Need some short books to pad your 2024 reading goal? These “kids” books should be your first stop!
I read 150 books in 2023. That’s often considered too many books, but I’m an serial audiobook listener who listened to books in the background while 1) remodeling an entire house (inside and out), 2) keeping up with outdoor chores in Louisiana where the greenery TAKES OVER if you don’t dedicate many hours to taming it, 3) partaking in many a plane, train, and automobile ride that took 13+ hours at a time, and 4) moving cross-country which required me to pack and unpack our entire life. I had the time!
I don’t anticipate reading that many books in 2024. I think last year was a “perfect storm” scenario. However, my reading-heavy year did teach me to appreciate short books- ones that I could listen to while also completing a single, large task. Need to tile the bathroom floor? A 3-hr short read can work. Have to mow the lawn then edge then weedwhack? A 5-hr book might do the trick. And since your brain is focusing on a couple things at the same time, the straightforward plots of kids books work perfectly! Because I read these books, I had stuff to talk about with my younger cousins while visiting home. As an additional bonus, if you have older relatives that are starting to suffer some cognitive decline and have some memory impairment, the lengths and plots of kids books might still work for them- I can attest to both kids books and short story collections working very well in these situations. Here are some of my favorites from last year if you’re looking for a place to start.
Are You there God? It’s Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume
This book was a young girl “classic” that seemed to have skipped me somehow, but with Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates starring in the 2023 movie version, I figured I would give it a listen. It is a wonderful coming-of-age story that deals with religious identity, going through puberty, and trying to sort through the changing relationships between friends and family. Margaret Simon, the main character, was a joy to follow as she navigated making new friends and maintaining communications with family after moving to a new state. Judy Blume had me laughing out loud with the incredibly relatable weirdness of realizing you’re “becoming a woman” both emotionally and physically.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
A great book to read if you need a dusting of spookiness in your life outside of spooky season. I’ve always loved Neil Gaiman’s writing style, and the descriptions of the other world that our protagonist journeys through are DEFINITELY creepy. The suspense of the journey was paralleled with Coraline’s dive into the depths of her own bravery. And much like Blume’s book, Coraline also became a movie. I slept on the movie for far too long and rediscovered it when I went through a Tim Burton and Tim-Burton-esque cartoons binge a few years back. The book made me appreciate the movie, and vice-versa. I found some of my cousins were still a bit scared by the aesthetic of the movie, and thus weren’t too keen on reading the book just yet. For kids like them, or adults with a shorter task to accomplish, I would highly recommend Gaiman’s Fortunately, the Milk- only about an hour read and super adorable for the adventure and genre lovers out there!
The Enola Holmes Series by Nancy Springer
I saw it online somewhere- someone said something like: The best thing to happen to Sherlock Holmes recently was giving him a little sister. As a fan of the Netflix movies, I thought I would give the book series (plus one short story and one graphic novel) a go. I listened to most of these while installing some new flooring and while driving 13+ hrs to go house hunting in a different state. They were perfect to listen to while focusing on another task. There are some similarities to the movie, but many, MANY differences. Enola is on her own for longer and therefore develops many more personal and professional connections with fun side characters. Her eventual reconnection with her brothers is more developed, and the mystery surrounding her mother is different. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I did have to stop working to listen to the reveal chapter of the sixth novel- it hit me in the heartstrings! She has a very staunch aversion to pants for some reason, and some of the characterizations about mental health and inclusivity are a bit outdated at times, but overall, if you liked the movies, you’ll like these books. Keep an eye out for cameos from interesting historical figures too!
Dear Mothman by Robin Gow
This was my first novel-in-verse. I struggled a bit with it when I got an ebook version from the library, but I think that may have been due to formatting issues with my digital reader. The book went much faster for me once I switched to audiobook format, and again, I listened to this book in the car. I originally added it to my list because I went through a mini-fixation of mythological creatures and Mothman caught my interest. This is an epistolary novel written in the form of a trans youth’s letters to Mothman in the wake of his best friend’s death. The protagonist, Noah, deals with grief and how it permeates into his life at home, at school, and with his friends. A great first exposure to this form of storytelling as well as a beautiful look into the process of coming-of-age in the trans community.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
This was another novel-in-verse that exceeded my expectations with its raw emotion, poetic descriptions, and gut-wrenching plot. This book demands attention, so my anticipated chores did not get done while listening to it, but I think that might be a key insight into how good this book is. Acevedo’s novel might be considered more young adult than kids, but with themes of religious identity, feminine rage, and embracing a creative lifestyle in the Latinx community, it made for a truly exceptional read. There is also an LGBTQ+ B-plot. I don’t want to spoil anything. I’ll just say read it. READ it. Read IT. READ IT! NOW. Stop reading this post and go read this novel.
What “kids” books would you recommend catching up on this year?
Comments