Books

11 Books Tina Belcher Would Read

by Amy Sachs

I'll be honest with you: Bob's Burgers was never a show I thought I would watch, let alone laugh at and enjoy. I assumed it would be like Family Guy, which I know, so many people love, but I never got into. Either way, after seeing a seemingly infinite number of articles and listicles explaining just why Bob's Burgers — but Tina specifically, was amazing, I finally had to give in.

And now I'm here to eat crow because, yes, okay, Tina IS my spirit animal. If I had a dollar for every time I've done the "Tina groan" since starting the show, I would be a very rich person, let's just say that. Because I, along with the rest of the world, can often relate to Tina, I couldn't help but imagine the kinds of books she'd have on her shelves. I'm weird like that, it's fine.

She finds romance in some truly strange things, she loves horses, and she would give anything for a boyfriend and squad of girls to call her own. Given all of that, I've come up with these 11 books that Tina would definitely to reach for when real life just got to be too much for her — which is just about all the time.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Horses, unicorns, you name it, Tina loves it. Like plenty of other young girls, Tina is all about the horse fiction, so Black Beauty is almost a given in that category. She would without a doubt have this classic horse tale on her shelves, right next to her many, many unicorn posters.

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Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

Tina is not the most socially gifted person in the Belcher family. Louise is much more outgoing, but Tina wants to be part of the action. Mindy Kaling's hilarious first book would be the perfect thing to make her feel less alone in her introverted awkwardness.

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Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

If there is one book that would make someone like Tina feel less alone, it is Tell the Wolves I'm Home. June Elbus is a lonely 14-year-old girl, struggling to come to terms with the loss of her uncle, her misplacement in her family, and her tense relationship with her sister, Greta. A heartfelt, emotional novel like this would be right up Tina's alley.

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To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Let's just say Tina knows a thing or two about being in love with a couple of people at once, shall we? She would relate to Lara Jean, and the letters she writes to her many crushes over the years. In the words of Tina, "Is it possible to be in love with 25 people at once?"

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The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Teen Angst with a capital "A." Holden Caulfield was a bit over the top, but Tina would be able to relate to the way he questions everything around him, falls in love with every little thing girls do, and feels completely lost at times. In a word, "ugh."

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Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

In her own words, Tina Belcher is a smart, strong, sensual woman. She's a budding feminist for sure, between being raised by a strong working mom and the influence of a confident younger sister, Tina would love Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist.

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The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Tina is a sucker for all things romantic — even her zombie dreams that would scare anyone else. TFIOS is one of the most popular and well loved YA romances in recent memory, and would definitely find a place on Tina's shelves. Who knows, she might even write some of her fanfiction about it.

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Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I mean, she writes fan fiction about her friends and classmates, so I think it's a safe bet she would have a thing or two in common with Cath — or you know, find a new role model, maybe.

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Ah, Charlie. Most of us grew up with Charlie and The Perks of Being a Wallflower , and Tina would be just as taken with Charlie and his struggle to find and make friends, not to mention relationships. From her awkward friendship with Tammy to her endless crush on Jimmy Pesto Jr., Tina would love to know she's not alone in her adolescent drama.

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The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson

Those kids on the cover are only missing Louise in her rabbit ears, if you look at them. The Belchers are one of the most hysterical, quirky families on TV, but they would have some competition with the Kevin Wilson's The Family Fang . Unique parents bringing their reluctant children into their own — shenanigans sounds a bit familiar, doesn't it?

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Images: 20th Century Fox; Giphy (11)