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Since I don’t have kids, maybe these books are already widely loved by kids and teens today.
Either way, I think they’re timeless and worth reading. I’m picking some older books and then including newer ones, too.
1) Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Why? Because Shel understood the weirdness of being a kid.
2)The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss
Why? Dr. Seuss knew how to explain complex and important topics to young readers in fun and accessible ways.
3) Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah Howe
Why? To help develop their critical thinking skills and because the idea of rabbit vampires who drain the life out of vegetables is amusing.
4) The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Why? One of the things that really bothered me when I was a kid was how resistant some of my male classmates were to stories about girls. I never complained about the dozens of male protagonists we read about, but somehow it was considered a big deal for them to see the world through a girl’s perspective or empathize with us.
I think books like this one could be a good way to help push against the idea that men and boys are somehow more important or interesting than women and girls.
5) The Small Spaces Quartet by Katherine Arden
Why? It’s an exciting middle grade mystery quartet that includes strong friendships and talks about some interesting historical events.
6) She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
Why? This is a good introduction to the haunted house genre, and the deeper themes in it about racism and colonialism are thought provoking as well.
7) Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Why? It’s a thoughtful and honest discussion about race and racism.
8) The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Why? From what I’ve heard, it’s a nuanced coming-of-age story, and every kid and teen should read lots of those!
There has always been a preference for male centric stories vs female centric stories in schools in my opinion. God forbid a boy has to read about the struggles of the world through the eyes of girls/women. There’s a similar thing when it comes to genres like romance. I remember being in school, hearing almost all the other boys complain about reading Romeo and Juliet because it was “about love.”
You’re right about that. It’s really sad but I have hope it will change.
I hated books about sports and spaceships in primary school, too!
You nailed some classics! Not sure if my girls have read any of the ones you listed (with the exception of Shel Silverstein, because I know I read him to them a lot), but they are great suggestions. Oh! Please go read The House on Mango Street! I read it a couple of years ago for a book group and it’s really fantastic.
Here is my post.
Thank you. I will read The House on Mango Street. Just need the library waitlist for it to shrink down a bit first. Haha.
That’s a fascinating list, because Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss are really the only one I’m familiar with. The rest all sound like wonderful selections, though.
Thank you. I tried to pick a variety of options.
Loved Silverstein and have shared his books with all my kids. The Sneetches was such a fun story. Dr. Seuss made my list this week, too. Thanks for sharing, Lydia.
You’re welcome! They’re such classics.
No overlap between our lists this week; I was thinking of “youth” as in young adults. But I did enjoy sharing “Bunnicula” with a sister, and all the Seuss and Silverstein books.
It was a bit vague for sure!