The magic of books never gets old. The ability of books to create an entire world out of words and sentences is a tale as old as time. In addition to the numerous benefits, reading can instill in the child [1], the stories and ideas we are exposed to during our childhood set the tone for the adult selves we will become one day. And what can be a better guide than timeless books to read that have captured the hearts of millions all over the world?
5 Books You Should Know About
Even though they are children’s books, there is no denying that some go beyond time and do wonders for all ages since they’re published. When you search for the top 10 teenage books, you’ll probably see the listings which contain different book titles on every single site. It is just because the value of each is beyond comparison.
Here are 5 timeless books to read before you’re 15:
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
“The most beautiful things in the
world cannot be seen or touched,
they are felt with the heart.”
the Little Prince goes first since it is one of the classic books every teenager should read. The story is about a young prince that visits planets, including Earth, and encounters different people and animals along his journey; each encounter represents a moral lesson about the ideas and experiences we undergo during our lives. A simple, short book that encompasses lessons one might spend their entire life on trying to learn: friendship, love, loneliness, and loss. Factors with a decisive impact on a young child’s mental health [2]. This book teaches one to ask the right questions and maintain the curious, wonderful child that every one of us still harbors deep down inside our hearts.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
“So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place, you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books.”
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory reveals the story of a special boy who wins a golden invitation to the world’s most famous chocolate factory. Guided on a tour through the factory by an eccentric candymaker and dwarves, we come to learn that the secret to living a good happy life is possible by following some simple principles: to be honest, respectful, and considerate with both ourselves and others, and always do the right thing. Greediness and inadequate empathy and moral inventory are usually reflections of the child’s home environment; the absence of parental affection, discipline, and validation can induce such behavioral problems [3]. As the dwarves remind us in every one of their songs: You will live in happiness too, Like the Oompa Loompa Doompety do.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
“Now you people have names.
That’s because you don’t know who you are.
We know who we are, so we don’t need names.”
Caroline is a suspenseful and slightly scary book that tells the story of Coraline and the strange adventures after she moves into an old house with her neglectful parents. After she gets trapped in an eerie and perfect parallel world, she always learns to be careful of what we wish for. The family environment and the relationship between parent and child are major factors that intervene in a child’s positive development [4]. Although a children’s book, the story addresses adult themes of disappointment, parental influences, and the dangers of always comparing ourselves to other people.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
“There are a lot of people who will give money or materials,
but very few who will give time and affection.”
It is a sad book, but an honest one that makes you see life from the eyes of a mentally challenged person. Flowers for Algernon shows that intelligence does not make a human, but rather kindness and empathy. After undergoing an operation, we can subtly follow how the character’s intelligence increases with the improvement of his writing and grammar. But even with an IQ of 185, the character has never felt as disconnected from humanity as when he had an IQ of 65. And that is what this book tries to teach us; a simple and harsh message that intelligence is not the only factor that measures a person. Intelligence comes in many different forms, and this book tries to shed light on the importance of emotional intelligence and isolation [5].
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo
“Feet, what do I need you
for when I have wings to fly?”
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls is one of the best self-esteem books for teenage girl which is a recent children’s book with 100 stories about the life of 100 brave and empowering women. The biography of each woman is turned into beautiful fairytales. So, each tale captures the curiosity and imagination of the little readers as well. This book is about empowerment and self-actualization and it breaks the boundaries that society had set for women and opens a new horizon for every person to dream regardless of gender and history. The stories in this book all share the same message for the child: empowerment, self-confidence, and positive self-perception [6].
References
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Marshall R. (2020). Reading fiction: the benefits are numerous. The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 70(691), 79. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp20X707945
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Stickley, A., Koyanagi, A., Koposov, R., Blatný, M., Hrdlička, M., Schwab-Stone, M., & Ruchkin, V. (2016). Loneliness and its association with psychological and somatic health problems among Czech, Russian and U.S. adolescents. BMC psychiatry, 16, 128. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0829-2
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Knafo, A., & Plomin, R. (2006). Parental discipline and affection and children’s prosocial behavior: genetic and environmental links. Journal of personality and social psychology, 90(1), 147–164. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.90.1.147
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Hudson, J. L., Dodd, H. F., & Bovopoulos, N. (2011). Temperament, family environment and anxiety in preschool children. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 39(7), 939–951. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-011-9502-x
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Sánchez-Núñez, M. T., García-Rubio, N., Fernández-Berrocal, P., & Latorre, J. M. (2020). Emotional Intelligence and Mental Health in the Family: The Influence of Emotional Intelligence Perceived by Parents and Children. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(17), 6255. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176255
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Ewerling, F., Lynch, J. W., Mittinty, M., Raj, A., Victora, C. G., Coll, C. V., & Barros, A. J. (2020). The impact of women’s empowerment on their children’s early development in 26 African countries. Journal of global health, 10(2), 020406. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.10.020406
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