Hi friends!
Today is my first day of classes for the fall semester, so my upload schedule is about to change (I’ll have the updated one on my home page). I decided to do another #TagTuesday this week since I was tagged by Santiago over at Inkish Kingdoms (be sure to check out his blog! It’s great!) to do the Listicle Tag! Thank you so so much for tagging me!
This tag looked like a lot of fun and I can’t wait to do it. For this tag, you are given a prompt (“Top 5 …”), if you’re tagged you give your list and leave a different prompt for the lovely people you tag. As always, you’re more than welcome to do the list without being tagged.
I was tagged to this one however and I was given the prompt “Top 5 Mom/Dad Characters in YA novels.” I love the idea of parents in books. I know that sounds weird, but fellow YA lovers…how many parents do you ACTUALLY see in the books. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
…
Right? Almost none. Here are some of my favorite parents in books!
1. Molly Weasley – Harry Potter Franchise by J. K. Rowling
Molly is the mom Harry never got as a kid and showed what a good/healthy family was like. She was a mother to most of the main characters in this book and had some of the best lines in the series. She was a great maternal figure and a strong character as well. Never shying away from a fight and always keeping a eye out for the kids. And if you’re still not convinced, just remember: “not my daughter you bitch!”
2. Arthur Weasley – Harry Potter Franchise by J. K. Rowling
Arthur was originally going to be an honorable mention, but upon writing this list, I changed my mind. Like Molly, Arthur becomes a parental figure to several characters (most notably Harry) and is a great person for readers to look up to. He also loves his job (not something everyone can say) despite the fact it’s not the most profitable but still provides for his family. He’s also not afraid to speak his mind and fight for what’s right.
3. Atticus Finch – To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
To Kill a Mocking Bird is definitely not a book I usually talk about, mostly because it’s one I don’t really like. I read it when I was homeschooled and I read it again in high school. I will be giving another read (and try) to see if my opinions have changed with age. But my opinions aside, Atticus Finch is one of the best parental characters ever written in literature. He’s wise and not afraid to challenge and a question society’s norms. He educated his children about racism and makes a court question what they think they know. He is a great figure for people of all ages to read about.
4. Mr. and Mrs. Mirk – Eliza and Her Monsters
Eliza’s parents were really great additions to this story. They did a great job demonstrating how a parent’s pride is great but being prideful of a child without fully understanding their interest may not be great. Once they understand what the online world mean to her, they realize the true consequence of their actions. They also are a great support system for Eliza, which is not something every kid gets (especially kids with mental health issues). It was great to read a YA book that not only had parents but had supportive parents that were not afraid to be parents.
5. Alex Cormier and Lacy Houghton – Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
I don’t talk about this book nearly enough on my blog. This was one of my favorite books in high school. I recently reread this book to see if it still holds up and it totally does. The underlying message is still strong and I’ll still recommend this one. Some aspects are a bit dated, but overall this book is great. This book follows the events of a school shooting. the book is told from multiple perspectives, highlighting the experience of several of the characters involved. This book also goes between past and present to watch the events that lead up to the shooting taking place. The two moms in this book are put in an impossible situation. Lacy is the mother of the shooter and Alex is the judge for the trial AND the mother of one of the victims. Reading about these mother’s struggles and watching them interact with the other characters is great. I definitely recommend this one! (TW: School Shooting, Gun Violence, Sexual Assault)
There you guys are, my Top 5 Favorite Parents in YA Fiction. I’m not going to lie, it took me forever to write this due to the lack of parents in YA books.
Did I miss your favorite parent? Let me know who they are down in the comments.
Want to see a list of my favorite fictional dads from books, TV, or movies? Awesome, you can read about that here.
I tag:
Destiny over at howling libraries
Kathy over at Books & Munches
Kristie over at Tales of a Bookworm
& You!
I’d love for you guys rank to do your Top 5 Favorite Fictional Worlds!
Be sure to tag me in the post or comment below if you do the tag! I’d love to see your answers!
Coffee Cocktails & Books 📖 