The best books about amusement parks

Who picked these books? Meet our 36 experts.

36 authors created a book list connected to amusement parks, and here are their favorite amusement park books.
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Joyland

By Stephen King,

Book cover of Joyland

Mark Love Author Of Devious

From the list on contemporary cozy mysteries.

Who am I?

I’m a contemporary mystery junkie. Realistic tales always grab my attention. A touch of romance never hurts. In college, one professor suggested the old ‘write what you know’ approach. I don’t know everything, but I know what I like. Mysteries! I thrive on distinctive characters, those who are willing to put every effort into getting to the bottom of the situation. Sharp, tight dialogue and descriptions are essential. Give me that, and I’ll be back for more. This is my passion. Come along if you want a thrill and a surprise or two. 

Mark's book list on contemporary cozy mysteries

Discover why each book is one of Mark's favorite books.

Why did Mark love this book?

King and I share a love of mysteries. This beauty, set in the early 1970s, fits the bill for a cozy story. Teenagers working at the amusement park are just trying to make some money and get ready for college. But there’s an unsolved murder that captures their attention as well.

King’s ability to create great characters, both good and bad, has always been one of his many talents. That’s evident in this story and it pulled me in right from the start. This isn’t a traditional mystery, with experienced detectives chasing down leads. As with many of his stories, I’ve read this one more than once.

Joyland

By Stephen King,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Joyland as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A STUNNING NEW NOVEL FROM ONE OF THE BEST-SELLING AUTHORS OF ALL TIME!

The #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

Set in a small-town North Carolina amusement park in 1973, Joyland tells the story of the summer in which college student Devin Jones comes to work as a carny and confronts the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and the ways both will change his life forever.

"I love crime, I love mysteries, and I love ghosts. That combo made Hard Case Crime the perfect venue for this book, which is one of my favorites. I…


Slayground

By Richard Stark,

Book cover of Slayground

David Yurkovich Author Of Glass Onion

From the list on reads that stick with you long after you finish.

Who am I?

I’m a writer, editor, and publisher. As a child in the 1970s, I first discovered a taste for adventure stories in the pages of Marvel comics. This lead to a wider interest in fiction, particularly sci-fi, horror, and adventure tales. I believe one of the basic tenets to becoming a good writer is to read…a lot. I gravitate toward well-known but also lesser-known stories. My main criteria: is the writing engaging, does it inspire me to keep reading? As a writer, I ask myself these same questions about my work. The titles in this list are among the benchmarks I aim for when writing and editing. 

David's book list on reads that stick with you long after you finish

Discover why each book is one of David's favorite books.

Why did David love this book?

No one wrote crime stories like Donald Westlake.

During his lifetime, Westlake published over one hundred books. He wrote under several pseudonyms, the most well known of which was Richard Stark. Between 1962 and 2008, Stark penned twenty-four novels starring Parker, a smart, slick thief who pulled heists for big bucks.

In Slayground, we find Parker trapped inside an amusement park in the dead of winter following a botched armored car robbery. He needs to hide the stolen loot, make good his escape, and return later to pick it up. Problem is, he’s been spotted by crooked cops. Parker is soon hunted by members of a local mob who’ve figured out he’s carrying a lot of cash. Parker realizes his only chance for survival is to go on the offensive.

Unfortunately for the mob, it’s something he does better than anyone else. Stark writes Parker stories with a minimalist…

Slayground

By Richard Stark,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Slayground as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

By the time Richard Stark sat down to write "Deadly Edge" in 1971, he'd been chronicling the adventures of his antihero, Parker, for nearly a decade. But it turns out he was just warming up: the next three "Parker" novels would see Stark crank everything up a notch - tightening the writing, heightening the violence, and, most of all, hardening the deadly heister at the books' heart. "Deadly Edge" kicks things off by bidding a brutal adieu to the 1960s: Parker robs a rock concert, but the heist goes sour, and he finds himself - and his woman, Claire -…


Book cover of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

Jessica Speer Author Of BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends): A Girl's Guide to Happy Friendships

From the list on the ins and outs of friendship.

Who am I?

In my work and my writing, I love to explore what helps friendships thrive and what trips us up. My book BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends)? A Girls Guide to Happy Friendships grew out of a friendship program I ran for preteens. My second book, Middle School - Safety Goggles Advised grew out of the stories I heard after spending time in 7th-grade classrooms. As a child, I loved interactive books so I include activities like quizzes, choose-your-own-ending stories, and other ways to engage readers in my books. I have a master’s degree in social sciences and my latest books explore social-emotional topics in ways that connect with kids.

Jessica's book list on the ins and outs of friendship

Discover why each book is one of Jessica's favorite books.

Why did Jessica love this book?

This fun, heartfelt story is about a middle school girl, Aven, that was born without arms. When her family moves to Arizona, she has to start over and make new friends. Moving is challenging for any kid, but especially difficult if you are in middle school and look very different from your peers.

Aven is funny, authentic, and self-aware. Watching her navigate the challenges in her life is inspiring and encourages readers to question their assumptions and judgments about themselves and others. This story includes a mystery, some adventure, as well as a beautiful reflection on acceptance and friendship.

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

By Dusti Bowling,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The paperback edition of the bestselling middle grade novel about a spunky girl born without arms and a boy with Tourette syndrome navigating the challenges of middle school, disability, and friendship - all while solving a mystery in a western theme park. Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she'll have…


Native Tongue

By Carl Hiaasen,

Book cover of Native Tongue

Richard Audry Author Of The Karma of King Harald

From the list on mysteries to tickle your funny bone.

Who am I?

Since I was a kid, I've devoured books. But I have to be perfectly honest here and confess that my taste has always run to genre fiction. Mystery. Science fiction. Adventure. Fantasy. Suspense. That sort of thing. I’ve never been one for “serious” literature that addresses the miseries of modern life. Non-fiction, as well, is rarely on my reading docket. I prefer action…intrigue…humor. So when I started writing novels, that’s where I went. There are my three canine cozy mysteries, the first of which is noted below; and my historical mystery series. Under my real name, D. R. Martin, I wrote a ghost adventure trilogy. 

Richard's book list on mysteries to tickle your funny bone

Discover why each book is one of Richard's favorite books.

Why did Richard love this book?

If rolling on the floor laughing your ass off is your thing, then Carl Hiaasen is for you. This was my entry into whack-job Florida crime capers, and it still puts me in stitches.

The carousel of nuttiness starts spinning when two rare “blue-tongued voles” are nicked from Amazing Kingdom of Thrills, a low-rent theme park. Bouncing off each other is a crowd of madcap and/or menacing characters. The racketeer park owner. The two boneheaded thieves. An enviro-radical granny. An oversexed dolphin. A security chief hopped up on steroids. An actress who plays a goofy park critter. A gonzo former Florida governor turned eco-guerrilla. And, as the only normal person in sight, an ex-journo PR flak. Now, just climb aboard and hang on.

Native Tongue

By Carl Hiaasen,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Native Tongue as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a novel in which dedicated, if somewhat demented, environmentalists battle sleazy real estate developers in the Florida Keys.

"Rips, zips, hurtles, keeping us turning the pages at breakfinger pace." —New York Times Book Review

When the precious clue-tongued mango voles at the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills on North Key Largo are stolen by heartless, ruthless thugs, Joe Winder wants to uncover why, and find the voles. Joe is lately a PR man for the Amazing Kingdom theme park, but now that the voles are gone, Winder is dragged along in their wake…


Good Old Coney Island

By Edo McCullough,

Book cover of Good Old Coney Island: A Sentimental Journey Into the Past

Dawn Raffel Author Of The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies

From the list on historic Coney Island.

Who am I?

I’m the author of five books, the most recent of which is The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies. The “doctor” ran infant incubator sideshows for forty years at Coney Island (among other places) where the public would pay to view tiny preemies. Bizarre as it seems, and despite Martin Couney’s many fabrications, he was the rightful father of American neonatology, not only getting rich but also saving thousands of children when the medical establishment couldn’t or wouldn’t do it: Some of his patients are still alive. During my years of research, I needed to immerse myself in the history and culture of America’s trippiest, naughtiest seaside playground, with its amusement parks, freak shows, sideshows, hijinks, and hanky panky. (Sigmund Freud reportedly said that Coney Island was the only thing of interest to him in America). Along with many trips to Coney Island as it is today, including the Coney Island Museum, these were the books that really helped me feel it. 

Dawn's book list on historic Coney Island

Discover why each book is one of Dawn's favorite books.

Why did Dawn love this book?

First published in 1957 (and re-issued with a welcome epilogue by historian Michael P. Onorato), the book vividly portrays the storied seaside’s heyday. McCullough was Coney Island royalty: His grandfather was one of its earliest settlers, his uncle was among its greatest showmen, and his dad owned a dozen amusement-park shooting galleries. The family’s love of the place seeps through these pages (a sub-sub title reads “the most rambunctious, scandalous, rapscallion, splendiferous, pugnacious, spectacular, illustrious, prodigious, frolicsome island on earth”—which about sums it up).  Particularly moving is the heartbreaking fate of the show animals on the night of a tragic fire in 1911.

Good Old Coney Island

By Edo McCullough,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Good Old Coney Island as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Coney Island is more than a national institution: it was probably the most celebrated amusement resort in the world. This book, by a man whose family helped to build the Island's fantastic reputation, presents its lively and nostalgic history. Touched with sentiment, occasionally with acid, it is frank, outspoken, sometimes biting, but always imbued with humor.
This new edition of McCullough's book includes an introduction by Brian J. Cudahy, who has written extensively about New York's waterways and subways, and an epilogue by Michael P. Onorato, a retired history professor whose father managed Coney Island's famed Steeplechase Park from 1928…


Book cover of The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Liane Carmen Author Of When Wings Flutter

From the list on more behind the scenes in our lives than we realize.

Who am I?

From my term paper in 11th grade on Life After Death, I’ve always been fascinated with what happens when we pass away, reincarnation, and all things unexplained. After I lost a few important people in my life, I was more compelled than ever to find answers. A trip to a medium, who mentioned the challenges we’re meant to learn and the fact that we reincarnate with the same “soul family,” sent me off to the races reading every book I could find on the topic. What I uncovered left me wanting to tell a story of my own that would leave people wondering if there’s more than we realize—before, during, and after this life.

Liane's book list on more behind the scenes in our lives than we realize

Discover why each book is one of Liane's favorite books.

Why did Liane love this book?

From the moment I finished this slim little book, I knew it would live on my bookshelf forever.

It was one of the first books that had me thinking about an afterlife and how all the people we meet in our life are intertwined. I love the idea that there is a much bigger meaning to our connections.

Over the years, I have sent so many copies of this book to friends who hadn’t read it. It’s a story that’s meant to be shared.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

By Mitch Albom,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked The Five People You Meet in Heaven as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A STUNNING 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THE MASTER STORYTELLER'S INSPIRATIONAL CLASSIC

To his mind, Eddie has lived an uninspiring life. Now an old man, his job is to fix rides at a seaside amusement park.

On his eighty-third birthday, Eddie's time on earth comes to an end. When a cart falls from the fairground, he rushes to save a little girl's life and tragically dies in the attempt. When Eddie awakens, he learns that the afterlife is not a destination, but a place where your existence is explained to you by five people - some of whom you knew, others…


Roller Coaster

By Marla Frazee,

Book cover of Roller Coaster

Winsome Bingham Author Of Soul Food Sunday

From the list on children being unapologetic.

Who am I?

I write fiction and nonfiction. I tell the truth, but on occasion, I twist the truth to create entertaining stories to feed your soul like soul food Sunday. I write for kids: for the teeny tots and rebel rousers. Stories both short and long with characters brave, bold, and strong. Settings that transport you to a world so captivating, you don’t want to leave. My stories are like quilts, threaded with themes of love, hope, family, and food. They provide comfort, keeping you hopeful through times of despair. I handle your heart, mind, and soul with care. I love seeing children have agency on the page. I love that they do them, and they are unapologetic about what they do. 

Winsome's book list on children being unapologetic

Discover why each book is one of Winsome's favorite books.

Why did Winsome love this book?

This book is brilliant, and it was introduced to me by my therapist at the Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital. It is about the anxiousness and tension buildup of riding a roller coaster. I hate roller coasters. But Frazee’s beautiful illustrations show a diverse group of riders. I don’t think I see Black folks and ADOS folks on the pages of picture books just enjoying life. I think this is why it will forever be one of my TOP 5 picture books. No oppressive language. No stereotypes. No slave narrative. Just folks and their kids out to have a great time. To see this documented on the page is so special to me. And the illustrations. Man, those joyful illustrations give me life.

Roller Coaster

By Marla Frazee,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Roller Coaster as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From Caldecott Honor–winning author-illustrator Marla Frazee, a thrilling picture book that takes readers up, up, up to the highest point of a roller coaster, where no book has ever gone before! Wheeeeeeee!

This exhilarating amusement park visit begins with a line of prospective riders, eagerly awaiting their turn . . . with at least one person who has never done this before. Zooming, swerving, dipping, and diving, this delightful story featuring a breathtaking ride and a hilarious range of reactions, will help readers lose their roller coaster anxiety. Marla Frazee’s witty narrative and slyly building of tension delivers an experience…


Swamplandia!

By Karen Russell,

Book cover of Swamplandia!

Jill Hand Author Of White Oaks

From the list on Southern Gothic that are dark and twisted.

Who am I?

I’m a lifelong New Jerseyan married to a man whose family comes from Georgia. It gave me an opportunity to observe the white, Southern, upper-class weltanschauung, up close. To hear them talk, you’d think the Civil War had ended just a few days earlier, and if the Yankees had only respected states’ rights, none of that mess would have happened. My book is about a dysfunctional Georgia family who has far too much money than is good for them. Hijinks ensue.

Jill's book list on Southern Gothic that are dark and twisted

Discover why each book is one of Jill's favorite books.

Why did Jill love this book?

Amusement parks, and the people who work in them have always had a fond place in my heart. Growing up at the Jersey Shore, some of my earliest memories are of the carnival rides and the games of chance on the Boardwalk. One of my first “real” jobs during high school was working in a candy store on the Boardwalk. With the front door open to let in the ocean breezes and the sound of happy screams from the arcade next door, not to mention as much free candy as I could eat, it was the best summer job ever.

My summer experience working in the seasonal tourism industry made me intrigued by the exploits of the Bigtree family. They’re white people, originally from Ohio, who run a struggling Florida theme park on a 100-acre island in the Everglades, while pretending to be Native Americans. This is a bizarre, suspenseful,…

Swamplandia!

By Karen Russell,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Swamplandia! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New York Times Bestseller | Pulitzer Prize Finalist

"Ms. Russell is one in a million. . . . A suspensfuly, deeply haunted book."--The New York Times

Thirteen-year-old Ava Bigtree has lived her entire life at Swamplandia!, her family’s island home and gator-wrestling theme park in the Florida Everglades. But when illness fells Ava’s mother, the park’s indomitable headliner, the family is plunged into chaos; her father withdraws, her sister falls in love with a spooky character known as the Dredgeman, and her brilliant big brother, Kiwi, defects to a rival park called The World of Darkness.

As Ava sets out…


Jurassic Park

By Michael Crichton,

Book cover of Jurassic Park

MJ Howson Author Of Dawn of Eve

From the list on scaring and thrilling you without bathing you in blood.

Who am I?

I grew up reading Stephen King and Michael Crichton. That combination of horror and techno-thriller greatly impacted my writing style and genre. I love a page-turner and chapters that end with a cliffhanger. I love that creepy feeling of dread that washes over you when engrossed in a scary scene. I love when you put a book down for the night, turn off the light, and then wince when you hear a strange noise in the other room. I love a story that's so believable that you can't help but wonder, "Could this happen...maybe even to me?" If you do, too, you may enjoy my books.

MJ's book list on scaring and thrilling you without bathing you in blood

Discover why each book is one of MJ's favorite books.

Why did MJ love this book?

Jurassic Park was the first Michael Crichton novel I read. And yes, I read this way before they made the book into a movie.

There are two things Crichton does incredibly well. First, he researches the hell out of his stories. The golden rule of writing is never to write about what you don't know. Second, he takes a theoretical concept and makes you believe it could happen. He's able to do this because he followed rule number one.

The best stories, in my opinion, are the ones that you believe could truly happen. Crichton convinces you that dinosaurs are alive and carries that terror throughout the story. I do my best to inject this level of believability into all my books.

Jurassic Park

By Michael Crichton,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked Jurassic Park as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Crichton's most compulsive novel' Sunday Telegraph
'Crichton's dinosaurs are genuinely frightening' Chicago Sun-Times
'Breathtaking adventure. . . a book that is as hard to put down as it is to forget' Time Out

-------------------------------

The international bestseller that inspired the Jurassic Park film franchise.

On a remote jungle island, genetic engineers have created a dinosaur game park.

An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now one of mankind's most thrilling fantasies has come true and the first dinosaurs that the Earth has seen in the time of man emerge.

But, as always, there is a…


Sticky Icky Vicky

By Alysia Ssentamu, Michael Ssentamu, Noor Alshalabi (illustrator)

Book cover of Sticky Icky Vicky: Courage over Fear

Deanie Humphrys-Dunne Author Of My Life at Sweetbrier: A Life Changed by Horses

From the list on encouraging children to believe in themselves.

Who am I?

My parents encouraged me to become a children’s author when I was very young. At first, I thought that was the silliest idea ever, but I found creating stories to be fun and inspiring. I’ve been an award-winning published author since 2009, when I had an intuition to try writing stories for children. I love being a role model for children; someone who can show them that they can achieve much more than they imagine if they persevere. My personal story, My Life at Sweetbrier; A Life Changed by Horses, is a testament that remarkable things can be accomplished through perseverance. I’m honored my work has earned many literary awards. 

Deanie's book list on encouraging children to believe in themselves

Discover why each book is one of Deanie's favorite books.

Why did Deanie love this book?

Sticky Icky Vicky is an educational, entertaining, well-written book for children. The big, bright illustrations will help engage readers. They will want to know why Vicky is so terrified of water that she even hates bathing. What happened to make her fear water? How did Vicky overcome her fear? Readers will want to keep turning the pages to see how Vicky changes her thought process. What occurs in the story that helps Vicky make an important choice? Readers will cheer for Vicky as she tackles her fear.

Sticky Icky Vicky

By Alysia Ssentamu, Michael Ssentamu, Noor Alshalabi (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sticky Icky Vicky as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Meet Sticky Icky Vicky, a girl who wants to get over her fear—once and for all
In Sticky Icky Vicky: Courage over Fear, the first book in the Sticky Icky Vicky™ series, authors Alysia and Michael Ssentamu introduce readers to Vicky, a fun-loving girl who doesn't mind getting a little sticky and icky. She loves rolling down hills and playing in mud—but when it comes to water, Sticky Icky Vicky's fear prevents her from joining in the fun. Then Vicky gets an invitation for a waterpark party, and she decides that she really wants to go—even if it means ignoring…


Coney Island

By Michael Immerso,

Book cover of Coney Island: The People's Playground

Dawn Raffel Author Of The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies

From the list on historic Coney Island.

Who am I?

I’m the author of five books, the most recent of which is The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies. The “doctor” ran infant incubator sideshows for forty years at Coney Island (among other places) where the public would pay to view tiny preemies. Bizarre as it seems, and despite Martin Couney’s many fabrications, he was the rightful father of American neonatology, not only getting rich but also saving thousands of children when the medical establishment couldn’t or wouldn’t do it: Some of his patients are still alive. During my years of research, I needed to immerse myself in the history and culture of America’s trippiest, naughtiest seaside playground, with its amusement parks, freak shows, sideshows, hijinks, and hanky panky. (Sigmund Freud reportedly said that Coney Island was the only thing of interest to him in America). Along with many trips to Coney Island as it is today, including the Coney Island Museum, these were the books that really helped me feel it. 

Dawn's book list on historic Coney Island

Discover why each book is one of Dawn's favorite books.

Why did Dawn love this book?

Immerso’s book provided confirmation of a rumor I’d heard—that back in the late 1880s, the first thing a newly arriving immigrant making the transatlantic crossing would see wasn’t the Statue of Liberty—it was in fact Coney Island, and specifically the ridiculous edifice known as the Elephant Hotel. A bad idea from the get-go, the novelty, pachyderm-shaped hotel was converted into a brothel until even the hookers checked out and it burned to the ground.

Coney Island

By Michael Immerso,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Coney Island as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Coney Island was the uncontested epicenter of America's emerging mass culture. It was the quintessential American resort: the birthplace of the amusement park, the hot dog, and the roller coaster. Its history is one of breathtaking transformation and re-invention. Celebrated for its glittering amusement parks and its enormous crowds, it was in times past a mecca of grand hotels, race tracks, beer gardens, gambling dens, concert saloons, and dance halls. A new mass culture began to take shape there. Its harshest critics decried it as Bedlam by the Sea, but others deemed it…


Bared to You

By Sylvia Day,

Book cover of Bared to You

Christina Casino Author Of Unforeseen

From the list on throwing you directly into the character's shoes.

Who am I?

I enjoy writing fiction. I’ve never been drawn to one genre in particular so because of this my novels seem to fluctuate depending on the mood I am in when writing. I like the flexibility that self-publishing allows—being able to write in whatever genre I want. To not be bound to one. So far, I have written romantic suspense, crime thriller, and fantasy—with the hopes of one day soon writing a good horror story! I always dreamed of writing about the things that I would never see or never do and the things that are just not possible, I think that’s what keeps it exciting for me.

Christina's book list on throwing you directly into the character's shoes

Discover why each book is one of Christina's favorite books.

Why did Christina love this book?

So, I stumbled upon this book at the same time I was looking at the worldwide phenomenon Fifty Shades of Grey. This novel is for those who enjoy the erotica genre but without the bondage and flogging. It is an incredibly passionate story of falling in love with the enemy before falling into his bed. Bared to You will keep you up all night long just to keep turning the pages—incredibly emotional, fire-filled love scenes—the chemistry between the two is unbelievable! It’s a must-read!

Bared to You

By Sylvia Day,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Bared to You as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Bared to You will take you to the very limits of obsession - and introduce you to a hero you'll never forget . . .

One of the bestselling love stories of the century from the No. 1 bestselling Crossfire series
_______

Our journey began in fire . . .

Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness - beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white hot.

I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life.

I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me.

I was…


Hide

By Kiersten White,

Book cover of Hide

Sarah Gailey Author Of Just Like Home

From the list on for making you lose sleep.

Who am I?

I love books that keep me up at night. I'm constantly trying to get into a good, healthy bedtime routine—but I am also constantly sabotaging that effort by finding books that I simply can’t put down. The feeling of being drawn so deep into a story that the hours slip away is easily one of my favorite feelings in the world. I also love books that make me wake up in the middle of the night, books that slide into my brain and plant new ideas there. As an author, I am always striving to write those books. I can think of no higher compliment than “I stayed up all night reading it.”

Sarah's book list on for making you lose sleep

Discover why each book is one of Sarah's favorite books.

Why did Sarah love this book?

Hide feels like a book tailor-made to pull me in and refuse to let go. The pitch—a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek in an abandoned amusement park—is solid gold, and the book delivers so much more than it promises. With relentless, cutting-class commentary and a truly ferocious sense of clarity, Hide excoriates systems of exploitation with incredible efficiency. I found myself sneaking chapters wherever I could.

Hide

By Kiersten White,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hide as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A high-stakes hide-and-seek competition turns deadly in this dark supernatural thriller from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White, perfect for fans of Stephen King and SQUID GAME.

The challenge: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don't get caught.

The prize: enough money to change everything.

Even though everyone is desperate to win - to seize their dream futures or escape their haunting pasts - Mack feels sure that she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she's an expert at that.

It's the reason she's alive, and her family isn't.…


Coney Island

By Robin Jaffee Frank,

Book cover of Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, 1861-2008

Dawn Raffel Author Of The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies

From the list on historic Coney Island.

Who am I?

I’m the author of five books, the most recent of which is The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies. The “doctor” ran infant incubator sideshows for forty years at Coney Island (among other places) where the public would pay to view tiny preemies. Bizarre as it seems, and despite Martin Couney’s many fabrications, he was the rightful father of American neonatology, not only getting rich but also saving thousands of children when the medical establishment couldn’t or wouldn’t do it: Some of his patients are still alive. During my years of research, I needed to immerse myself in the history and culture of America’s trippiest, naughtiest seaside playground, with its amusement parks, freak shows, sideshows, hijinks, and hanky panky. (Sigmund Freud reportedly said that Coney Island was the only thing of interest to him in America). Along with many trips to Coney Island as it is today, including the Coney Island Museum, these were the books that really helped me feel it. 

Dawn's book list on historic Coney Island

Discover why each book is one of Dawn's favorite books.

Why did Dawn love this book?

Created in conjunction with a 2015 exhibition, this volume is a visual feast -- a tribute to the way Coney Island inspired artists and endures as part of the public imagination. Paintings, drawings, posters, artifacts, and photographs spanning 1861-2008 fill its pages; artists include Diane Arbus, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Red Grooms, and many others. Accompanying essays explore the seaside resort’s cultural significance.

Coney Island

By Robin Jaffee Frank,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Coney Island as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A captivating look at Coney Island and its iconic place in the history of American art

Called "America's playground," Coney Island is a world-famous resort and national cultural symbol that has inspired music, literature, and films. This groundbreaking book is the first to look at the site's enduring status as inspiration for artists throughout the ages, from its inception as an elite seaside resort in the mid-19th century, to its evolution into an entertainment mecca for the masses, with the eventual closing of its iconic amusement park, Astroland, in 2008 after decades of urban decline. How artists chose to portray…


Someone Builds the Dream

By Lisa Wheeler, Loren Long (illustrator),

Book cover of Someone Builds the Dream

Colleen Paeff Author Of The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem

From the list on the infrastructure of our cities.

Who am I?

I never thought much about what makes our cities habitable until I started doing research for The Great Stink. But learning about sewers and wastewater treatment (They’re surprisingly interesting!) turned out to be the beginning of a fascination with other types of city infrastructure that I had previously ignored. Kids have a natural fascination for infrastructure of all kinds, but I was surprised when I couldn’t find any lists of picture books that group different types of city infrastructure together. So, I made one. I hope you and your little ones like these books as much as I did, and I hope you find many similar books to enjoy!

Colleen's book list on the infrastructure of our cities

Discover why each book is one of Colleen's favorite books.

Why did Colleen love this book?

What I love about this book is that instead of focusing on the engineers, architects, artists, and other high-profile designers who tend to get the credit for creating so much of what we see in our cities–it focuses on the laborers who take their plans and make them a reality. Someone Builds the Dream will get kids (and their parents) thinking more about the building process and the people who spend their days putting together the parts of the many buildings, bridges, fountains, and other structures that come together to create a city. Young children will love the rhyming text and older ones will find much to wonder about as they scan the vibrant illustrations.

Someone Builds the Dream

By Lisa Wheeler, Loren Long (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Someone Builds the Dream as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

All across this great big world, jobs are getting done

by many hands in many lands. It takes much more than ONE.

Gorgeously written and illustrated, this is an eye-opening exploration of the many types of work that go into building our world - from the making of a bridge to a wind farm, an amusement park, and even the very picture book that you are reading. An architect may dream up the plans for a house, but someone has to actually work the saws and pound the nails. This book is a thank-you to the skilled women and men…


Three Years in Wonderland

By Todd James Pierce,

Book cover of Three Years in Wonderland: The Disney Brothers, C. V. Wood, and the Making of the Great American Theme Park

David A. Bossert Author Of Claude Coats: Walt Disney's Imagineer: The Making of Disneyland from Toad Hall to the Haunted Mansion and Beyond

From the list on Disney from a Disney historian.

Who am I?

I'm a student of animation and Disney history. As a Disney historian, I find much joy in writing the stories that intrigue and peak my curiosity. Stories that haven't been told or explored in-depth are exciting to bring to life because readers are hungry for new information on the Disney universe. And so am I. In choosing my writing projects it's important that no one else has written more than a cursory amount or nothing at all on the subject matter. I equally like to read books that shed new light on topics that I’m interested in and doing so in an authoritative voice. I hope you will enjoy the selection of books listed here.    

David's book list on Disney from a Disney historian

Discover why each book is one of David's favorite books.

Why did David love this book?

This is an excellent book on understanding how Disneyland developed and some of the crazy things that Walt Disney was advised to do for his theme park. What I love about this book is the full behind-the-scenes look at how Disneyland came into being and the philosophy behind the decisions that were made in those early years.   

Three Years in Wonderland

By Todd James Pierce,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Three Years in Wonderland as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

While the success of Disneyland is largely credited to Walt and Roy Disney, there was a third, mostly forgotten dynamo instrumental to the development of the park - fast-talking Texan C. V. Wood. Three Years in Wonderland presents the never-before-told, full story of ""the happiest place on earth."" Using information from over one hundred unpublished interviews, Todd James Pierce lays down the arc of Disneyland's development from an idea to a paragon of entertainment.

In the early 1950s, the Disney brothers hired Wood and his team to develop a feasibility study for an amusement park Walt wanted to build in…


Book cover of The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife

Abie Longstaff Author Of The Trapdoor Mysteries: A Sticky Situation

From the list on middle grade books of magic and adventure.

Who am I?

I am the oldest of six children – all girls! I used to make up imaginary worlds for my little sisters. We’d steal clothes from Mum and Dad for dressing up; we’d pull all the cushions off the sofa to make a show; we even used to put ribbons on the poor dog. Nowadays I write books with magic and fairy tales and adventure. I write for the child inside me; the child that loved an exciting, fantastical story. I have written over 50 books for children from picture book to middle grade, and I still love inventing imaginary worlds.

Abie's book list on middle grade books of magic and adventure

Discover why each book is one of Abie's favorite books.

Why did Abie love this book?

Magic comes in many forms and the version in this book is fast, funny, and modern. Scarlett has trouble controlling her emotions – something children will really connect with – but whenever she tries to push her feelings down, they find a very clear way of bursting out. Maz Evans knows how her readers think and speak: the dialogue and setting feel so alive and authentic; and she knows what makes them laugh.

The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife

By Maz Evans,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Scarlett Fife has BIG feelings. And she's about to get into BIG trouble. From the bestselling Maz Evans comes a heartfelt and hilarious new series, perfect for fans of Roald Dahl's Matilda.

'A laugh-out-loud story full of warmth, Big Feelings and explosive results.' Dominique Valente, author of Starfell

'So funny, you'll explode with laughter' Sam Copeland, author of Charlie Changes into a Chicken

Scarlett Fife has BIG FEELINGS. And when she has BIG FEELINGS, they explode out of her like an over-squeezed stress ball.

Scarlett's in big trouble after a BIG FEELINGS episode leads to a runaway hamster getting into…


Wolf Land

By Jonathan Janz,

Book cover of Wolf Land

Yawatta Hosby Author Of Urban Legends

From the list on being terrorized by things that go bump in the night.

Who am I?

Hola, I’m Yawatta Hosby, and I have an open mind about monsters, ghosts, and urban legends. I believe they’re real, especially the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot. Earth is too big to only have humans. I have a passion for the topic being terrorized by things that go bump in the night. My book, Urban Legends, plays into that theme. October, the spooky season, is my favorite. Halloween is my favorite holiday. Every year, I watch a horror movie every day for 31 days straight. I also love reading horror books and researching urban legends. I’d like to think I’m an expert in horror, but it could all be in my head haha.

Yawatta's book list on being terrorized by things that go bump in the night

Discover why each book is one of Yawatta's favorite books.

Why did Yawatta love this book?

I loved how I got fooled into thinking someone was the main character, but he got an untimely end at the beginning of the book. It was refreshing to see the author not afraid to have a surprising twist. This werewolf story held my interest from chapter one to the end. The author never sugarcoated the werewolf’s victims, describing every tear from limb to limb. He wasn’t afraid to make the story as scary as possible. No room for interpretation–the original werewolves were clever hunters and definitely villains. The bonfire scene was very creepy, in a good way.

Wolf Land

By Jonathan Janz,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Wolf Land as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"...this is what werewolf horror is supposed to feel like: gruesome, bloody, dark, angry, messy, and downright terrifying." - Howling Libraries
Aside from a quaint amusement park, the small town of Lakeview offers little excitement for Duane, Savannah, and their friends. They're about to endure their ten-year high school reunion when their lives are shattered by the arrival of an ancient, vengeful evil.
The werewolf.
The first attack leaves seven dead and four wounded. And though the beast remains on the loose and eager to spill more blood, the sleepy resort town is about to face an even greater terror.…


Disney After Dark

By Ridley Pearson,

Book cover of Disney After Dark

Richard W. Kelly Author Of The Psi-Chotic Adventures of Drew Darby

From the list on fantasy more fun than just dragons and sorcery.

Who am I?

Although I write in many genres, fantasy was my first love in reading. I fell in love with the possibilities of a boundless world. And as the years went on, I realized that fantasy could be more than just dragons and sorcery. Fantasy was this big umbrella that housed all the impossible dreams. So, I gravitated toward the genre. I also have an affinity for fun things. I don’t like to be sad, so I prefer movies, music, games, and books that revolve around fun and humor.

Richard's book list on fantasy more fun than just dragons and sorcery

Discover why each book is one of Richard's favorite books.

Why did Richard love this book?

If there is something I love outside of writing it is Disney. I won’t try and convince anyone these are great works of literature, but they do an amazing job of making the Disney magic come to life.  

Ever since I went to Disney World for the first time I imagined what it would be like to work there. To see the park at night with no one in it. To be alone in all that magic. So, when I read Disney After Dark I felt like a little kid having his ideas put to paper.  

Disney After Dark

By Ridley Pearson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Disney After Dark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Five young teens tapped as models for theme park “guides” (using a new hologram technology developed by the Disney Imagineers) find themselves pitted against Disney villains and witches that threaten both the future of Walt Disney World and the stability of the world outside its walls. Featuring a new cover design and additional content!