The following are a varied selection of books (mostly fiction, unless otherwise noted) that have inspired and influenced me along the way. Some of these are classified as "young adult" fiction, but are certainly worth the read. I also have included my favorite series of children's books. Simply click on the link to view more information on the book or purchase it at amazon.com. (I have forgone the cover images to save space). Most of these books have sequels, or the author has produced a great deal more work. I just wanted to provide a sampling to get you started.

Monica Furlong

Juniper and Wise Child are two wonderful young adult fiction books that I have always loved. They very much contain airs of Traditional Witchcraft intertwined within magickal, yet practical tales.

J K Rowling

Back when I moved to California, I needed a distraction to deal with the move, so I bought the first 3 Harry Potter books, and I think they certainly deserve to be here. (And just recently finished book 5, great stuff!) A really fun series for both children and adults.  Not much to do with the actual religion of Witchcraft (despite the bitching from the fundies), but nonetheless a wonderful and whimsical read!

Chaim Potok

The Chosen and My Name Is Asher Lev are just two examples of amazing works from this Jewish scholar. You may be surprised that I have two books on Judaism on this list. I have long admired the Jewish faith, and Chaim Potok is simply a master of the human soul. The latter book in particularly is a must-read for all artists. I read it at least once a year.

Marion Zimmer Bradley

The Mists of Avalon (Ballantine Reader's... I really can't say enough about Mists. Incredible work...every woman should read this book. It is the retelling of the Arthurian Legends from a woman's point of view, and goes deeply into Paganism. Other good books by Bradley include "The Inheritor", the Ghostlight series (Witchlight, Gravelight..),and "Firebrand."

Mercedes Lackey

The Serpent's Shadow is one of the newest books out by Lackey. Most people probably aren't surprised that she's on this list, but actually, this is the only book I have read by her. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found the Indian references particularly interesting.

Rosina-Fawzia Al Rawi

Grandmother's Secrets : The Ancient... This book is not a work of fiction, though parts of it do read like a novel. It is a fantastic perspective on the art and ritual of belly dancing. Whether you are a seasoned dancer, or just beginning, I highly recommend it.

Jean George

My Side of the Mountain I don't know how many times I have read this book throughout my life, but my copy is very well-worn. A young boy leaves home to start a new life surviving off the the wilds of the Catskill Mountains.

Jean Auel

The Clan of the Cave Bear is the just the first book in the Earth Children series. Stories from the beginning of human civilization. Auel is an amazing story-teller, and I highly recommend reading the whole series. It's enthralling.

Stephen Cosgrove

Books Looking for Pagan oriented books for your children? There are about 50 different Serendipity books, all with great morals and just beautifully illustrated. Most of them are fable-oriented--that is, they are told from the point of the view of animals. I have about 25 of these books and treasure each and every one. I think the very first one I got was "Morgan and Yew."  Search the amazon.com site for "Serendipity" books!

More to come...