Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey. It was the first fantasy book I'd read and it completely transported me to a different world. It's what spurred me to write my own book for the first time.
My favorite book was The Black Stallion series. I love horses, always have. I even have a letter and picture from Walter Farley! In the fourth grade we were assigned to write our favorite author. Mine wrote back!
I've been asked this before, and it's almost impossible for me to answer. I read voraciously as a child. Too many books to pick just one. I do remember being really moved and impacted by Dickens. I think I connected with him because I'm a very character driven author. I believe I read every book he wrote before I was thirteen.
2001: A Space Odyssey. A strange book for a child, I know, but I loved it and it stayed with me for a lifetime, it seems. I had wanted to be an astronaut when I was young, and loved science fiction.
Hands down, my favorite book was The Wizard of Oz. I was (and am!) in awe of L. Frank Baum's ability to create worlds full of incredible creatures, yet still preserve that cherished feeling of hom.
What was your favorite childhood book?