Hopefully, at some point in your life, you have read a book that changed the way you viewed the world. Some books have the power to completely uproot your views and change you for the better. Here are four books that changed my life and helped to shape me into the person I am today. These books have the power to transform all who read them, so I highly encourage you to add them to your reading list.
The Little Prince
There are two things that I took away from this book and integrated into my daily life. First, don’t lose your childlike wonder. When people grow up they seem to stop seeing the beauty or the creativity that all of life has to offer. This book will remind you to always see the world through a child’s eyes. Second, this books teaches us how important our effort in relationships is. “It is the time you spent on your rose that made your rose so important.” The time and energy that you put into each and every friendship, every family tie, and every relationship with a partner are what will make that person stand out from the rest and become such an important part of your life.
Read this book if you’re struggling in the adult world and need to take a beautiful little break.
Each Little Bird That Sings
This is the first book I read that taught me about death and sacrifice. It is about a young girl who lives with her family in a funeral home. Her favorite companion is her sweet dog, Dismay. The book will take you back to your youth and let you relive some of the most difficult parts of adolescence. Have some tissues nearby, it’s likely you’ll cry.
Read this book if you need a reminder that even though the world is a big and sometimes scary place you are loved and needed.
They Cage The Animals at Night
Warning: this book WILL make you cry. They Cage The Animals at Night is a true story about children in America’s foster system. There is a certain part in the book where the main character, Jennings, is being tucked into bed. The woman tells him “I love you, goodnight” leaves the room. Jennings lays in bed absolutely shocked because that was the first time anyone in his life ever said that they loved him. This book will send you right over to your local homeless shelter and encourage you to tell a child who is less fortunate than you that you care about them.
Read this book if you need a reminder of how fortunate you are.
Ordinary People
Ordinary People follows a boy named Conrad who is a gifted swimmer. A tragedy strikes his family and uproots their normal life. He ends up quitting the swim team to pursue choir because singing makes him happy. This book highlights how difficult it is to make your own decisions in high school with your parents dictating your every move. All of the characters are dynamic and you read about all the ranges of human emotion.
Read this book if you are thinking about making a change in your life.
Books have the ability to teach us lessons we didn’t know we needed to learn. If you are lucky enough to have read a book that changed your life please tell your friends and family about it. They might need that book to change them too.