favorite wordless picture books (+ how to read them)

It turns out I can talk forever when it comes to picture books for young kids. I started typing half an hour ago, and just now realized I had about three good separate drafts, all about books for pre-readers. Looks like a few more picture book posts will be coming your way soon.

Okay, let's talk picture books! Specifically, wordless picture books for young kids. In my Children's Literature course in college, there was an entire unit devoted to wordless (or nearly wordless) picture books.

Why are wordless picture books so great for kids? 

First, they are all about imagination. Kids get to make up the words and story to accompany the picture, which is a huge imagination builder - plus the story can be different every time. They're also great for building story structure, since wordless books have a very clear beginning, middle, and end. Wordless picture books provide a perfect structure for literacy-rich conversations, as you predict the ending, ask questions, and narrate the story in your own words. Not to mention, the illustrations are often drop-dead gorgeous because, after all, the pictures are doing all of the talking.

How do you read a wordless picture book?

This may sound silly, but when we got our first wordless picture book, I was like, "Uh. How do I read this? Do I just make up the words? Do I silently flip the pages?"

There's no right or wrong way to read wordless picture books. You can make up your own story. You can point out funny things in the pictures. You can ask questions and have your child predict what's next. You can do whatever you want! All reading is good reading, even when there are no words to read!

My favorite wordless (or nearly wordless) picture books:

Chalk by Bill Thomson

This is wordless picture book 101, and a great place to start if you're new to wordless picture books. This book is about three kids who discover a bag of magical chalk on a rainy day. It's on practically every list of best wordless picture books. I love the perspectives and the realism of the illustrations.

Good Dog Carl by Alexandra Day

Let's just pretend this mom wouldn't be in major trouble with CPS for leaving her baby with nobody but a dog for hours at a time. My daughter loves this whole series about adventures with a baby and a furry best friend (best friend slash primary caregiver, ha).

The Red Book by Barbara Lehman

This book is fascinating for children of all ages (teenagers included!). It's about a girl who finds a magical red book, and sees a boy's life halfway across the world, only to realize he also has a magic red book and is reading about her adventures in the big city. Different ages will understand this in different complexities, but it's fun for everyone.

Flashlight by Lizi Boyd

The illustrations are so clever in this one. It's about a boy who finds a flashlight, and ventures out into the night to see how the world looks different in stark black and white with only a vibrant splash of color illuminated by the flashlight.

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

The illustrations are so gorgeous in this one. It's a great little retelling of one of Aesop's more popular fables. (If you can get over the illustrations long enough to pay attention to the story, that is. And did I mention the fabulous illustrations?)

Journey by Aaron Becker

This book is about a girl who draws a magical door on her bedroom wall and escapes through it to a fantasy world full of danger, problems that can only be solved by creating more things with her trusty marker, and new friendship. There are two sequels (Quest and Return) which I haven't read but heard are just as great.

Where's Walrus? by Stephen Savage

This is a fun one about a walrus who escapes from the zoo and tries on all sorts of different hats to disguise himself. My toddler loves to find the hidden walrus on every page. It's short and sweet and one you'll find yourself re-reading often.

Red Sled by Lita Judge

This is a fun watercolor-illustrated book about a bear that takes a sled (and his favorite woodland friends) on an adventurous ride down the hill. The only words are the sounds the animals make. This is a perfect book to add to your Christmas book collection for kids.

Pancakes for Breakfast by Tommy DePaola

This one is a classic. I love all of DePaola's work, and this wordless picture book about a woman who is trying to gather supplies to make pancakes for breakfast is absolutely charming. It also makes me want pancakes.

Playtime? by Jeff Mack

This one is brand new on the market and super cute. Technically it has two words, "playtime!" and "bedtime!" I think there's a "shh" in there too. My grandparents gifted this to us for Christmas and it's already a favorite. My daughter loves to look at the expressions of the naughty gorilla who just wants to play during bedtime. She will read this one to herself multiple times a day.

Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

Another classic! We LOVE this book at our house. It's the story of a zookeeper locking up for the night without realizing the gorilla has stolen the keys and is leading all the animals in for a sleepover at the zookeeper's house. The page that just has the wife's surprised eyes wide open in the dark is so awesome. It's probably our best-loved wordless picture book ever.

What are your favorite wordless picture books?

And what else do you want to read when it comes to posts about picture books?

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What to Read: Halloween Short Stories

I'm the first to admit: I'm a wimp when it comes to scary things. Scary movies freak me out, I haven't read a single Stephen King book, and I've been to exactly one haunted house in my life (although I actually found the haunted house more tacky than terrifying). 

But scary short stories? Those I like. They're a great way to get you in the Halloween mood and you can read each in one sitting. They rate really low on the evil and overly graphic scale too. Here's a list of my favorite scary short stories that will get you in the Halloween mood!

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Graphic Novel)
Washington Irving
I haven't actually read the novel version of this story, but I read a shortened graphic novel. It was the perfect blend of scary and short, even though the illustrations were a little distracting in my opinion. I like the cartoon version of this one, too :) It's about a superstitious man who takes an ill-fated trip into the woods.

The Cask of Amontillado
Edgar Allen Poe
I remember reading this in middle school before Halloween. Edgar Allan Poe is the master of horror short stories, and this one was perfectly sinister. It's about a single-minded man with a terrible plan for revenge.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Alvin Schwartz
This is a collection of very short scary stories. Some of these are scarier than others, but overall, this is a good collection of horror stories. The stories are appropriate for younger audiences, and the illustrations are creepy too.

The Tell-Tale Heart
Edgar Allen Poe
Another perfectly scary short story about a paranoid murderer trying to prove his innocence. They just don't make stories nowadays like they used to. This is one of the classics.

The Tailypo
Joanna Galdone
This is an illustrated children's book about an older man who lives alone and cuts off the tail of an animal to eat for dinner. But then the animal wants its tail back... This one is good for younger audiences, too.

The Raven
Edgar Allen Poe
The Raven is a short poem by the classic Poe. This is probably one of the most iconic Halloween stories of all time. It's not my personal favorite of his, but hey, you can't make a list of scary short stories without including The Raven.

The Ghost-Eye Tree 
Bill Martin Jr.
This book is beautifully written and illustrated. It's really not too scary, and actually has a good message to it, but it had to be included here because it gets the reader instantly in a spooky Halloween mood. It's about two young kids who have to pass by a haunted tree on a dark night. A great read-aloud to kids.

The Most Dangerous Game
Richard Connell
I read this short story in middle school first, and loved it. It's about a hunter who stumbles upon an island. On that island is a dangerous man who has a passion for hunting the most cunning game...

What are your favorite Halloween short stories?

Which ones am I missing?

And are there any other horror wimps out there, or is it just me? ;)

A previous version of this post was first seen on my blog two years ago here. 

Follow me on Goodreads for my most recent book reviews!

More book recommendations you might like:
Strong female leads
Great book club books
Stand-alone fantasy
Light-hearted clean romance books
Beautiful literary WWII masterpieces
Best books for the new parent

What to read next if you loved Wonder
Easy classic novels

great books to read this summer

For me, a good summer read can be almost anything, with a few caveats.

First, it can't be super dark, dreary or depressing. I like to save my dark and brooding books for the darker, brooding months in the winter. Summertime reads should be at least moderately uplifting, bright, or happy.

Second, it has to be a book you can read in short segments. Lots of times, summer books are listened to one chapter at a time on a car trip, or read in short bursts on the beach.

Third, I really like it if the book takes place somewhere warm or summery. It's just easier to imagine sweltering afternoons or warm night breezes when you're currently experiencing similar weather.

Here are a few books to read this summer. They're all fantastic!

A Man Called Ove
Fredrik Backman, 2014

The main character's object of desire is to end his own life, but it's not nearly as dark and dreary as it seems. This is a sweet and quirky book with a funny main character and the kind of awesome neighbors we can only dream about having.

We Were Liars
E. Lockhart, 2014

This is a suspenseful YA book that's perfect for the summer. It's literally set on a summer getaway island, in the wake of a family tragedy that the main character has blocked from her memory. It's all about first love, first mistakes, and secrets that are too painful to forget - or to remember.

What Alice Forgot
Liane Moriarty, 2010

This book has lots of ingredients for a great summer read. It's mostly bright, fun, and happy, and reads along nice and quickly. It's also easy, so if you need to put it down at a moment's notice, you'll be able to pick it back up without a problem. It's about a woman who temporarily loses the last 10 years of her memory.

The Poisonwood Bible
Barbara Kingsolver, 2005

This book is about the family of an evangelical missionary who move to the Belgian Congo in 1959. The language used to describe the jungle is absolutely amazing, and you'll be pulled in to the crazy adventures and complicated family dynamics. The jungle has never seemed so swelteringly hot or action-packed.

The Help
Kathryn Stockett, 2009

Talk about a perfect summer read! The setting is nice and warm. The plot moves quickly and the characters draw you in, and it's a very empowering book. If you haven't already read this, or if it's been a while since you read it, go ahead and treat yourself. You won't regret it.

The Rent Collector
Camron Wright, 2010

This book is fresh, original, and interesting - in fact, the main character lives in poverty in an actual burning garbage dump in Cambodia. The sweltering setting is absolutely perfect for summer, it's short and sweet, and I love the message about friendship and literacy.

What have you been reading and loving this summer?

I'm in a major book rut - send me some good titles!

P.S. Follow me on Goodreads for my most recent book reviews!

More book recommendations you might like:
Strong female leads
Great book club books
Stand-alone fantasy
Light-hearted clean romance books
Beautiful literary WWII masterpieces
Best books for the new parent
What to read next if you loved Wonder
Easy classic novels

What to Read: Easy Classic Novels

Classic novels. We love them and we hate them. On one hand, they're so enriching and full of beautiful language and ideas and stories. And you feel super smart when a reference comes up in conversation and you've read that book. ;)

BUT. A lot of "the classics" are really dense and long and hard to read. Especially in today's fast-paced, easy reading society, it can be hard to commit to and really love a classic book. That's why I wanted to compile my favorite classics that are pretty darn readable. They're fast-paced, they're comparatively short, and they have exceptional main characters. You see a lot of these on high school reading lists for these exact reasons.

To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee, 1960
Just read this one already. I didn't include very many American classics on my list, but this just had to be mentioned. Great main characters, invaluable lessons and engaging plot line.

Three Musketeers
Alexandre Dumas, 1844
This is such a fun book! It's funny, it's fast-paced, and it's full of adventure. One of the most famous historical romances out there.

The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925
This book has a great narrator, which makes it easy to read. It's fast-paced and absolutely crazy at the end.

Sense and Sensibility
Jane Austen, 1811
Jane Austen's books are generally regarded as easy to read. My favorites of hers are Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility. I mean, there's got to be a reason why there are a million movie adaptations of each of her books.

The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger, 1951
Lots of high school classes read this, and for good reason - it's short and absolutely brimming with teenage angst. Some people love it, some people hate it, but it is definitely a classic.

Jane Eyre
Charlotte Bronte, 1847
Of all the Bronte sisters' books, this one is the most readable in my opinion. It's kind of like a Jane Austen, but with a little more mystery and depth and emotion.

Gone with the Wind
Margaret Mitchell, 1936
I loved this book, even though I hated every second of it. Scarlett O'Hara is a despicable main character who makes bad choices during the entire book, but at the same time, you find yourself rooting for her and understanding her. There were a few looooong passages about the Civil War, but I still couldn't put it down.

The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas, 1844
Another all-time favorite, all about love and revenge. Plus, you can read an abridged version and not feel like you're cheating!

Tom Sawyer/ Huckleberry Finn
Mark Twain, 1876 and 1884
Another classic American author. These two books have fun adventures, awesome dialogue, and are very readable.

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And just for fun, some classics that I did NOT find inherently readable:

• Anna Karenina - I got about 200 pages into this 1,000-page book before giving up. It was just too dense and slow for me, with way too many tangents. A lot of the language didn't translate very beautifully, either.
• As I Lay Dying - I read the whole thing, and it was short, but again, it just wasn't my favorite. I don't think I'm smart enough to appreciate this one (but for real, there must be something beyond my comprehension level that makes people love this book).
• Thomas Hardy books - I've read Tess of the D'Urbervilles and The Mayor of Casterbridge. Both plots were okay, but I found myself finishing both just to say I didn't give up on them.
• Charles Dickens books - This is tough, because Dickens is one of my very favorite authors. Nobody can create a world or describe a character like Dickens. That being said, they are very slow and often dense books. A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations are my favorites. 

What am I missing?

What are your favorite classics?

And the easiest ones to read?

A similar version of this post first appeared on my blog a few years ago (link here).

P.S. Follow me on Goodreads for my most recent book reviews!

More book recommendations you might like:
Strong female leads
Great book club books
Stand-alone fantasy
Light-hearted clean romance books
Beautiful literary WWII masterpieces
Best books for the new parent
What to read next if you loved Wonder

What to Read: Novels about Infertility

When it comes to infertility, there are not a lot of great fiction books out there. Obviously there are a million scientific non-fiction books that will tell you about medical procedures and adoption procedures. There are also a huge amount of books about parents and parenting. But it can be surprisingly hard to find a fiction book whose main plot focuses around infertility. Lots of times, infertility is mentioned as a passing backstory, but rarely does it take center stage.

Over the years, I've read a few fiction novels about infertility whose plots I adore. They feature strong characters, raw emotions, tough choices, and the ups and downs of the infertility roller coaster. Here are some of my favorites:

The Light Between Oceans
M.L. Stedman, 2012

This book is about a young couple who lives by themselves on an island off Australia tending a lighthouse. After two miscarriages and a stillbirth, the once-vibrant Isabel hears a baby crying in the wind. A dead man and his alive baby have washed ashore. She takes the baby as her own and becomes alive and joyful again. Until they return to the mainland and find that everyone has been searching for the child they call their own. This book drew me in and did such a great job of illustrating both sides of the story.

The Snow Child
Eowyn Ivey, 2012

This is a retelling of the old classic fairy tale, and I thought it was so beautifully written. It's about a barren couple trying to survive in the harsh Alaska desert. One night they build a child from snow, who then comes alive and visits the couple. It really brought the Alaskan frontier to life, and did I mention the writing is just lovely?

What Alice Forgot
Liane Moriarty, 2010

Technically, Elizabeth's journey with infertility is only the sub-plot of this book. But I loved it just a much as the main plot. I loved how raw and open and real her emotions felt, and loved the descriptions of the support group too. In the end, I was just as invested in her plot resolution as I was in the main character's resolution. What can I say, I just love this book.

Honorable Mentions:

The Children of Men by P.D. James
I haven't personally read this book, but it's on almost every infertility list I can find. Unlike every other book in this post, it's not realistic fiction, but rather a dystopian future world in which the human race becomes infertile and the last generation of humans is now adult. I've heard good things.

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
I usually like Jodi Picoult books, but honestly, I had to stop reading this one halfway in. Every single Christian in this book is a homophobic evangelical scumbag (to use one reviewer's apt phrase), and every single lesbian in this book is a perfect, patient, loving angel. The story line is interesting and definitely original, but in the end I couldn't handle the in-your-face stereotyping, so I stopped reading it. But hey, it's a popular fiction book about infertility, so I felt I had to include it.

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner
I'm on hold for this one at the library right now. It's about four different women who each have their own plot arc, and one of them is, you guessed it, about infertility. I've heard mixed reviews about the writing, but everyone seems to agree that the plot is pleasant enough, so I'm excited to try it out.

What am I missing?

Favorite fiction books about infertility or adoption?

Let me know in the comments below!

P.S. Follow me on Goodreads for my most recent book reviews.

More book recommendations you might like:
Strong female leads
Great book club books
Stand-alone fantasy
Light-hearted clean romance books
Beautiful literary WWII masterpieces
Most readable classics
Best books for the new parent
What to read next if you loved Wonder

What to Read: Strong Female Leads

First of all, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who keeps reading my book recommendation series. My first post was a half-formed idea thrown together the night before, and I thought for sure it would bomb and I'd move on. But it turns out I'm not alone in wanting to discover and share great literature. Who knew? It keeps surprising me month after month. So thank you, my awesome readers, for loving books as much as I do, and coming back for this series. 

One of the things I love best in my novels is a strong female lead. A lady who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. There are a lot of determined, wonderful, strong female characters out there, but I wanted to share some of my favorite lead characters who exemplify these traits.

These is my Words
Nancy E Turner, 2008

What I love the most about Sarah, our heroine, is that she thinks she's just a plain homesteader, and has no idea how amazing she is. She educates herself in a time of widespread illiteracy, especially among women. She has amazing grit and strength and determination in the crazy Wild Wild West. She's smart and hard-working and family-oriented. Also, her love story is one of my favorites, even though the novel is really sad in some parts.

The Time In Between
Maria Duenas, translated by Daniel Hahn, 2011

In this international best-seller, our main character, Sira, finds herself abandoned and penniless in Morocco. She pulls herself up by her own determination, and quietly becomes the most famous fashion designer in the city. Then, in a crazy part two (that feels like a separate novel), she ends up becoming a spy, working for the British Secret Service by passing codes sewn into dress hems during WWII. Sira is understated, meek, and really really good at succeeding against all odds.

The Help
Kathryn Stockett, 2009

When you think about strong female leads, almost every main character in this book fits the bill. It's about a young woman who just graduated college in the deep South, where getting married is supposed to be a woman's number one priority. She ends up secretly publishing a book comprised of interviews of the "hired help," the African American maids who raise entire families but can't even use the indoor toilet. These women expose racial injustice and end up changing the town for good. It's filled with strong, hilarious, resilient, powerful women. The movie is great too!

Gone with the Wind
Margaret Mitchell, 1936

I almost deleted this one, because Scarlett O'Hara is one of the least likable characters in all literature. (Let me put it this way. Lord Voldemort was more evil, but at some parts we felt sorry for him instead of just hating him. I never once felt sorry for Scarlett O'Hara.) Scarlett is petulant and stubborn and incredibly self-serving and selfish. However, she is truly one of the strongest female leads in literature. She defies stereotypes, she is determined to the point of recklessness, and gosh darn it, she gets what she wants. Who said strong female leads had to be positive role models? I guess?

I want to hear your favorites? 

I'm always in the market for a good book, 

and a strong female lead.

What would you add to this list?

P.S. Follow me on Goodreads for my most recent book reviews!

More book recommendations you might like:
Great book club books
Stand-alone fantasy
Light-hearted clean romance books
Beautiful literary WWII masterpieces
Most readable classics
Best books for the new parent
What to read next if you loved Wonder

What to Read: Stand-Alone Fantasy Novels

I studied children's fantasy literature in college, and academically speaking, fantasy is one of the best genres for children (and adults). The benefits are practically limitless: fantasy books develop imagination and creativity, they have strong and courageous protagonists, they're a way to think about societal issues in a removed and unbiased way, and they teach children fantastic morals (i.e. that good and evil exist, and that the good trumps the evil).

EDIT: I had three more paragraphs about the benefits of reading fantasy novels, but I'm trying to stay on track here. The bottom line is that fantasy novels are exceptional for you. Read them, read them with your children, the end.

What I don't like about fantasy novels, especially today, is that they often come in huge series. You can't just read a fantasy book these days. You have to commit to the whole series, and pretty soon you've invested way too many hours, there are one million backstories to keep straight, and everyone has three names and is the Lost Princess of Somewhere or Other. Some people love delving whole-heartedly into the backstories and intricacies and made-up languages of epic fantasy series, but I really start to lose interest at that point.

So today I rounded up a list of my favorite stand-alone fantasy novels. They're fun, they're involved, they have fantastic endings - and you don't even have to wait for the sequel, or wonder why on earth a sword has four names, its own set of special powers, and it's own chapter-long backstory. You're welcome.

The Night Circus
Erin Morgenstern, 2011

Le Cirque des Reves, the Night Circus, pops up in the middle of the night without warning or advertisement. The world inside the circus is magical, fantastical, and full of whimsy - led by two illusionists who are supposed to be competing against each other but fall in love instead. There were a few gaps in the boundaries of magic, and a few gaps in the love story for me, but I still really loved this book, and it's been really popular since it was published.

Chime
Franny Billingsley, 2011

The main character has one of the most unique and memorable voices I've read in a long time. The writing style is modern, jumpy, and metaphorical, which means lots of my readers won't like it, but I couldn't get enough of this book. It's set in a village with a haunted swamp, a plucky (witch!) heroine, and an incredibly sweet love story.

While Beauty Slept
Elizabeth Blackwell, 2014

This retelling of Sleeping Beauty is fun, historically accurate, engaging, and has just the right amount of magic. I loved the author's interpretation of the story, and the narrator really drew me into a world of opulent castles, love and lust in medieval times, and one sorceress with an evil plan.

The Hobbit
JRR Tolkien, 2002

While this books is technically a prequel to the super-involved Lord of the Rings trilogy, it's also a fun stand-alone book that was originally written for Tolkien's own children to enjoy. It's short and easy to read, it's full of adventure, and it's truly one of the classics.

Elantris
Brandon Sanderson, 2006

This book has it all: kingdoms on the verge of collapse, powerful wizards, a cursed prince. But it's fresh and new and doesn't feel like it's recycling any classics. I think there is a sequel, but the entire story is a stand-alone, powerful, neatly-wrapped-up story.

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If you don't mind a good long fantasy series, my favorites are Harry Potter (duh), LOTR (also duh), and the Throne of Glass series. Or see what I'm currently reading and reviewing on Goodreads here!

Other posts in my What to Read Series:
Great Book Club books
Light-hearted clean romance books
Beautiful literary WWII masterpieces
Most readable classics
Best books for the new parent
What to read next if you loved Wonder

What did I miss?

Favorite stand-alone fantasy novels?

I'm also looking for a good fantasy series.

Any suggestions?

What to Read: Great Book Club Picks

Every book club has its own rules and guidelines when it comes to choosing books. But when it's my turn to pick a book? I have a few criteria I stick to:

1. I love to choose fiction novels, because they usually make for a quick, engaging read, and everybody finishes their book long before discussion night.

2. Good book club books deal with more than one issue. That way, everyone is drawn to at least one of the main themes, and there's never a shortage of passages to discuss.

3. I like to stay away from books that are severely shocking, polarizing, heavy-handed, or explicit (unless your club was formed specifically to read and discuss these types of books, that is).

Here are some of my favorite fiction book club picks:

The Rent Collector
Camron Wright, 2012
This is about a woman who lives in a dump in Cambodia and makes her money scavenging the garbage for recyclables. It's a beautiful, fast-paced story about hope and the power of learning.

The Help
Kathryn Stockett, 2009
Is there anyone who hasn't read this book by now? It's the story of "the help," the black maids who quietly run households and raise children for white women in the early 1960s. Some maids team up with a white woman who doesn't want to conform to society standards to start a movement that changes their racist town forever.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, 2008
Trust me, don't get hung up on the name of this book. It's about the correspondence between a woman living in the shadow of post-WWII London, and the characters of the small island of Guernsey during the German occupation. It's funny and endearing and universally well-liked.

Love Walked In
Marisa de los Santos, 2006
Technically, this is a romance book, and I don't usually pick those for book clubs because they're so one-sided. But this book is about so much more. Namely, it's about an eleven-year-old girl who's just been abandoned by her mother, and how her life entertwines with Cornelia, a short and spunky coffee cafe worker.

We Are Called to Rise
Laura McBride, 2015
This is a great book club pick because it's told from multiple perspectives, and it's about multiple issues that are easy to discuss: veterans with PTSD, immigrant families in America, the social work system, and modern-day marriages. Funnily enough, I don't think everybody will absolutely love this book, so it lends itself to a really awesome discussion. It's richly told and has some really beautiful passages.

Those are my current favorites! And now I have to divulge that, since moving to Arizona, I have not found a new book club, and I'm pretty disappointed about it. Local friends: want to start one? I miss having a book club and book club nights!

Other lists in my book recommendation series:
Light-hearted clean romance books
Beautiful literary WWII masterpieces
Most readable classics
Best books for the new parent
What to read next if you loved Wonder

To see what I'm currently reading and reviewing, follow me on Goodreads here.

Which of these books have you loved the most?

What books did I miss?

Favorite books for book club?

P.S. Let's be friends!

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What to Read: Beautiful World War II Novels

What better way to cheer ourselves up from the post-holiday blues than by reading emotional, heavy, complex World War II novels, right?

Okay, part of me is crazy for posting these books as we're all coming off our holiday high. But part of me loves to curl up with a good book and get lost in beautiful language during the long, dark, cold days of January. Also, I know a lot of people who made New Years Resolutions to read more really good books, and I have to say, these are (in my opinion) really good books.

A note of caution: These are World War II books. If you're looking for something light and happy, don't read these books. If you're looking for something that has no sadness or violence, don't read these books. If you're looking for something in which nobody dies, don't read these books. That being said, none of these books are too graphic, and they do such an incredible job of telling beautiful stories about what it means to be a human during wartime.

So here we go: What to read if you're in the mood for a literary World War II novel.

The Book Thief
Marcus Zusak, 2006

You guys, this is probably my favorite book ever. I recommend it to everyone. It's about a foster girl outside Munich who steals books and hides a Jew in her basement. The best part: it's narrated by Death, and he makes the terrors of the Holocaust almost poetic. It's modern, metaphorical, unique and beautiful.

Code Name Verity
Elizabeth Wein, 2012

I almost didn't include this in the list because it's a little graphic in some parts. But in the end, it's actually a pretty light book because the violence is masked with lots of humor (sounds weird, I know, but just trust me). Code Name Verity is about two women (a spy and a pilot) and the friendship between them during the war. Pay attention to every detail in the first half, because it all becomes very important during the second half! 

All the Light We Cannot See
Anthony Doerr, 2014

If I did a post about books that have beautiful language, this would be number one. The story is poetic and beautiful and meaningful. It's about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide during the war. I have a few huge problems with this book (someone who's read it - discuss it with me!), and it gets a tad bit slow in the middle, but overall, I really liked this book. 

See more of my What To Read series here, and see what I'm currently reading and reviewing by following me on Goodreads here!

What did I miss?

Favorite WWII books?

I've heard The Nightingale is also great. It's on my to-read list.

What to Read: Light-Hearted Clean Romance Picks

Today for my book recommendation series, I was going to recommend some complex and emotional WWII books. But honestly, after a crazy weekend, I felt like something more light-hearted was in order. (Did anyone else have to take a break from logging into Facebook this weekend? It seems like everyone forgot to be kind or give anyone the benefit of the doubt. I took most of Saturday and almost all of Sunday off and it felt so nice.) So today I'm talking about three of my favorite light, clean chick lit novels.

I've noticed the crazier my life is, the more I read romance novels. At times when I'm super stressed out (like our move to Arizona, or when I was an emotional sleep-deprived new mom) I reread a few of my favorites. It's nice, when everything is stressful or chaotic, to relax and escape to a world in which the most pressing problem is whether or not two characters like each other (spoiler: they do).

Here are a few light-hearted, clean romance novels, in case you're in the mood to escape your problems with an easy plot arc, beautiful romance, and a nice happy ending:

Edenbrooke
Julianne Donaldson, 2012

This is my all-time favorite Regency romance (besides the original Austen and Bronte classics, of course). The pacing is great, the chemistry is fantastic, and I really liked Marianne's development as a person. I love the author's second novel, Blackmoore, as well.

Love Walked In
Marisa de los Santos, 2005

This book is told alternately from two perspectives: a young woman managing a coffee bar, and an eleven-year-old girl who's just been abandoned by her crazy mother. The author did a great job creating very different but believable narrators. With great writing and a sweet ending, what's not to love?

Sarah M Eden books
2003-present

What can I say about these books? They're all so simple (literally you can guess the ending from reading the back of the book). But they're all very sweet Regency romance stories, with actual gentlemen and beautiful ball gowns and strong family ties. My favorites are Seeking Persephone, The Kiss of a Stranger, and Friends and Foes. The perfect light-hearted escape books.

What Alice Forgot
Liane Moriarty, 2009

This book is about a woman who hits her head at the gym and wakes up with no memory of the last ten years. She thinks she's twenty-nine, pregnant with her first child, and mad about her husband, only to realize she's almost forty, has three children, and in the midst of a nasty divorce. Watching her piece together her memory and see the last decade through new eyes makes for a sweet and funny story. (There is some swearing.)

PS See what I'm currently reading and reviewing on Goodreads here!

What am I missing?

Your favorite light-hearted clean romances?

And don't worry - the list of WWII literary masterpieces is coming soon. :)

P.S. Let's be friends!

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