We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(1) Sea Level
This book wouldn't be out of place in a third-grade classroom, but that doesn't mean it can only be appreciated by eight-year-olds. Sideways Stories has a surprisingly wry, offbeat sense of humor wrapped up in a very childlike package. File this next to your beloved Ramona books—it just might make you laugh twice as hard.