We don't often appreciate the required reading of our pre-college years. Something about being told what we must read isn't very conducive to our enjoyment. However, as we get older we can revisit the books of our youth and discover them to be great reading and quite entertaining. These selections also offer great introductions to a wide range of story-telling devices and thematic concepts. Best of all, the reading is generally on the short side and books can easily be devoured without a large investment of time.
Grade School Books That Adults Should Re-read
Children's books (grades K-5) are often chock-full of life lessons and are never short of an ending with a moral attached.
- Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. This story about friendship between a spider and a pig is an endearing classic among young students and adults alike.
- The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. A favorite among readers, this story tells the tale of the friendship of a boy and a tree and how the tree sacrifices itself for the boy's sake.
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. While the themes presented in this novel are somewhat biblical, the exciting worlds of magic and fantasy appeal to a non-denominational readership.
Middle School Books That Adults Should Re-read
Books that are intended for tweens (grades 6-8) fall into the middle school age category. These books usually bridge the gap between children's and adult's books.
- Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. A popular introduction for young readers for using a diary as literature, as well as a personal look at the events of history.
- My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier. The tale of a family's divide during the Revolutionary War told from a young boy's perspective.
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. The award-winning novel about how three kids travel through time to fight evil forces.
High School Books That Adults Should Re-read
High school readers (grades 9-12) are usually introduced to the classics for the first time, although there are plenty of other books deemed required reading for high school aged students that are modern and engrossing to the reader.
- Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. A morally and ethically thought-provoking read, this novel touches on issues of mentally disability and friendship, as well as the degree of value society places on intelligence.
- The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. This Nobel Prize winning novel recounts the tale of a determined old fisherman and his young mentor.
- 1984 by George Orwell. Big brother is watching in this novel that is eerily more realistic today than it was when it was originally published. Readers learn about the evils of censorship and overuse of authority and power.
For more required reading picks that adults can enjoy, visit The National Education Association's Teachers Top 100 Book List and Bookshare.org's List of Teacher Recommended Books.
Lisa Rufle - If I had to describe myself in one word, it would easily be: curious. So as a natural extension of my curiosity, reading is my life's ...
