Calendar Girls September: Best Novel Set in School

Last month my Calendar Girls pick came so far out of left field that only one person had ever even heard of it. (Which honestly was one more person than I was expecting!) This month my choice is so obvious that I will be shocked if I’m the only person who picks it. It’s so obvious that I tried for weeks to think of another book just so I wouldn’t be so obvious. But it won’t do, this one is the best.

So without further ado, my favorite book set in a school is…

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

If you haven’t been dreaming of getting your Hogwarts letter for years and years, I can only assume you … a) are lying or b) haven’t read Harry Potter.

Hogwarts is such a wonderful place to set a book for kids! It’s a school setting, so it’s familiar in that way, but it’s so magical and absolutely captures the imagination. From the magical classes (can I pleeeeaaase take charms???), to the moving staircases, and the ghosts and Peeves that are just part of a normal day, Hogwarts is so unique and fun!

The four houses have become so iconic. Even people who haven’t read the books or watched the movies often know which Hogwarts house they are in. It’s such a cool concept, the sorting, that it’s sort of become a part of popular culture. Soooooo many YA books have attempted to imitate it in some way or other, but no one has ever quite managed something that WORKS the way the Hogwarts houses do.

Then, of course, there is the sheer brilliance of the story. Rowling’s writing is both quick-witted and enchanting. She creates a tale of good vs. evil epic enough to take its place in history, while also writing a simple story about a lonely kid that children and adults all over the world identified with. Harry learns about friendship, love, how to ride a broomstick, and so much more.

There’s a reason that even though the last book was published over a decade ago this fandom is still going strong. There is no doubt in my mind that history and fans with both remember Harry Potter, and I know I’ll continue to read and re-read the series until I’m too old to see. I love this book.

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Back to School
Best Novel Set in School

Our Picks

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – Katie @ Never Not Reading
Etiquette & Espionage – Adrienne @ Darque Dreamer Reads
A Great and Terrible Beauty – Astrid @ Follow the White Whale
Big Little Lies – Lucinda @ Lucinda is Reading
Keeper of the Lost Cities – Carolina @ Fictionologyst
The Cruel Prince – Plot Monster
Fangirl – Samantha @ Modern Witch’s Bookshelf
American Panda – Flavia @ Flavia the Bibliophile
Nevernight – Shanah @ Bionic Book Worm
Eliza and Her Monsters – Dani @ Mousai Books
Heart on a Chain – Sophie @ Beware the Reader
By Your Side – Krista and Dawlyn @ Little Blind Book Finds
Fangirl – Lindsey @ Lindsey Reads

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Calendar Girls is a monthly blog event created by Melanie at MNBernard Books, and Flavia at Flavia the Bibliophile, and is now be hosted by me (!), Katie and Adrienne at Darque Dreamer Reads. It is designed to ignite bookish discussions among readers, and was inspired by the 1961 Neil Sedaka song, Calendar Girl.

Just like the song, each month has a different theme. Each blogger picks their favorite book from the theme, and on the first Monday of the month reveals their pick in a Calendar Girls post. Make sure to post back to the hostess’s post, and I will make a master list for the month. The master lists allow everyone to see the other Calendar Girls’ picks and to pop on over to their blogs. Thus, we all get to chat about books and even make some new friends!

Check in next week for our October theme! :*

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