For this month’s bookish blog, I feel the need to give a shout-out to all the other booknerds out there that love books about books. Bookworms, unite! (And by that, I mean, go grab your book and find a cozy spot by yourself with something warm to drink as you inhale the fragrance of book pages or your favorite bookish candle…whatever that is…)
What are the best ya books to read about books? I’m discussing the type of book where a reader, usually a child, finds their way into the book itself or maybe a character of the book finds their way into real life. This concept is not unique, there are dozens of books out there with this premise. There are even movies that have this premise (I’m looking at you, Never Ending Story—book I should really get around to reading!) What I discovered surprised me. Instead of the premise being overused, there are many unique ways to tell this story. The plot advances and characters develop while real readers, like myself, wish this could really happen.
C’mon, if you call yourself a bookworm . . . Don’t you occasionally, perhaps frequently, want to cross from real life into the pages of a favorite book? Who doesn’t want to bring a favorite character we think of as a friend into our homes?
I think that young adult literature does this particularly well because as adolescents, most of us become a little cynical. But there is a hope for something pure and beautiful beneath that cynicism! I believe that’s why I love the young adult genre and write in it. I’m speaking to that snarky me that is stuck in high school still wishing for the fairy tale. If that’s you, then I bet you will love the following books.
Books to Read About Books: The Great Good Thing
A precious college friend of mine sent me a package in the mail after the death of my sister. She knew I was hurting, and her card and sweet gifts showed a tenderness that I was able to receive like a hug across the miles that separated us. (Especially since the package included a good book!)
I’d never heard of The Great Good Thing, but was immediately intrigued by the adventures of Sylvie. The little princess spent her time trying to find a way to climb out of its pages and then restoring order to her story when things got shuffled the wrong way. Though the parents come across as foolish, I enjoyed the story and how Sylvie transforms to become the heroine of her own story.
Books to Read About Books: Between the Lines
This book was great fun and had me confused as to what I, the reader, actually wanted to happen. Did I want the character who was so unhappy with his “boring” story to be set free from the confines of the page? Did I perhaps want him to pursue a real relationship with the reader? I’m not kidding when I say that I wasn’t sure what I wanted until I read the end. Still debating whether to pick up the sequel because I’m a little nervous about getting conflicted again. I know, I take this too seriously!
But I think that’s a sign of an intriguing story, one that doesn’t have clear-cut answers to difficult questions. There are times in life where we need to reconcile ourselves to the lives we live and find contentment there. There are other times (and, God, help us know the difference!) when we must fight our way out of the mundane to faithfully do what is right and uncomfortable.
This book was a collaborative work of a well-known author, Jodi Picoult, and her daughter’s debut, Samantha Van Leer. The mother-daughter relationship in the story is very interesting as a result. I wish I could have read this book with my own mother before she died. I think the discussions of real-life versus fairytale love have a great deal of merit and I’m glad I can talk about it with my girls. There is also a strong element in the mother figure with the son and I’m looking forward to discussing this with my boy. Father figures are sadly lacking in this tale.
Books to Read About Books: The Book Jumper
Of all the books, The Book Jumper is the most controversial. There is more profane language in it, if that concerns you. Of all the books I am recommending here, it is definitely intended for an older young adult audience. This story is more of a mystery than the other two and I love the plot twists that have you guessing till the end how things will turn out. I adore the way Mechthild Glaser has created this story world, where book jumpers come from two prestigious family lines whose job it is to keep plots progressing properly.
This is another book with a strong mother-daughter theme running throughout, whispering to readers, “Are you keeping secrets from each other? Secrets can lead to hurt.” Yes, expect it to lead to great discussions! There is another book in the series, but I haven’t picked it up yet.
What are you reading?
So, of all the books above, have you read any? I’d love to hear what you thought of them. If not, what books with this theme have you found intriguing? If you are a writer, like me, I’m curious to hear how such books impact your writing. I suppose it is many of our dreams for readers to long to climb within the pages of our books.
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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