Recommended Reading: Books About Books

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that one way to improve your thinking about the books you read is to read books that are written about books. You will probably find that most good books mention other books; this is because good authors are also good readers, and you will see their own reading life come through in their writing. But there’s also lots of really good books with a specific focus on stories and reading. Today I’m pointing you to a few personal favorites that are a good place to start. Let’s start with the fiction first:

1. The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin. Also worth mentioning are her books The Librarian Spy and The Last Bookshop In London. These books have lots of references to the greatest works of literature, as well as a focus on the power of story in the midst of dark times.

2. The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera. This is definitely a lighter read than Martin’s works mentioned above, but it’s stuffed full of great literary references and ideas. Definitely one that will make you think more about the power of reading!

3. Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan. This may not have references to as many books as the ones above, but it’s still the most life-changing story on this list. This is the story of a college-age girl who goes on a quest to learn more about the story behind Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. Including both real facts from Lewis’s life and a heartwarming (and tear-jerking) fictional story of a brother and sister, this one will make you look at Narnia in a whole new light.

4. The Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke. I read these in college after falling in love with fantasy thanks to Harry Potter. These will make you think deeper about the power of reading aloud, specifically.

Now for the nonfiction:

1. On Stories by C.S. Lewis. I’ve heard this collection of essays referenced for years, but just now finally got around to reading it. If you want to REALLY challenge yourself to think about your reading life in a new light, this is what you should be reading. I would challenge you to take this one slowly and really digest what you’re reading. It would make a great book club pick, as well, or you could journal through it.

2. Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson. This is THE resource on classic reading that all women should have on their shelf. Sarah Clarkson has packed it full of phenomenal book recommendations, tips to get the most out of your reading life, and thought-provoking ideas about reading.

3. The Read Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie. If you want to start reading aloud or reading aloud more with your kids, but don’t know where to start, this is the best place. Mackenzie gives practical ideas and also helps us understand WHY reading aloud is so important.

4. The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. Trelease’s work inspired Sarah Mackenzie’s own journey with reading aloud and will take your understanding of reading aloud one step further.

5. Honey For a Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt. My mom used this book to find great read alouds for us when I was a kid, and now I’m using it with my own kids! This book has a timeless quality that will make you fall even more in love with reading to your kids, even as your kids fall more in love with books.

6. Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson. This is more about the creative process in general, but there are whole chapters where Peterson expounds on the creative process as applied to writing. He also talks about his own experience with reading as a child and how it paved the way for his salvation story later.

7. Mothering By the Book by Jennifer Pepito. Pepito walks us through various motherhood struggles, showing how we can better process and deal with them with the help of books (both ones we read on our own and read aloud ideas).

8. I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel. Bogel is famous for her book blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy. This is written memoir style; there were so many moments reading this where I went Wait! You, too?!

I think for every reader there was a moment in their journey where they began to identify themselves as a reader. Hopefully this happens when they’re a child, but if not, these books are a great place to start!