One of my favorite books of all time, "The Handmaid's Tale," presents a dystopian future in which the United States government is taken over by a far-right religious faction.

Men loyal to the cause are given positions in the government. Women, on the other hand, are limited in their options — they can be Marthas, Wives, Handmaids, or Hookers with few exceptions. Government officials and their wives need handmaids because of a population crisis in which most women are unable to conceive.

The book tells the story of one Handmaid, her confined life, and how she arrived at this point. Beautifully written, this book is as relevant today as when it was written.

The first "big book" I read in high school, and I've been a big reader of Anne-Marie MacDonald ever since (check out "The Way the Crow Flies" as well). This story is one of like D.H. Lawrence's The Rainbow, in that it takes the reader back through generations to tell the story of a family. The characters all have their flaws, and the father can't seem to control his daughters (which is absolutely a good thing and makes for some interesting plot). There's also a fantastic play on "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen." A tale of finding yourself — a great read for people who love storytelling. The first sentence will pull you right in.

If a girl finds this book in her hands at the right time, it will change her life. She will devour all eight of the books in the series, act out the crucial scenes with her best friend, and know how cool it is to be the smartest kid in the room. She might even take a trip to Prince Edward Island, so she can see where it all happened. (Not that I know anything about that.) Anne is an eleven-year-old orphan who loses herself in books to escape her life's hardships. When she is finally, accidentally, adopted by Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, they don't know what to do with this loving, strange girl whose romantic spirit gets her in trouble wherever she goes.