hawthorne, plus many more that have written great American novels since then. More modern American novels are included, such as The Road by Cormac McCarthy and The Stand by Stephen King, which may be more familiar. American novels can represent the spirit of the age in the United States during the time it was written or the time it was set in. The American novel is written by those who are knowledgeable about the state, culture and even the perspective of those during that time. Some of these best American novels may have also been on the reading curriculum in school, like Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien or To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Be sure to vote not just on your favorite authors, but on your favorite novel of all time, as some authors may be listed twice for other novels that are considered the best.

Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

The Greatest American Novels

Best American Novels | List of Top Works of Fiction by American Authors

Books

The best memoirs throughout literary history have managed to both educate and entertain readers over the years. They have introduced characters as compelling as any work of fiction - the world is able to know Elie Wiesel, Anne Frank, David Sedaris, and Maya Angelou through the pages of their famous memoirs. What are the best memoirs of all time? This list of popular memoirs includes literary works of art that provide historical accounts and biographies that were written from personal knowledge of historical accounts. The thing that sets a top memoir apart from other literary works such as biographies or autobiographies is that it includes the personal experiences and first-hand accounts of the author. For example, Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl only discusses key experiences she lived through during the Holocaust, and the effects it had on her as a child. In contrast, an autobiography will cover the entire span of the author’s life, such as The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams. Such works of literary will be a broader-focused perspective of an author’s life experiences instead of a more narrowed, single approach to a historical event. Both memoirs and autobiographies are true because they discuss true events that the author experienced or were a part of in some way. There are many different genres of memoirs that discuss a variety of topics. For a lighthearted read, Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom is one of reader’s top picks. If you’re looking for a more serious approach, consider Corrie Ten Boom’s The Hiding Place.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

The Best Memoirs Ever Written

The Best Memoirs Ever Written | Famous Nonfiction Life Stories

The best autobiographies ever written include memoirs by famous historical figures, authors, politicians, celebrities, and more. This list includes a wide variety of books that are considered autobiographical, including <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-2010s-autobiograpies-memoirs/ranker-books" target="_blank">more recent memoirs</a>. Which one is the best? That&#39;s for you to decide, with votes of course. Some of the books listed here have proven to be <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/books-that-changed-my-life" target="_blank">life-changing reads</a>. If you are an avid reader of autobiographies, you&#39;ll likely recognize a vast majority of the books listed here. If one of your favorites is missing, by all means, please do add it to the list. Those of us who love reading a beautifully written autobiography will be grateful!

When talking about the best-written autobiographies ever, any list would be woefully incomplete without Anne Frank: &#39;The Diary of a Young Girl,&#39; as well as &#39;The Autobiography of Malcolm X&#39; and Frank McCourt&#39;s heartbreaking (and humorous) memoir &#39;Angela&#39;s Ashes.&#39; These books are not only notable autobiographies, they are certainly among the best <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/non-fiction-ebooks/barbara-gaston" target="_blank">non-fiction eBooks</a> ever.

Not all of the best autobiographies ever written are dark and serious. Some manage to mix an ample amount of humor in. Tina Fey&#39;s brilliant &#39;Bossypants&#39; and Steve Martin&#39;s &#39;Born Standing Up: A Comic&#39;s Life&#39; are excellent examples of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/must-read-books-by-stand-up-comedians/therealdunndeal" target="_blank">must read books by stand up comedians</a>. FYI: You don&#39;t necessarily have to spend a small fortune to purchase these best autobiographies ever written. Some of them are available as <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-free-ebooks/barbara-gaston" target="_blank">free ebooks</a>, or even <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-biography-audiobooks/ranker-books" target="_blank">as audiobooks</a> so be sure to check before you shell out a ton of money. If you&#39;re a reading fanatic, you might also like this list of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/autobiographical-novel-books-novels-and-stories/reference" target="_blank">famous autobiographical novel books</a>, as well as this list of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/20-must-read-books" target="_blank">top must-read books of all time</a>.

The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly

The Best Autobiographies Ever Written

Best Autobiographies Ever Written | Top Autobiography List

Buster McDermott

As Emily Dickinson famously said, &quot;There is no Frigate like a Book / To take us Lands away,&quot; but sometimes you get halfway there and are all &quot;Frigate, WTF, where are we even going?&quot; There are some books that you will just never finish, no matter how many times you try. Maybe the authors of these hardest books to read are laughing at all of us right now, or maybe they didn't even mean to make the book so tough, but here we all are, slogging through these book swamps, trying to figure out what the hell James Joyce is even on about with Ulysses.Hard books to read run the gamut. Some are just too long, like War and Peace. Others are just perplexing and no one will ever know what's really going on in them, even that kid in your Honors College literature class who thinks he is so cool. Still others of the most difficult books ever written aren't even really that complicated, they just happen to be as boring as listening to anyone, anywhere, at anytime, talking about traffic.What books have you put down after just one chapter? What books sit proudly on your shelves, 90% unread because life is more than sticking it out with a book that is just too much? Sure, a lot of these books you are never going to actually read are classics, written by famous authors and some of the most influential <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-writers-of-all-time/ranker-books?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">writers of all time</a>, but let's get real, Jonathan Franzen, there aren't enough hours in the day to wade through The Corrections.Upvote the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/novels-based-on-comic-books/walter-graves?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">books and novels</a> below that you have sidelined for whatever reason and be sure to add any great books you have started, and then immediately been like, &quot;NOPE.&quot;

The Bible

Books You'll Never Finish Reading

Hardest Books to Read | List of Books You'll Never Finish

Amy Boal

There&#39;s something about the written word that feels super satisfying when adapted to the screen and this list of the best TV shows based on books ranks television adaptations of novels from best to worst based on your votes. Even as more and more people are complaining about sequels and reboots and re-imaginings at the movies, it&#39;s the <a href="/list/best-years-for-tv-shows/loganrapp?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">golden age of television</a>, with <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tv-and-movies-you-didn-t-know-were-based-on-books/brent-sprecher" target="_blank">awesome shows inspired by books everywhere you look</a>. The small screen has the benefit of being much more long-form, and therefore a great place to showcase something based on a book or series of books. With television adaptations of books you have the ability to learn love and live with characters for the long haul, just as with a novel or series of novels.&nbsp;

Naturally, as TV has been around for quite some time, there have been great book adaptations throughout the years. There have also been plenty of books adapted for TV in the form of miniseries or TV movies, but that&#39;s another list and you won&#39;t find them here (otherwise Band of Brothers would most certainly have made the cut). Instead, we are just focusing on traditional TV programs that are based on or inspired by books from genres like <a href="/list/best-fantasy-shows-based-on-books/ranker-tv" target="_blank">fantasy</a> and <a href="/list/best-sci-fi-shows-based-on-books/ranker-tv" target="_blank">sci-fi</a> to mysteries, historical classics, and more.

Fun fact: Game of Thrones isn&#39;t the only good TV show based on a book streaming on the airwaves!&nbsp; Be it current and recent shows like Nancy Drew or The Magicians, critically acclaimed shows that have ended such as Boardwalk Empire and Orange Is the New Black, a show that started out amazing while it was based on its book series... then derailed (Dexter), or a classic TV show you might not have realized was based on a book at all (M*A*S*H*), this list has them all. What it doesn&#39;t have are <a href="/list/best-comic-book-superhero-shows/ranker-tv" target="_blank">comic book adaptations and superhero TV shows</a>. This list is all about novels, book series, and short stories. Even teen and <a href="/list/young-adult-fiction-series/ranker-books?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">YA book series</a> - like the two times the Melinda Metz Roswell High book series has been adapted - count, as do <a href="/list/tv-shows-adapted-from-both-movies-books/ranker-tv" target="_blank">shows that are based on books and movies,</a> or that continue telling a book&#39;s story past the movie adaptation. Some shows, like Shadow and Bone, combine multiple books from the same universe into one TV series.

These are the best shows based on books to ever air on television! Vote up the best of these shows below - whether because they nailed the adaptation or because they were top-notch, quality programming in their own right.

The Best TV Series Based on Books

TV Program

The Best TV Shows Based on Books, Ranked By Fans

Ranker TV

Next on your reading list: something from this list of the best Pulitzer Prize-winning novels. These are essentially the greatest books of fiction in the history of literature. Are you looking to buy a collection of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-books-of-all-time-_fiction_?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best novels of all time</a>? According to the most prestigious prize out there, this list contains every single book deserving of such a title. Men and women can read these Pulitzer Prize winners to bed every night. Some of them are even appropriate for young adults or even younger, such as Harper Lee's famed To Kill A Mockingbird.Speaking of Mockingbird, you will notice something interesting as you peruse this list of the best Pulitzer Prize-winning novels of all time. So many of these winners for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction have been turned, or are currently being turned into, major motion pictures. It is clear that movie producers in Hollywood know when there is a good story that could garner critical claim with an adapted screenplay.This list of all novels that won the Pulitzer Prize includes beloved classes like The Color Purple, The Old Man and the Sea, and Lonesome Dove. Other newer titles on the list, like Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier &amp; Clay and Jerry Eugenides's Middlesex are prime examples of modern literature that you should add to your book collection - if you haven't already. This Pulitzer Prize fiction list is guaranteed to keep your turning pages all day long.

The Reivers (1963)

The Best Pulitzer Prize Winning Novels

Best Pulitzer Prize Winning Novels | List of Books That Won the Pulitzer

Graphic Novels

A list of the best graphic novels and collected editions (trade paperbacks). The best graphic novels and collected editions are generally fan favorites and regarded highly by readers and collectors of graphic novels. If you're looking to read graphic novels that will keep your head in the pages long after you've stopped reading, these are some of the greatest graphic novels and collected editions to check out.This list includes some of the best graphic novels for kids and teens, the top graphic novels for adults, and some collected editions for any age. Some of the greatest graphic novels, like Watchmen, have become some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-superhero-movies-ever-made">best superhero movies</a> and the Hollywood obsession to turn graphic novels and collected editions into franchise movies. For the purposes of this list of the best graphic novels and collected editions, multi-volume works with a clear beginning and end should be treated as one entry. Adaptations should generally be omitted. If you don't see your favorite graphic novel or collected edition on the list, feel free to add more so other collectors and new readers can get dialed in to what you think the top graphic novels are. And once you do add your choice for greatest graphic novel, make sure to vote it up so it gets to the top of the list of the greatest graphic novels and collected editions.

V for Vendetta

The Greatest Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

General

Popular Opinion

Need a good read? Take a look at this&nbsp;list of the best must-read books of all time, suitable for every one of all ages, creeds and color. Featuring the newest YA novels reviewed by <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-book-review-youtube-channels/youtuber" target="_blank">popular literary channels on YouTube</a>, these are the novels, autobiographies, and short books that you should consider when you ask yourself, &quot;What book should I read next?&quot; If you somehow made it through school without reading the classic - or you're still in school - be sure to check them out to expand your literary horizons.An eclectic mix that does not cater solely to the sensibilities of the literati, culturati, illuminati or even paparazzi. With some hidden gems in here, it's a great list to consider when looking for something to read next. &nbsp;&quot;Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are&quot; is true enough, but I'd know you better if you told me what you reread' - Fran&ccedil;ois Mauriac. Give fellow voters the best tips you can on the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-books-of-all-time-_fiction_?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">top books of all time</a> that they must read by voting on your personal favorites and downvoting those you didn't enjoy.&nbsp;

Don Quixote

The Top Must-Read Books of All Time

Best Reads: The Top Must-Read Books of All Time

Lists for fans who have already read every book, seen every movie, and then read / watched them all several more times each.

Going Deep in Harry Potter

Harry Potter

It&rsquo;s been decades since the world was introduced to Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, the author who created his magical world. Since the conclusion of the book series, Rowling has had time to ponder that world and offer some new insights about her Harry Potter characters and storylines. What tidbits and cold hard truths has J.K. Rowling revealed since the final book was released? What&#39;s going on over at Pottermore? What should you know about Potter and all his pals that wasn&#39;t in the books?

Rowling has revealed a range of Potter details for fans to devour. On her website, Pottermore, Rowling continues to share Potter trivia, post-series information, and character backstories with a tidal wave of dissection at every single reveal. If you haven&#39;t checked it out, Pottermore is an amazing resource.&nbsp;

And while ending the Harry Potter series was sad, it was also a bit of a relief for Rowling. &quot;It was this amazing cathartic moment... the end of 17 years&#39; work,&quot; Rowling said. But with Pottermore, a 2016 Harry Potter play, and constant, rabid response to the world she created, Rowling will never abandon Harry. &ldquo;He will always be a presence in my life, really.&quot;&nbsp;

Rowling has said she may eventually reveal more details in a Harry Potter encyclopedia, but even then, it will never be enough to satisfy the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/hardcore-hip-hop-bands-and-musicians/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword" target="_blank">most fervent</a>&nbsp;fans. &quot;I&#39;m dealing with a level of obsession in some of my fans that will not rest until they know the middle names of Harry&#39;s great-great-grandparents,&quot; she said.&nbsp;But the author is just fine with the outpouring of devotion for all things Harry Potter. &quot;I love it,&quot; she said. &quot;I&#39;m all for that.&quot;

J.K. Rowling's Post-Books Reveals About Harry Potter

JK Rowling Pottermore Revelations | New Harry Potter Info

Lisa Waugh

High School

The start of each school year brings a new round of required reading for students. Not every book speaks to everyone, but at one point over the course of your schooling, the stars align and you&#39;re assigned great books that were required reading. We all had weeks in middle school or high school when we primarily relied on Cliff&rsquo;s Notes to prep us for our reading quizzes, but every once in a while you would actually have time to read the assigned books and maybe you found yourself completely engrossed.

For instance, you may have grumbled about cracking open your copy of The Great Gatsby, but after those first few chapters, you found yourself captivated by the destructive decadence of the era and the mystery surrounding Jay Gatsby and his past.

You knew To Kill a Mockingbird was an important book, but until you read it, you never realized how culturally relevant it was - not until you read words like, &ldquo;You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.&rdquo;

While The Great Gatsby and To Kill a Mockingbird might not be a the top of your list of required reading books you enjoyed, one of the many books listed below might.

You can also find movies based on these book on this list of the best <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-based-on-8th-grade-books/ranker-film" target="_blank">8th-grade book adaptations</a>.

Romeo and Juliet

Required Reading That You Actually Ended Up Loving

Great High School and Middle School Required Reading Books

Tamar Altebarmakian

Nothing inspires growth and development quite like reading (and being read to). Here are lists of the top children's fiction and storybooks to line your child's bookshelf.

Books for Growing Minds

Parenting

What are the best Dr. Seuss books? Every book written by the brilliant Theodor Seuss Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) is a wonderful book. Seuss penned, and illustrated, many of the greatest children's books of all time. They are excellent <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-books-to-read-to-your-kids" target="_blank">books to read to your kids</a>, too. Everyone, it seems, has at least one favorite. What is yours? Vote for the Dr. Seuss books you like the most, and feel free to re-rank this list in any order you choose.At what age do kids begin reading Dr. Seuss books? Many parents start reading Seuss books to their children before the kiddos even know how to read. The books are whimsical, lyrical and a truly wonderful way to introduce kids to the magic of reading, after all. Dr. Seuss's nursery collection books are some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-board-books/dad-of-the-year" target="_blank">best board books for babies and toddlers</a>.As kids learn to read, they'll likely love tackling some &quot;grown up&quot; hardcover Dr. Seuss books. They might already be familiar with the stories, and they'll love the familiarity. Dr. Seuss's greatest books, including The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and certainly Horton Hears a Who! are all worth revisiting, time and time again. When is the best time for a child to read Dr. Seuss? Any time. Green Eggs and Ham, for example, is without question an <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-books-for-first-graders/dad-of-the-year" target="_blank">excellent book for first graders</a>, but some younger children might be ready to read it much earlier.It's really hard to pick favorites when it comes to Dr. Seuss books, but let's give it a try: Vote for the best, vote down any books you don't like and yes, add any that might be missing, too. After you're done voting, head on over and check out the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-board-games-for-kids-7-12/dad-of-the-year" target="_blank">best board games for kids aged 7-12</a>!

The Butter Battle Book

The Best Dr. Seuss Books

List of the 60+ Best Dr. Seuss Books of All Time

Stan Holton

Book lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for top 10, best of, funny, or factual lists of any kind - see how everything ranks

Book lists on Ranker

Top Book Lists: Top 10 Books/Literature Lists and Articles

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Elizabeth Bennet

Matilda

Jane Eyre

The Lord of the Rings

The Harry Potter Series

The Wheel of Time

Nineteen Eighty-Four

The Hobbit

Lists about the most memorable fictional characters in film, TV, and literature that will stick in our minds forever.

Characters We'll Never Forget

Female Characters

Some of the greatest characters in literature are women and girls, but which ones are the very best?&nbsp;From the evil to the undeniably perfect, the always strong to those who those who <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fictional-characters-who-never-give-up/ranker-characters" target="_blank">never give up</a>, these are the greatest female characters from literature of all genres. This list includes the best female characters of all ages, like the youthful girls Matilda (Matilda) and Hermione Granger (Harry Potter) to the ever-so-adult Evelyn Couch (Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe). We&#39;re even ranking <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fictional-characters-who-are-immortal/ranker-characters" target="_blank">immortal female characters</a>, like Galadriel from Lord of the Rings and the goddess Athena you read about in Greek mythology.

Why do female literary characters stay with readers long after they&rsquo;ve finished reading the novels these characters are featured in? Often, it&rsquo;s due to the intimacy with which readers have come to know a character. Jane Eyre (and all of her desires and feelings), for example, becomes so real to readers that they feel as if they&rsquo;ve met and understood this amazing female character. So many people relate to fiery, independent Jo March that her marriage at the end of Little Women feels like a betrayal - something <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/jo-professor-bhaer-relationship-little-women/bailey-brown" target="_blank">the 2019 film adaptation addresses head-on</a>.

Other times, readers love female characters in literature because of the audacity of their actions. Scarlett O&rsquo;Hara (Gone with the Wind) was exceedingly bold for a woman of her time, while Madame Defarge (A Tale of Two Cities) is an exemplar of tireless villainy. Some of the most popular female literary characters manage to embody both wholesome and defiant, becoming reflections of the complex nature of women.

For the wide range of personality traits we find in these <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-female-tv-characters-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">great female characters</a> (and the audacious actions they&rsquo;ve performed), these women have earned their titles as the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-female-movie-characters/ranker-characters?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best female characters</a> in literature. They may be young or old, charming or black-hearted, but they are all memorable. Whether you love them or love to hate them, all the famous fictional heroines are here in this list of the best female characters in literary history.&nbsp;

The Greatest Female Characters in Literature, Ranked

Fictional Character

The Best Female Characters in Literature, Ranked by Readers

Lists about the wizarding world that captured the imaginations of children and adults alike and forever changed the way we view owls, brooms, and round eyeglasses.

The Universe of Harry Potter

The best <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/harry-potter-characters?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Harry Potter</a> books are those favorite books from J.K. Rowling that chronicle the story of the young wizard Harry Potter and his crew of friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It’s hard to pick a favorite among the seven books in the best-selling book series in history but that won’t stop us from ranking all the best Harry Potter books below.Starting with the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone&nbsp;(or Sorcerer's Stone, in the U.S.) released in 1997, the Harry Potter franchise has become more than a household name. It quickly became one of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-profitable-movies-of-all-time/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the most profitable</a> empires in history. Between the hundreds of millions of books sold to the immensely popular film series and all of the tie-in merchandise and even a theme park that followed, Harry Potter is quite the big deal international phenomenon.So how do we rank the best to worst Harry Potter books? That’s a really good question. Some may adore the final book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, while others might be more in favor of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which sold nine million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.However you rank the top Harry Potter <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/top-ten-best-fantasy-novels-or-best-fantasy-series/dragolite?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">fantasy novels</a>, whether you’re a fan of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets or Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, or all of the above, rank them all right here!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

All Harry Potter Books, Ranked Best to Worst

Best Harry Potter Book | All Books Ranked

This is the ultimate list of the best novels of all time, which is based on influence, originality, popularity, and personal affections. You can make the case for many books to be on this list, but only a few can be considered the best novel ever written. For as long as books have been around, there has been debate amongst book enthusiasts over what truly is the best book ever. The one criteria on this list is that we are only taking fiction books into account. Anything should not be on here.Classics like Victor Hugo's Les Mis&eacute;rables, Herman Melville's Moby Dick, Charles Dickens' Tale of Two Cities and John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath are all on here and deservedly so as they've stood the test of the time and have become important pieces of literature. That's not to say that modern books are neglected, in fact, they're well represented as well. Recent classics like J. R. R. Tolkien's <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unscripted-lines-in-lord-of-the-rings/tpetersccc?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Lord of the Rings</a>, Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, Thomas Pynchon's Gravity Rainbow and Stephen King's The Waste Lands are on here.It's up to you to vote on or even add a book that isn't on this list. Otherwise, decide what the best book of all time is by voting up&nbsp;what you think is a worthy choice.

The Best Novels Ever Written

Best Books of All Time | List of Greatest Fiction Novels Ever Written

Lists about films, TV series, novels & series, anime, and other media that explore imaginary universes and the characters and forces that live inside them.

What's Your Fantasy?

A votable list of the all-time best fantasy book series, ranked by readers of fantasy fiction. Of fantasy books, readers can expect an intricately-created <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-best-of-the-fantasy-worlds">imaginary world</a> with its own culture, history and rules of engagement.&nbsp;The setting of most popular fantasy book series is internally consistent or self-coherent, where inspiration from mythology or folklore remains a consistent theme. 
 
Most <a href="/crowdranked-list/best-fantasy-authors">authors of the top fantasy books</a> use magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary plot element, theme, or setting. In the structure of a good fantasy book, the fantastical element of the story can be anywhere: the story may occur entirely in a fantasy world (like J.R.R. Tolkien&#39;s Lord of the Rings series) or fantastic elements like magic can exist alongside an apparently real world setting (as in the seven Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling). Fantasy follows rules of its own making, but the great fantasy books are consistent with the rules that they lay out for themselves. In the best fantasy books, the reader suspends disbelief and loses himself in the imaginary world of the book.

Some of the fantasy book series included in this list are of the grand epic fantasy genre, some are more character-driven fantasy or coming of age tales, some may be simply fantasy that&#39;s part of a series. Vote up your favorites to determine the best fantasy series of all time. And if we missed any epic tales you love, be sure to add them to this list of the best fantasy book series. Then, check out the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-fantasy-books-2019/ranker-books" target="_blank">best new fantasy books</a> - many the start of series that may soon be new favorites.