The heat of summer is baking our lawns daily. I try to get the kids out for a short time and then, we are back inside. I gave birth to readers and you will often find us all cozied up with our various books snickering or gasping. It’s just how our family is. My tweens/teens and I talk about the books we read. It opens the doors to what they think about the world around them and what is going on inside them. I thought I would take the opportunity to share some of our best summer reads–that have nothing to do with summer.
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If you have voracious readers
Of course, if you have voracious readers or you are not a great reader yourself, you may feel like you are failing to keep up with your child or teen. I have one daughter who literally reads one to two books a day and retains the information. I. Can’t. Even. Well, maybe I could if my people didn’t need to eat or wear clean-ish clothing. Or go places. Or talk to me. (We won’t get into the fact that I have debilitating migraines). Anyways, what’s a parent to do with those reading appetites?
There are several helpful websites that you can google to give you some ideas on good books to read. I thought I would pop on here and give you my take on some books that I have found move my family toward living more joyfully together. I am going to make this a monthly post as well as discuss it in my monthly newsletter when I don’t have a new title myself.
1. Harry Potter will help you talk about anger and grief
Maybe your best summer reads have you next to the pool reading about beach trips. I don’t know, my family is in love with fantasy. As such, fantasy, even young adult and middle grade fantasy can be full of hot topics, so let’s chat.
Let me get the most controversial series of books out of the way. I highly recommend the Harry Potter series. For years I avoided them because I actually have those who are pagan in my family. Having been raised in a conservative Christian home, I was taught that Harry Potter would open a dark door to evil things. I decided at last to read the books for myself and I’m so glad I did.
Though the worldview is clearly not a Christian one, the good vs. evil theme has provided ample opportunities for discussion in our family. Along with laughing at different character’s quirky antics, we have discussed Harry’s difficulty with anger. These talks gave me a better understanding of what prompts my children to react in anger and we have discussed why we need adults we can trust with our feelings (SPOILER: Harry keeps losing adults he trusts.) We also discussed his propensity to lie, use some mild profanity, and some different ways characters could have handled situations. We didn’t let our kids read the entire series until we felt they could handle the level of sadness.
2. The Lunar Chronicles will help you talk about weird feelings and romance
The Lunar Chronicles will be another controversial choice that I would recommend for emotionally maturing adolescents. This sci-fi fairytale retelling series (which begins with a cyborg Cinderella) is fast-paced with some violence and a heaping dose of romance. I have told my son he is too young for this one, but my adolescent girls and I have discussed private feelings that they had a hard time expressing before reading this series. There is something about a good fairytale and lives being at risk (fictionally speaking) that seems to open the floodgates for young women. This also has some mild profanity and a few kissing scenes that I used to talk about what is appropriate and what may not be.
3. The Ascendence Trilogy will help you talk about trust issues
The Ascendence Trilogy is one of my all-time favorite series of books. The main character is a young orphan who lies and steals. I know, you’re wondering why you might let your adolescent read about him. He is a survivor and all three of my kids and I discussed why people would make choices that this young man makes. When he is pushed into difficult situations and allows people to see him for the brilliant strategist he is, the story is propelled to another level. Also, the author has a fantastic sense of humor which plays out in most books she writes. I would label it middle grade plus as it doesn’t have any language I can remember.
4. The Journey series will help you talk about God’s goodness and forgiveness
Finally, don’t hate me, I recommend my series, beginning with Beyond the Tower (which you can start for free at any of these online stores). I have specifically written this series with 12-21 year-olds in mind. Rapunzel’s backstory of isolation and sudden introduction into society has had my children and I discuss all sorts of things. How do people learn to trust each other? If God is good, why does He allow bad things to happen? Can you forgive people who mean you harm? You can get the prequel for free here or Beyond the Tower for free and Amidst the Castles for only .99 USD right now at all online stores. My prayer is this series will start great conversations in your home.
As this is a new feature for my Searching for Joy blog, I would love to hear what you are reading this summer. What books would you like me to investigate or recommend to others? Please leave a comment here or on any social media site where you follow me.
About JacQueline
As the author of The Journey series, a young adult fantasy retelling Rapunzel’s misadventures, JacQueline also wrote Memoirs of a Headcase: Held by the God of Hope, to share hope in the battle against chronic pain and depression. Currently she lives in North Alabama with her karate husband and three book-crazy kids. All opinions expressed on this website come from her own experience. Do not substitute it for professional therapy or medical advice. Any affiliate links used on this website will provide additional income to JacQueline’s family at no additional cost to you.
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