I have never been much of an avid reader, but there have definitely been books in my life that I have enjoyed immensely. From childhood to adulthood, I picked out some of my favorite books to show how my interests shaped my reading and vice versa.
Elementary
~Hatchet~
Hatchet is about a teenage boy, Brian Robeson, traveling to see his father on the other side of the United States. While flying across the country, the pilot has a heart attack, and the plane crashes. Now Brian has to survive in the wilderness with nothing but a hatchet given to him by his mother. The story details the different problems that arise for Brian as he is awaiting rescue and how this hatchet is way more helpful to him than he thought.
As a child and even now, I really appreciate a book with rich details and imagery. This book was one of my first times experiencing a book with this much detail without being confusing for an elementary school reader. I really enjoyed the adventure and action in the story which kept me drawn in even though I was never an avid reader.
Middle School
~And Then There Were None~
The book And Then There Were None is about a group of individuals who are all invited to a mysterious mansion, all for different reasons. These people have never met each other and are all very confused about the reasons for their arrival. While at this mansion, one-by-one people start mysteriously being murdered and the guests start pointing accusatory fingers at each other.
During middle school, I started to become obsessed with the genres of mystery and horror. This book gave me both and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I am usually pretty good at guessing what the end of a movie or book may look like, but I could’ve never seen the ending for this one. It is also a book with immense attention to detail and lots of imagery.
~Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe~
The book Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is about four siblings that are forced to move away from their home because of war. In their new home, they find a wardrobe that brings them to a magical land known as Narnia. They learn that they were prophesied to save the land from an evil witch who is keeping Narnia in an eternal winter. The siblings adventure across Narnia to find a way to stop the witch and end the eternal winter.
I have and always will be a fantasy nerd, and this book is such a classic example of good fantasy. The story is full of adventure and magic that has me invested every time I read it. The world-building in the Narnia series is very well thought out and it all started with this book.
High School
~Fahrenheit 451~
The book Fahrenheit 451 takes place in a dystopian world where knowledge and individuality are illegal. A firefighter in this world, who is basically a law enforcement officer, meets a strange girl who he ends up becoming friends with. When she disappears, the firefighter starts to question the government and the reality of his world.
I had to read this book as an assignment in a high school English class and I thought for sure that I would hate it. No one enjoys reading books for school assignments instead of on their own time. That being said, I ended up really enjoying the story. The plot was unique and interesting and the details in the book really hooked me. This book makes you question a lot about yourself and the world we live in.
~The Great Gatsby~
The book The Great Gatsby is the story of a young man named Nick Carraway and a new-money millionaire in the 1920s named Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is trying to re-romance his childhood love Daisy who happens to be Nick’s cousin. Gatsby is fighting hard to get Daisy to love him back and chaos ensues in 1920s New York City.
This was another book I had to read for a class assignment and ended up loving. The characters are so well-rounded and you really get to know the people and their surroundings. It feels like you are being transported back to the 1920s. This is a solid story with just enough action and romance to keep things interesting
If you haven’t gotten a chance to read these books, I highly recommend it! After reading these books, I believe I will start to read and enjoy more books.