When asked about interesting reads for people with children, most people inevitably suggest books about puberty, standardized tests or achieving a work/life balance with your family. But what if your interests are a little more diverse than that? Here are five literary recommendations for parents that aren’t about teaching the ABCs.
1. My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
One little girl has leukemia. Another little girl was born to be her donor. When the donor child rebels and files for legal emancipation so she’ll no longer be forced to undergo painful medical procedures for her sister, the entire family is thrown into turmoil as they confront questions of love, death and sacrifice.
2. We Are Pirates by Daniel Handler
Handler made a name for himself as “Lemony Snicket,” a popular author of children’s books, but now he takes a stab at adult fiction with a story about a father, his teenage daughter and their respective road trips as they try to figure out who they really are and what they really want.
3. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
“Dysfunctional” is the only word that applies to the Walls family, a group that consists of mom, dad, four kids, a car, a camp stove, an array of stray animals and an increasingly bizarre series of homes. If you’re looking for a book about the strangeness of a family perpetually on the road, this is it.
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Even if you read this in high school, it’s worth picking up again as an adult. People of all ages can learn from Atticus Finch, the world’s greatest father, and it’s jam-packed with other lessons and morality tales as well.
5. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
The kind of book that you can read by yourself or with your kids, A Wrinkle in Time is a sci-fi classic that focuses on two children who embark on an adventure to save their missing father the scientist. It’s fun, exciting and emotional in all the right places, and the heart of the story is all about family.
These are just five great books that will speak to your love of family without only being about family. Parents like mysteries and dramas and adventures just as much as anyone, after all!
I love this! All we usually get to see are books about raising kids, this is so much more awesome! A Wrinkle In Time is one of my favorites, this makes me want to go re-buy a copy! My daughter is 16 now and I would love for her to read it also!
My daughter read A Wrinkle in Time a while back and all she talked about for weeks was the travelers. I think I need to re-read it; it seemed so much fun when I was younger and would probably be a blast now that I’m a little more worldly.
These are some great recommendations Rah-Shay. I read To kill a Mockingbird years ago but I didn’t remember what it was about until now.
I didn’t read To Kill a Mockingbird until I was an adult and was blown away with the book. I re-read it recently with my teen and fell in love all over again! I am ambivalent about this sequel. I really feel like the story is over and don’t want *my* memory of Scout and Atticus to be made moot with the new story.
To Kill A Mockingbird was really a great book worth reading. I have never heard of the other 4 titles that are listed, but A Wrinkle in Time peaked me interest.
What a great list! I’m always looking for book recommendations! Adding these to my library hold list!
these are all great choices. I’ve all these and they all are so so good.
I have read a few of these and enjoyed them. I will have to get the rest of my Kindle and read them this summer. Seems like a good mix of books.
oh i definitely need to read some of these… i’ve heard SUCH good things about My Sister’s Keeper, and of course a Wrinkle in Time. and I had no idea Daniel Handler wrote anything for adults… I’d be interested to try that too!