The stories we read when we were younger played a part in shaping us into who we are today. The lessons are simple, but they are ones that we sometimes forget. Here are five books that have messages that will never grow old, even as you do:
1. “The Giver” by Lois Lowry
Louis Lowry creates a world that we can never really forget, even if everyone else in the community could. Jonas taught us that every moment in life, the ones that are painful and the ones that are beautiful, all play a role in who we are as people and a society. He reminds us that to be human we have to experience every emotion to its fullest. “The Giver” taught us that going through life in motions is not what makes us human, but rather it is the memories that we create and the feelings that we have that make us who we are. It’s always better to live life in color.
2. “Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky
“Perks” was one of those books that made you feel like you were growing up. It brought to the forefront of our young minds, adult issues that we hadn’t yet seen. “Perks” taught us that being on the sidelines is often the best place to be (and is also where some of the coolest people are).
3. “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein
“The Giving Tree” is one of those books that sticks with you forever. Even though the message is one we all know: appreciate what others have given you and give back to the people that have helped you along the way, it is still a story that is worth a re-read because it’s simplicity is sometimes forgotten in our everyday lives. Take a step back and remind yourself of what you have and how you didn’t get to where you are alone.
4. “Frindle” by Andrew Clements
Sometimes when we get older, we lose our sense of imagination and get caught up in the structure of things. We are never too young to make a difference and defy the rules. Just because things happen to be a certain way, doesn’t mean they have to stay that way.
5. “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll
Life doesn’t have to make sense. Carroll took us into a world that was against logic and reason and we loved every second of it. Sometimes things don’t go as planned and we fall down a rabbit hole, instead of trying to get back, look at it as an adventure where anything can happen.