Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren, 1950

What's not to like about a child with invincible strength, a fortune in gold pieces, no parents to give her pesky rules, and no social inhibitions? That's what Tommy and Annika think, and everyone who's ever read Pippi is bound to agree. Her unfettered impulsivity, wild exaggerations, and eccentric ways are perfectly balanced by the leisurely, episodic pace of the book -- something I rarely see in contemporary titles. Always strongly recommended for a genial visit to my own childhood, where reading Pippi never failed to satisfy.