Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt- made into a feature film in 2002

Tuck Everlasting is the fantastic story of a young girl in the 19th century who gets involved with a family that all share a very unique trait- they are immortal. Winnie Foster has grown up in a very affluent, strict family, and one day becomes overwhelmed and goes for a walk in the woods. She meets Jesse Tuck, who ultimately introduces her to the Tuck family. He becomes fascinated with her, and  they fall in love. Soon their immortality is revealed to Winnie, and as intrigued as she is, the cons of living forever soon become apparent. The Tucks have traveled the world over since they drank from the magical spring in the woods a century ago, and have never been able to settle in one place, lest the townsfolk become suspicious of their perpetual youth. The Tuck boys also never age, and though they cannot be injured or killed, will never become the old men they were intended to be. The Tucks have to move out of town and be on their ever-nomadic way, and Jesse and Winnie are devastated, as they have since fallen deeply in love. Jesse bottles the magical water from the spring and gives it to Winnie, imploring that when she reaches his age, to make the choice to drink the water and then find him. Decades later, Jesse returns to the Winnie's hometown to find the wood demolished and the spring concreted over. He searches for Winnie everywhere, but eventually finds her gravestone in the town cemetery.

The movie adaptation of this book was one of few that I remember staying actually fairly true to the plot of the the novel. I was pleased with the portrayal of Winnie (thought her family's role and her rebellion were slightly more dramatized) and Jesse was of course a bit more Hollywood-deamboat-esque than the novel version of his character.

I loved this book as a child and consider it a classic of children's literature. I was charmed and thrilled by the Tucks' immortality, and moved by Winnie's decision to live out her natural life. As a child it seemed a fantastic adventure, and reading it again as an adult I appreciate it even more for the argument it makes for the value of mortality and living life fully and richly. I don't think I've ever read anything else by this author, but do consider this book to be a treasure in the world of children's literature. It is an enthralling classic and students are still reading it with open mouthed delight today. I learned alot form this book- it managed to make a case against immortality while allowing you to fall in love with the Tuck family and relate to young Winnie. It was a novel that gave the reader alot to think about,even after reading it several times.