I really like to read and have read a lot of books in my life. While most of those books were enjoyable reads, there are some that have stuck with me. Whether it be for containing an incredible lesson, relatable characters, a good plot twist, lots of action, or some combination of all of these, this is my list of 5 books I think everyone should read.
This book is based around the Albert Einstein quote, “Everybody’s a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Everyone has different strengths and is smart in different ways. Sometimes things that are easy for one person are nearly impossible for someone else, and that’s okay. This book focuses on the journey of the main character, Ally, as she finds her strengths and learns to deal with her weaknesses. In the process, she finds friends and discovers more about herself.
The Lightning Thief is a fun book full of relatable characters, friendship, betrayal, and plot twists. It’s a great introduction to mythology and fantasy and while it is the first book in a larger series, in my opinion, you don’t need to read the rest of the books to get some of the messages. This is a story about trust and change and how things are never as they seem. The past never really goes away, even when we forget about it or think it’s not real.
While usually read by elementary students, that doesn’t make the lessons in this book any less valuable. Frindle is about a boy who challenges authority and follows his journey as he discovers how the consequences of that, both good and bad, rock his world. This story talks about how sometimes the people we paint as villains in our childhood are really heroes in disguise pushing us to do our best. If you like this book, I would also recommend The Report Card by Andrew Clements.
I can’t tell you about any important lessons in this book but I had to put it on this list because it is one of my all-time favorites. It’s a longer book and some of the older language can be confusing, but if you’re looking for a calming book with nothing unexpected or weird happening in it, this is the book for you. It follows Almanzo Wilder through a year in his life living on a farm in upstate New York in 1866. If you’re interested in history or just need something quiet to read before bed, this is the book I would recommend.
Nollop is a fictional island off the coast of South Carolina named after Nevin Nollop, the man who created the famous sentence, “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.” A statue in the center of town honoring its namesake begins to lose the letters of the famous sentence. Their government takes this as a sign from Nollop and devolves into a cult worshiping him. They begin banning the letters that fall off the statue. The residents become stuck in a world that is becoming ever more difficult to communicate in as their freedom of speech is slowly stripped away from them and begin writing letters to each other. Everyone should read this at least once, if not purely because it is completely unique.