My Top 10 Favorite Fiction Books

This post is extremely informal. Essentially it is just a quick (or not so quick) look at my book shelf. Anyone who knows me knows I am a reader and knows I have a full book shelf. So whether you are a reader yourself or you haven't read a book for pleasure in years I just wanted to tell you about a few fictional books I would highly recommend to you. Also, if you feel like returning the favor then feel free to share your favorites with me and with everyone else - there is a comment section below where you can do that (if I figure out how to approve comments).
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10. Fearless by Elvira Woodruff
Admittedly it has been seven years since I read this book but when I did I absolutely loved it and for many years I thought of it as my favorite book. The story is historical fiction and it is set in the 1700s, which is a very interesting time to learn about. A character the reader encounters is Henry Winstanley. I found him to be an absolutely fascinating character and at the end of the book I learned that he was a real person, which made him that much more interesting. Fearless is fun yet sincere. Adventurous yet heartbreaking. I think readers of any age would enjoy the story but especially younger readers (around elementary school age).

9. Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M. M. Blume
I read Cornelia for the first time seven years ago and then again last year. You know what? It still holds up as an incredibly fun and adventurous tale that will satisfy readers of all ages. It is a unique book in that there are several stories that are to be found in the one book. It is very fun to hear about adventures the Somerset sisters go on in different countries. Don't get me wrong it is sad too. While targeted at readers who are in middle school, it can absolutely make a 17 year old girl want to cry and I am pretty sure it could make my mother cry too. Now don't skip this book just because I said it was sad - read it. I have two copies for no apparent reason so borrow it from me.

8. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
So I went to go to see the movie with my mom when it came out. We were both equally excited to see it. She had read the book and enjoyed it. I hadn't but I was in middle school and Robert Pattinson was in it so of course I had a countdown to when we were going to see it. I rather enjoyed the movie - for more than just the sheer fact the RPatz was in it. Therefore, I decided to read the book and I was glad that I did. The book held my attention and there were many times I found it nearly impossible to put down. I easily fell in love with Jacob and was captivated by the circus. I would recommend it to a mature reader because there are certainly a few scenes in there to prepare yourself for. Still, the book is wonderful and definitely worth your time.

7. See You At Harry’s by Jo Knowles
I picked up this book about 6 months ago for little more than a dollar. I was browsing the Scholastic Warehouse sale and was drawn to it (admittedly because there was a delicious looking ice cream sundae on it and it was cheap). I read the back and decided it was worth the four quarters. It was at the Scholastic Warehouse sale and the main character was a 12 year old girl so I thought it would be a book for middle school students. Therefore, I was completely unprepared for the emotions that this book evoked in me. The feelings that these characters feel are all different and how they deal with the tragedy they face are so deep it was surprising. While not what I expected, I loved this book and would highly suggest you pick it up.

6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Where to begin? For starters, you should read this book simply for the fact that this book is a classic. Second, you should read it because Fitzgerald can write like few authors I know of. I can't begin to count the number of quotes I love by him. Seriously, just look up "Fitzgerald Quotes" you'll see what I mean. Third, the story evokes emotion in you. Half the time you don't know what to feel. It makes you want to laugh then cheer then cry then shout then rinse and repeat. Once again, I will borrow it to you. Side note: the movie (in my opinion) is amazing. Usually I have a lot of problems with book-to-movie adaptations but the newest Gatsby really followed the book closely, which I must applaud.

5. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
This book is extremely underrated in my opinion. I first read it in 4th grade and loved it immediately. I have read it since and it certainly kept its high standing on my list after the second read. That is because the characters in it are absolutely phenomenal and I think everyone can identify with at least one of them. During the times I have read it, I have found myself constantly cheering on the characters with every trial they faced. Speaking of which, the story is incredibly unique and I found it extremely refreshing. The rest of the series and the movie never reached the beauty of the original book but that is understandable considering the expectations that A Wrinkle in Time set. It is also quite interesting to compare the principles and characters of this book to the Bible. They have quite a bit in common, which is interesting to see. Anyway, I would definitely suggest it to any and all readers.

4. Distant Waves by Suzanne Weyn
This is a pretty unheard of book but there is absolutely no logical reasoning for that in my mind. I loved this book. It has everything - Nikola Tesla, the Titanic, time travel, mystery, romance. Now, take into account if Nikola Tesla or the Titanic are written on something I knock people down to get it. Still, even if you don't like Tesla (which you should) or the Titanic there's still lots to love. The romance and mystery alone are worth the read. It is definitely not like anything I have ever read before but in the best way possible. I would recommend this book to anyone but especially lovers of the Titanic, Tesla, mystery, and romance.

3. The Fault in our Stars by John Green
Reason #1 to love this book: John Green wrote it. John Green is not only funny, he is also an outstanding author. This was the first book I read by him and I was amazed. I had seen the trailer for the movie and thought "that looks pretty good, maybe I should read it before it comes out". Good decision? YES. It is an amazing book with characters who are strong, super funny, kind, and overall incredible. The book teaches us a lot - about life, about love, about death, about family. While the movie is great, the book is even greater. I would definitely recommend the book to anyone. Just try not to read it in public or people will most likely think your crazy if you are not good at keeping things in because you'll be laughing one moment and crying the next.


2. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
For years I refused to read The Hunger Games series. The premise of the book turned me off. But last summer my mom finally convinced me to read them (and if I am honest I really wanted to know what was going to happen to Peeta after Mom dragged me to see Catching Fire). Wow. I read the trilogy in about 6 weeks, which is fast for me. I know I am not introducing many to a brand new series but if you haven't read the books then you absolutely should. I know a lot of people skate by with just watching movies (I admit I was guilty - kind of, Mom really just wanted a companion and I agreed) and while the movie series stays quite true to the books there is certainly a lot more depth to be found in the books. The books are filled with action, developed characters, and strong values (family, strength, hope, etc.). Even if you have already seen the movies I still encourage you to read the books and even if the premise still is something you are unsure about I would encourage you to at least try it.

1. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

For a long time I also fought reading the Harry Potter series. I didn't open myself up to it because of the witchcraft and wizardry aspect, which is what pushed me away for a long time. However, once I started reading I realized how much I had been missing out on by not giving it a chance. I would like to point out that I have never personally met anyone who read it and didn't like it (though I have no doubts there are individuals who feel that way). The movies are alright but cannot begin to compare with the books so don't cheap out and just watch the movies. Read the books! I wrote an entire essay for a college class on why the books are better than the movies. Anyway, to wrap up the Harry Potter books are my favorite books and I would definitely recommend them.The adventure, deep characters, and complicated plot lines are worth the read alone - not to mention the incredible life lessons to be found in it.

Why Your Children Should Read Harry Potter: The Valuable Lessons Of An Incredible Series

First things first *SPOILERS * SPOILERS *SPOILERS

Now that that is taken care of it's time to get to the post...

It is surprising to me the number of parents who still disapprove of the Harry Potter series. I understand that they don't want to promote witchcraft and sorcery and the like but Harry Potter isn't made to promote it and I have never met a person yet who got into sorcery because they read Harry Potter. What I have seen though is people who fell in love with reading and learned valuable lessons because of it. The Harry Potter series made me personally fall back in love with reading. While I could discuss that point more, I won't because that isn't part of my purpose today. My purpose today is to convince you of this: the Harry Potter series has infinite value. Here is why...

Judging Others: Harry was wrong
about every one of these

Teamwork
Harry, Hermione, Ron, Fred, and George were just a few of the many characters who showed us true teamwork. In my mind, Fred and George are the ultimate team. They work together on everything and they show us that two can be a whole lot better than one. Also in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the famous trio (Harry, Hermione, and Ron) need the strengths and expertise of each of them to keep going. They have to cooperate and work together to stay alive. They have to trust each person to lead them in the right direction and to keep them safe. In the final book there is a battle at Hogwarts and it takes everyone working together to defeat Voldemort and the Death Eaters. The "good guys" work together and come out victorious while the Death Eaters don't because while they are working for one cause they don't cooperate very well. They are constantly struggling for power and when it comes down to it they are not at all willing to make sacrifices for one another. So not only does the series show us the qualities of a good team but it shows us what will make a team fail in the end. For a large part of my life I have been one to always try to do everything on my own, but Harry Potter and his friends taught me that you cannot master everything and sometimes you need someone with a different skill than you to do something. For more about HP and teamwork, read this.

Judging Others
When I think about the series and the topic of judgement I jump right to Harry and Snape. Harry made judgments about Snape throughout the entire series and yet in the end we learn that all we thought about Snape was completely false. Snape was a hero in many ways but we don't understand this until he is dying. Snape is not really how we viewed him for most of the series. I think many of us can learn from this because I think all of us do what Harry did. We make judgments about someone and later learn something about them that completely changes how we view them. This one truth will stick with me forever mainly because of Harry Potter: things are not always as they seem. This is clearly illustrated by the photo on the left. Harry was ridiculously wrong on all of those assumptions yet he still kept making them. We look at Harry and say 'get it together'. Then we often go and make our own wrong assumptions about others.

Lightness and Goodness
In many books and movies we are told or shown who is "good" and who is "bad". I think the Harry Potter series does an excellent job at showing us that people are very complex and cannot be accurately described as good or bad. Sirius Black once told Harry, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters. We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are." In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Dumbledore says that we must choose between what is right and what is easy. I think that this ties into choosing what side of us we will act on. What is easy is often not what is good. It is often much harder to do the right thing, which is why we make so many mistakes in life. Another wise quote from Dumbledore relates to the topic of lightness and darkness is this one: "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light." The series teaches us to act on what is good and right.

Friendship and Loyalty
Those who know me know I am not really a crier. I don't tend to cry at movies or songs or even books. It's rare for me. But nothing makes me want to cry more than Dobby's final words. "What a beautiful place to be with friends. Dobby is happy to be with his friend...Harry Potter." Dobby is probably the most loyal friend one could ever have. He shows us what a true friend is and in the end, he dies saving his friends. Dobby is not the only character that shows us the true value of friendship and loyalty. Hermione put a lot of emphasis on doing well in school but she always showed us that friendship comes first. In the very first book Hermione said this: "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things -- friendship and bravery." The Harry Potter series made me (and probably many others) want to have friends like Harry, Ron, and Hermione so in many ways the series encourages to make new friends and keep them central in our lives.

Love
Harry Potter proves that love is the closest thing we have to magic. Nothing can stop it. Lily's love protected Harry even after she died. Hermione, Ron, and Harry took risks for one another out of love. Dobby risked his life for the trio out of love. Snape protected Harry out of love for Lily. Love is shown by so many characters throughout the series it would be impossible to list them all. Many characters show love for others to their deaths. The series does make this clear though: the ones that love us never really leave us. The series helps us cope. It shows us how to move on but it also shows us to treasure the love we are shown and also, to show love back.

Life

Life can be incredibly hard. The HP series does not shy away from conflict or death. It embraces them head on. There are over 20 major deaths in the series. Harry grows up as an orphan living with his unloving and uncaring relatives. Snape loses the love of his life to the man who bullied him in school. Tonks and Remus died just when their lives together were beginning and Teddy grew up an orphan. Arthur and Molly Weasley lose a son. Hogwarts loses Dumbledore. Harry loses Sirius, the one family member not lost to him already. Neville's parents lose their sanity. There is so much reality in this series about a fictional world. The Harry Potter series teaches us that life isn't fair, people we love will die, and things will never be happily ever after. But that doesn't mean life isn't a wonderful thing.

Other Good Lessons

A. Our words have power - “Words are our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.”
B. Live in the present - “It does not do to dwell on dreams, Harry, and forget to live.”
C. We are the same in many ways - "Though we may come from different countries and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one"
D. Watch how someone treats their inferiors - "If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."
E. Living without love is more pitiful than death - “Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.”

The Harry Potter series is seen by many as simply a series about witchcraft and wizardry but it is not just that. It is a series that promotes teamwork, shows the importance of not judging others, tells us that there is no such thing as good people and bad people, gives us a picture of true friendship and loyalty, demonstrates the importance of love, and gives us a realistic perspective on life. If you haven't read the series, then do yourself a favor and read it. You won't regret it.

Censorship Sucks

Think back to some of the classics you may have read in high school. Books like The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck may come to mind. Did you know that all those books have been challenged and, in some cases, banned in public and school libraries? What about other favorites like The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, The Giver by Lois Lowry, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling? All of them have been challenged or banned before too. Even children’s books like the Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Where’s Waldo? (yes, I am serious) by Martin Hanford, and even the Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park have been challenged or banned.

For decades books have been challenged. While many are simply left alone, books are too often removed from libraries so people can no longer read them. Not only does this limit citizen’s choices, but their choices are limited by the thoughts of a minority. The banning of books causes censorship of author’s ideas, which is a right given to people in the Bill of Rights – the freedom of speech. Silencing authors results in a limited spread of new ideas and stories. In addition, when books are banned people’s right to express themselves and read what they want to read is stripped from them. Such censorship and rejection of rights should not be accepted in a country of democracy and freedom. Censorship by the banning of books should be ended by books remaining in libraries. This should be done because authors should have the freedom to share the stories they want to, the number of books available to people in public libraries should not be limited further, and people have the right to read what they want.

The best solution to end the censorship and freedom restriction caused by the banning of books is simple: keep challenged books available for people who want to read them.

One reason booking banning should not occur because authors should have the freedom to share the stories and information they want to share. In the Bill of Rights it states that citizens of the United States of America have the freedoms of speech and press. This means people can speak and write freely. An author does not deserve to have his or her work prohibited and unavailable to be read.

One argument that is often discussed is that banning these books from particular libraries does not mean people cannot find them. Books are able to be found on the Internet, in people’s homes, and in bookstores. While this is certainly true, the library system exists so all people can have access to books and material. Not all people have the money or resources to access books except through their public library. People should have access to these books through their libraries.

Authors have the right to have their work published and available. John Green made the sarcastic response to his book The Fault in Our Stars being banned in a California school library: "I am happy because apparently young people in Riverside, California will never experience or witness mortality since they won’t be reading my book, which is great for them. But I am also sad because I was really hoping I would be able to introduce the idea that human beings die to the children of Riverside, California and thereby crush their dreams of immortality."

Green brings up a valid point. Are issues like death, violence, homosexuality, sex, and swearing unknown to people before they read these books? No, death, violence, homosexuality, sex, and swearing are all heard about and discussed in everyday life in TV shows, movies, billboards, magazines, the news, radio programs, and newspapers regardless of who is listening or watching or reading. Removing books with these issues will not solve these problems.

Indeed, most of the reasons books are challenged and banned relate to these issues. According to the ALA from 2000-2009 1,577 challenges were filed due to sexually explicit material; 1,291 were because of offensive language; 989 were deemed unsuitable for the target age group; 619 were decided to be too violent and 361 were due to homosexuality out of the 5,099 challenges filed.

Authors should have the ability to write about things that happen every day in our world. Most of these books do not glorify topics like drugs, sex, and violence (unlike 90% of TV and movies today). Most of these books include these things but still have strong themes involving family, love, hope, goodness, and trust.

In fact, many of the books that are challenged are considered classics. The ALA lists 97 classics that have been challenged and/or banned.

The ALA says 17,700 books have been challenged since 1990. This number of challenges is astronomical. Imagine 17,700 books disappearing from public schools and libraries.

Not only does the number of threats against books continually increase the number of readers is continually decreasing. (People really should read. There's a blogger friend of mine - okay, it's me - who wrote about some of various reasons you should read. But I digress...) According to The Atlantic, from 1978 to 2014 the number of people who do not read has nearly tripled.

The freedoms to read and write should be preserved by books being kept on the shelves of public and school libraries because people should not be limited with the books they can choose from and should be able to choose books for themselves, and authors should have the freedom to share their opinions and ideas with the world. The silencing of authors and restrictions of readers is a hindrance of our rights and freedoms as citizens of the United States of America. If this problem continues, then censorship will continue to interfere with the freedoms of our country. Books that are created by authors for years and loved by thousands should not be taken off shelves because of a concerned few.  If there is a book in a library someone finds offensive they simply should not read that book. If that person tries to ban the book because they are uncomfortable with it then they are forcing their feelings on others. There may be hundreds of people who want to read that book. In a democratic country the views of one or a small group does not dictate the group. One person or group should not have the power to take away a book from a much larger group. Those books are not for just anyone to take away. They belong to all of us and are a part of so many of us. As junior Elizabeth Johnson put it “books belong to their readers” (Sagebrush).

Want to know more about banned books and censorship?
Banned Books That Shaped America

American Library Association
Banned Books Week

5 Benefits of Reading

“You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” 

― Ray Bradbury

The partnership between our brains and books is almost like magic. Our brains are able to interpret words on a page and create pictures and events in our minds that deeply impact us. They effect us in astounding ways. They can change our perspective on the world. They can evoke emotions in us. They can teach us about ourselves. Books are very powerful and there are many different reasons to read. Here are 5 of them:

1. To know that your thoughts, struggles, fears, hopes, and dreams are universal
In this life, we will all have struggles. Many will be universal. But we often don't know that our struggles are universal because our deepest struggles are not ones we tend to share with others. But when we read we discover others that struggle with the same things that we do. Screenwriter, playwright, and writer William Nicholson once said “we read to know we're not alone.” Similarly, we learn that our thoughts and fears are not unique but actually usual. And our hopes and dreams are are not custom but common. James Baldwin said it best when he said “You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.”

2. To experience other cultures and understand other people who are much different than us
How incredible would it be to travel the world, taste new foods, meet new people, and see new sights? It would be amazing. The problem is this: I don't have an infinite amount of time or money to do that. Therefore, I read instead. Reading gives us the opportunity to see through a small window intro another world. It even can give us the ability to travel through time. We can go to any place and any time and experience what it would be like to be someone else. When we read, it is almost like we become someone else. George R. R. Martin said it this way: “a reader lives a thousand lives before he dies...The man who never reads lives only one.” When we read we get the opportunity to see life from another's view. This can help a middle class white woman understand the poor Hispanic woman and also help the modern day African American man understand the African American man that lived in Georgia during the Civil War. Through reading we are able to build a better understanding of others and gain greater empathy towards them.

3. To gain more knowledge
Dr. Seuss simply stated “the more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” No matter what book you read you can always learn something from it. In Gone With the Wind a reader learns about women in 1860s America, men in 1860s America, Civil War conditions, medicine in the 1860s, and much more. Some of the things readers can learn about in To Kill a Mockingbird include the Great Depression, racial inequality in the 1930s, and how court cases are run. Distant Waves is a historical fiction book that touches on the great works of Nikola Tesla and it also talks about The Titanic. And this is just fiction. I didn't even talk about nonfiction. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said "if we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads."

4. To escape from the world
When we read we get the opportunity to escape our world and enter one that is entirely different. After an exam gone bad, a rough day at work, or a not-so-fun family gathering, there is nothing better than transporting yourself to Narnia, Hogwarts, Tara, or River Heights. W. Somerset once said “to acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.”

5. To teach us life lessons
Books can teach us many life lessons. The Great Gatsby teaches readers money cannot buy happiness and you cannot repeat the past. 1984 teaches people that love conquers all. Of Mice and Men shows people that not all stories end “happily ever after”. The Harry Potter series shows readers that the world is not split into good people and bad people, politics corrupt, and people can change. A Wrinkle in Time teaches people to be proud of the individuals they are. The Hunger Games series shows readers to stand up for what they believe in, sacrifice is the foundation of maturity, and hope is stronger than fear. There is so much that a collection of pages can show us about life.

Reading is one of the most powerful and important hobbies to have. It can show us a lot about the world without us every leaving our homes and it can show us things about ourselves too. In the words of John Green "great books help you understand, and they help you feel understood."