New Year, New Books!!
The Down the Hobbit Hole blog team were relaxing around the dining table at the hobbit hole. As we were deciding whether or not it was time for second breakfast (there are seven daily hobbit meals), we began discussing the books we got for Christmas and those that were still on our wish list. Our team thought that it would make a good post- New Year, New Books.
So we asked each other, “If you were going to suggest a book for someone who is not an avid reader, what would it be? And if you were going to suggest a book for a bookworm, what would that be? And finally- what’s currently on your wishlist?” Maybe you have some gift cards from Christmas, or still have some gifts to get, or like to make yearly book lists! If you do enjoy this list- please share it!
Suggestions from the Ranger:
For the Light Reader: Hugo (age 8+)
Current Wishlist: Anything from the Percy Jackson series! (age 10+)
Suggestions from the Ent:
For the Light Reader: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (age 8+)
For the Bookworm: The Sherlock Holmes series (Starting with A Study in Scarlet) (age 12+)
Current Wishlist: The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek by Rhett and Link (Comedy YouTube Stars) (adult)
Suggestions from the Princess:
For the Light Reader: The Perks of Being a Wallflower (age 15+, deals with adult situations)
For the Bookworm: The Book Thief (highly recommended by the Hobbit as well) (age 13+) AND Fan Girl (age 14+)
Current Wishlist: Over the Top (adult) and The Rest of the Story (age 13+)
Suggestions from the Unicorn:
For the Light Reader: The Giver11(age 8+) (I recently had a friend read it and fall in love with reading)
For the Bookworm: The Jackaby series (age 12+)
Current Wishlist: The entire Harry Potter series (Ages 8+ to 12+). Get the novel series here and the first three illustrated here.
Suggestions from the Elf:
For the Light Reader: Betty White’s biography If You Ask Me (And Of Course, You Won’t) It’s 3 page short stories from her life (13+)
For Adults and Kids to Enjoy Together: Weird Al’s Book When I Grow Up (Pre & Elementary), The Magic Tree House Series (Mid Elementary +), The Narnia Series (Middle School +)
For the Bookworm: If you haven’t read these classics yet, check them out! Anne of Green Gables and Great Expectations (Middle +)
Current To-Read List: Brene Brown’s I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Wasn’t), Scoot Over and Make Some Room by Heather Avis, The Mysterious Benedict Society and Building a Story Brand.
Suggestions from the Hobbit:
For the Light Reader: Any of the Dog-Man books (graphic novels age 7+)
For the Bookworm: There is a series of historical mysteries set in 14th Century England, The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon (I would begin with the first in the series, The Unquiet Bones. (age 15+)
Current Wishlist: Adorning the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making by Andrew Peterson (adult)
As the hobbit was making his suggestions, his sister, the Hobbiton Librarian stopped by for a visit. She warned us that it is impossible for a librarian to suggest only one book, and added to our list:
For a Light Reader:
- All the Light We Cannot See by Doerr (Historical Fiction) (adult)
- News of the World by Paulette Jiles (Western/Historical/best story ever) (age 16+)
- Holes by Sachar (Fiction-ish) (age 10+)
- Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (YA realistic book in verse) (age 12+)
- A Man Called Ove by Backman (Fiction) (adult)
- Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart (Mystery based on history – book 1 in the Kopp Sisters)
- Uprooted by Naomi Novik (Fantasy) (age 15+)
- The Three Rancheros trilogy by Kate DiCamillo (Tween Realistic) (Raymie Nightingale; Louisiana’s Way Home; Beverly, Right Here) (age 10+)
- Finishing School by Gail Carriger (YA Steampunk) Etiquette & Espionage is the first one (age 13+)
For the Bookworm:
- Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep (because it provides interesting insight into the life of Harper Lee) (for adults who liked To Kill a Mockingbird)
- This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews (Tween Graphic Novel, Ages 10+)
- Arc of a Scythe series by Shusterman (age 12+)
Current Wishlist (most of these are for adults and several are about reading)
- When Poets Pray by Marilyn McEntyre
- The Official Downton Abbey cookbook
- The new Pioneer Woman cookbook
- Any picture book illustrated by the Fan Brothers (such as the Night Gardener – ages 4+)
- Reading Picture Books WITH children by Lambert
- The Read-Aloud Handbook (2019) by Jim Trelease
- Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids – Colby Sharp and Miller The Ramped-Up Read Aloud looks interesting also.
TELL US! What was your favorite read of 2019 and what is one book on your wishlist for 2020?
If you enjoyed our book list “New Year, New Books”, you might enjoy our book reviews with discussion questions! Check out Dog Man Fetch 22, and For Whom the Ball Rolls, Girl Wash Your Face, Alls Faire in Middle School, The Inquisitor’s Tale, or this post on reading together as a family.