It’s easy for me to rattle of a list of book recommendations to parents with young kids. For their kids, that is. Books for grown ups take me a bit longer to get through! To be quite honest, I really enjoy reading, and because of that, I’ve looked at it for too long as a privilege. A leisure activity. Something to do when I get all my work done. (Like that ever happens!)
But the truth of the matter is that not only do we need to read books to keep ourselves literate, informed, and well-rounded, but our kids need to see us read and hear us talk about reading as one more piece to their culture of literacy. When they see that reading is important to us, and that it’s a vital part of every day for every person, they too become lifelong readers.
So if you, like me, have been putting off some reading that takes you beyond Good Night Moon and The Very Hungry Caterpillar (though both are outstanding books!), you can remind yourself that you’re not just doing it for you, you’re doing it for your budding readers!
I do have to confess that I actually listen to more books than I read. I have a condition called motherhood that causes me to fall asleep as soon as I stop moving. So I download audio books (I use Audible, but many libraries offer the service as well) and listen as I do housework, run errands, or work in the yard. It’s a great way for me to get the books in, though there’s something more magical about holding an actual book in your hands — and that’s the part that’s magical for our kids as well. So I’m going to work on reading more physical books, even if it’s just during a silent reading time at home so my boys can see me reading.
I thought I’d share what’s on my summer reading list, though to be honest, this list will take me well into fall. I’d love to hear what you have on your nightstand or what you’d recommend for some great summer reading! As a disclaimer, I haven’t read many of these books, but they got on my list due to a connection they have to other reading I’ve done or due to the rave reviews they received from people I trust.
(*These are affiliate links to Amazon, but I only link to products I truly believe you’ll enjoy!)
Nerdy Nonfiction:
Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns
While “reading” Christensen’s more recent book, How Will You Measure Your Life?
Christensen is a professor at Harvard Business School (a favorite of a few people I know who went there) and an expert on innovation and growth. When I say he’s an “expert” on innovation, I don’t just mean he decided to be an expert one day so he hung the tag-line by his name. He is THE foremost authority on disruptive innovation. I know some may bristle at the idea of a “business guy” taking a stab at school reform, but Christensen has a unique set of skills in that he’s not just an expert at reinventing organizations, but he’s proven himself as a master teacher as well. I’m looking forward to cracking this one open!
Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work that Matters
I’m actually in the middle of this one right now. In Acuff’s characteristically entertaining way, this book guides you through examining what a purposeful life looks like to you, and how to recognize and overcome the obstacles and excuses that get in your way. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good, motivational book! (As a side note, this is one of those books I’m actually listening to, and while some narrating styles get in the way of a good book, this one is narrated by the author himself, which makes the timing and delivery perfect……and often hilarious.)
Love Does
This is another one of those books I have to read by virtue of its connection to another book I’ve loved. Donald Miller’s book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, is quite honestly one of my all-time favorite books. So when that book introduces Bob Goff, and then as Donald Miller himself introduces Bob Goff in the forward of his book saying, “Bob Goff has had a greater impact on my life than any person I’ve known,” well, then I want to get to know Bob Goff too!
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking
I think the title says it all! It feels like we live in an age of self-promotion and constant conversation, so the idea of looking at the power of introversion in that context sounds fascinating to me.
7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess
From the same blogger who wrote this side-splitting confession comes this book about simplifying and eliminating excess. (This is the story of my life as we pack up our home right now! Perhaps that’s why I’m so drawn to this one!) My friend said it was a life-changing book for her. My book group selected it as September’s book. This just might be the first time I have a book finished early!
The World of Fiction:
My more literate friends say I need to delve a bit more into fiction. It’s usually a harder sell for me for some reason, but here are just a few that have landed on my list. Maybe you could suggest some more!
The Running Dream
This one’s already checked off of my list, thanks to a long road trip, and I’d highly recommend it. It’s very clean and centers around a high school character, so it’s a great read for teens and preteens as well. It would offer some great conversations between you and your older kids if you both decided to read it and then discuss it together. I picked it up as a preview to an adult/youth book activity but really enjoyed it in its own right. The book opens with the heroine, a passionate track star, discovering she’s lost her leg in a bus accident, just moments after setting a career best time in her specialty race: the 400m. The progression of the character and her change in perspectives, goals, and attitude is beautifully woven through an engaging story. The fact that the author is a runner is clear in the descriptions she paints and they really appealed to my own senses as a runner and a once-upon-a-time track athlete.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
With descriptors like “fun”, “lovely”, “unassuming”, “charming”, and “funny” this book was an easy sell for me. Recommended by a friend I trust, it’s the story of a newly retired Englishman who walks a little bit every day to deliver a letter to an old dying friend, 600 miles away. As he walks, he reminisces, creating a beautiful story from the combination of everyday memories. It does sound lovely, doesn’t it?
So what’s on your summer reading list?
Top photo source (I only wish that was me reading by the beach!)
What a great set of recommendations, Amanda! In an effort to get my tutoring students to read more I’ve promised to read along with them (what I have avoided until now) TWILIGHT and the HUNGER GAMES, although I’ve given them my list of books I recommend more. But I want to met them where they’re at. I’m trying to get through Time Ferris giant how to learn/ how to cook FOUR HOUR CHEF which has been awesome so far. I’m reading some about how Tolkien and CS Lewis write, so I’m picking my way through THE ROAD TO MIDDLE-EARTH by Tom Shippey and a great translation by Mary Innes of Ovid’s METAMORPHOSES. And I’m excited about the latest Karen Cushman novel WILL SPARROW’S ROAD. Thanks for all you do Amanda!
I have a few CS Lewis reads on my on-deck list too!
Fantastic ideas, mama! I’ve been wanting to read Jon Acuff’s newest one for months. Thanks for the reminder!
So good to see you here, Megan! How are those darling boys? (And the girls, too!) You are amazing!
I just finished The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease last night, so your post was very timely and struck a cord with me. You should definitely give yourself permission to read fiction. In his book, Trelease described how fiction novels typically have more complex sentences and more rare words than nonfiction, and therefore are a very important component of a reading habit. Your kids seeing you read fiction will maybe encourage them to read fiction as well. If you haven’t read the book , I highly recommend it. It discusses research results describing why boys typically score lower on reading proficiency exams than girls and why they are less likely to be life-long readers. It also offers some ideas about how to motivate boys to read more. The other books on my reading list are: Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.
Fascinating, Robin! I’ll have to check out The Read Aloud Handbook too! (And obviously, read more fiction!)
I’ve read Sweet Misfortune by Alan Milne, that’s a cute story but I got hung up in some of the details. I read Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumb-Downed World by Lisa Bloom, but was very disappointed in it (though it does have some helpful suggestions.) I enjoyed The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, narrated by a dog and gives philosophy on life through racing, though most of the women in my book club thought it was stupid. Up next (fiction-wise): Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay; The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini; The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. A few nonfiction: Enlightened Sexism by Susan J. Douglas and any book written by Brene Brown.
It seems I’ve heard really good things about Sarah’s Key as well. And I love Brene Brown! I haven’t read any of her books yet, but have thoroughly enjoyed her short pieces and speeches. I’ll have to add some of her books!
I haven’t read the book, the movie was amazing!
I can throughly recommend ‘The Light Between Oceans’ for your fiction pile. Your non-fiction list looks good. The ‘Disrupting Class’ text particularly – will have to look for that one at our local library although I might benefit more from reading the ‘mutiny against excess’ one looking at the state of our living room floor again (sigh).
@Amy – don’t avoid the Hunger Games but I’d leave the Twilight series on the shelf
Nichole – I believe “The Light Between Oceans” is on my reading group’s list this year as well. I’ve heard it’s well-written, but I’m so nervous. I’ve heard it’s heart-wrenching. Maybe that’s part of my hesitation with fiction — I want the feel-good books. I feel like I don’t need created drama and angst. So I’m glad to hear you recommended it. There are good sad books (Like the Hiding Place) and then there are just sad sad books. I’m hoping this is the former!
I won’t lie. As a parent , it was one of the saddest books I’ve read but so worth it. I’d finished ‘The Book Thief’ before it – another sad, heart wrenching story with no happy ending but written in such a different voice, you just kept reading. ‘Jasper Jones’ is another good read – a bit of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ in an Australian setting but another sad read…. I really need to read some happy books!! I love posts about books – great way to find something new to read (when school’s out).
“A million miles in a thousand years” is a favorite of mine too. I’d like to read his first big break, “Blue like Jazz” someday… or maybe I’ll just watch the movie, it’s on netflixs 😉
Your list sounds pretty good, I need to make a list! I once read somewhere that the only thing that makes a year different from the next is the books we read and the people we meet 🙂
Oh and I’d highly recommend Emily Griffin books for your non-fiction list, her books are amazing and usually the characters tie into the next book somewhere too. My sister and I always get excited when she releases a new one. I’d read them in the order they released them though… start with “Something Borrowed” then “Something Blue” and the list goes on!