Everyone seems to be on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to books. Maybe you grew up listening to reading fantastic fairy tales and folklore and love the comfort of a good story. Or maybe you find books to be a bore and the words on the page look like dizzying squiggles. Nevertheless, reading is essential in improving communication skills, strengthening memory, and developing a more empathetic worldview. Encouraging a love of reading early on in childhood is even more imperative as children’s brain cells and pathways are making initial connections and maturing. Better yet, finding the right book means new ways for fun without the harms of social media and the internet.
As an avid reader, I understand how frustrating it can be to try and sit through a book that is awfully boring to you. To save you all some of that time and pain, here are some book recommendations:
For readers who want to lean at the edge of their seat over a fantastic thriller:
Dear Child by Romy Hausmann:
A psychological thriller written in multiple perspectives around the mystery of Lena Beck, a young woman in Germany who mysteriously goes missing for 14 years.
For a cute little tear-jerker:
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Kazuo Ishiguro:
A collection of mini stories set in a time-traveling cafe.
Immerse in the heart-wrenching and warming memories the customers of the cafe wish to return to.
On the teenage experience — love, inner turmoil, and questioning the existential:
Turtles All The Way Down by John Green:
John Green, renowned young-adult fiction author, explores the life of Aza Holmes, a 16 year-old girl struggling with mental illness and reunion with an old friend. In the story, romance, mystery, and self-exploration embark a wild journey.
My all time favorite children’s book for first time readers:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle:
Very simply about a very hungry caterpillar. Following along the story of a caterpillar who eats a variety of foods on his way to becoming a butterfly.
