By Sarah Hunt, AZFB Communications Intern
The season is changing from summer break to back to school; but that doesn’t mean you have to stop reading! Turn your summer fantasies into educational reads with these books. From all ages to young adult novels, here you’ll find a book for every family member to enjoy. Reading has been proven to improve vocabulary at every age. Continue to learn during this quarantine season with these top 10 books.
- Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The first volume in a series of nine books, this is a wonderfully entertaining and easy read for younger and older audiences. It “is based on Wilder’s memories of growing up in the farming frontier of the Midwest in the late 1800s. The series starts with Wilder as a little girl and ends with her giving birth to her own daughter.” (Modern Farmer)
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The Harry Potter series has seven books. It starts with this classic and ends with The Deathly Hallows. It is a great series for audiences of all ages. Follow Harry Potter, a young 11-year-old orphan who learns of his wizard heritage and goes to school at Hogwarts, where he meets friends Hermione and Ron. Together they go on adventures and overcome struggles to defeat Voldemort.
- The Giver is a dystopian-era novel about a 12-year-old boy named Jonas, who starts his training for the job his society has selected for him. He is chosen to take over the role of the Receiver of Memory from the previous Receiver. Through the Receiver’s mysterious powers and guidance, Jonas discovers what the world used to be like: full of color, culture, freedom and life. The series contains 4 books and is a great read for teens, young adults and older.
- The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings follows the hobbit Bilbo on an adventure unlike any he has ever been on before. Hobbits enjoy staying cozy at home, eating six meals a day, gardening, and general homemaking. When the wizard Gandalf unexpectedly arrives with a group of dwarves, they get Bilbo to join them in reclaiming the treasure of their homeland from the dragon Smaug. The Lord of the Rings series continues the journey with Bilbo’s younger cousin, Frodo. Ages 12 and up.
- Little Women is a great read for moms, daughters, sisters, aunts and friends, ages 14 and up. It follows the four March sisters as they grow from little girls to mature women. It includes their childhood adventures, creative endeavors, family struggles, and romantic affairs.
- Pride and Prejudice is also a great read for moms, daughters, sisters, aunts and friends, ages 14 and up. An ideal book for a book club, Pride and Prejudice is a humorous tale following the five sisters of the Bennett family (who all have very different personalities) as they try to navigate the world of 19th century courting and marriage.
- Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief is the first of five books. Percy learns his father is Poseidon, the Greek God, and travels to Camp Half Blood, where other human/god children train for their special abilities. This is a good read for ages 10 and up.
- Peter Pan is a classic coming of age tale about a boy who never grows up, and invites children from outside his world, Wendy and siblings, to join him in Neverland. Together they go on adventures involving pirates, mermaids, and Native Americans. Known best for its hit Disney movie, this book is a great read for children and parents alike.
- The Jungle Book is another well-known Disney movie that was inspired by a book. It follows Mowgli, an orphan who is raised by wolves in the jungles of India and has adventures with Baloo the bear and their enemy Shere Khan the tiger. This book is a great read for all ages.
- The Count of Monte Cristo is a long but captivating novel about a man who is falsely imprisoned, who escapes and inherits a mass fortune from one of his cellmates. He uses his riches to wreak revenge on those who framed him and the man who stole his lover, as he continues to push the limits of corruption. For dedicated readers, I would recommend this book to ages 16 and up.
If you’re looking for something shorter to read, remember our Fill Your Plate blog. These articles are quick and teach a lot. At a minimum, you can read about a new recipe that can inspire the home cook in you.