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Many Boards of
school education are trying to inculcate the habit of reading among students. CBSE,
for instance, has introduced reading-based
projects in the senior secondary section. At any rate, it is of vital
importance to bring back the habit of reading among our students. Here is a
list of books that can be recommended to students.
1. The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum: The book narrates the
adventures of a young girl named Dorothy in the magical land of Oz, after she
and her dog Toto are swept away from home by a cyclone. Here are some quotes
from the book:
·
It is such an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool.
·
I think you are wrong to want a heart. It makes most people
unhappy. If you only knew it, you are in luck not to have a heart.
·
A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much
you are loved by others.
2. The
Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle: Published in 1912, this science
fiction tells about an expedition to a plateau in the Amazon basin where
prehistoric animals such as dinosaurs still survive. This novel was converted
into many movies of the same title. A few quotes:
·
There are times, young fellah, when every one of us must make
a stand for human right and justice, or you never feel clean again.
·
There are strange red depths in the soul of the most
commonplace man.
3. The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain: This 19th century
children’s classic is a masterpiece of American literature and deserves to be
read by every student. Some quotes:
·
The less there is to justify a traditional custom, the harder
it is to get rid of it.
·
“Well, everybody does it that way, Huck."
"Tom, I am not everybody.”
"Tom, I am not everybody.”
·
“What's your name?"
"Becky Thatcher. What's yours? Oh, I know. It's Thomas Sawyer."
"That's the name they lick me by. I'm Tom when I'm good. You call me Tom, will you?"
"Becky Thatcher. What's yours? Oh, I know. It's Thomas Sawyer."
"That's the name they lick me by. I'm Tom when I'm good. You call me Tom, will you?"
4. Are You There God? It’s Me
Margaret by Judy Blume: A little different from the usual children’s
books, this tells the story of Margaret who is born to a Christian mother and Jewish
father. She wonders which religion she should be, if any. There is much talk
about boys, bras, bodies and friendship. Girls are likely to enjoy this more.
Let’s look at some quotes:
·
“Are
you there God? It’s me, Margaret. I just told my mother I want a bra. Please
help me grow God. You know where.”
·
“I
like one hair, tuna fish, the smell of rain and things that are pink. I hate
pimples, baked potatoes, when my mother's mad, and religious holidays.”
5. My Name is Aram by
William Saroyan: This is a collection of short stories published in 1940. One
of those stories is a prescribed lesson in class 11 of CBSE. The stories detail
the exploits of Aram, a boy of Armenian descent growing up in California.
Here’s a quote: “How can you talk if
you don’t say anything?” I said.
“You talk without words. We are always talking without words.”
“Well, what good are words, then?”
“Not very good, most of the time. Most of the time they’re only good to keep back what you really want to say, or something you don’t want known.”
“You talk without words. We are always talking without words.”
“Well, what good are words, then?”
“Not very good, most of the time. Most of the time they’re only good to keep back what you really want to say, or something you don’t want known.”
6. The Little Prince by Antoine
de Saint-Exupery: One of my favourites, this small book has sold millions and
millions of copies. It tells the story of a young prince who visits the earth
from another planet. Every line of this novella can make students think for
hours. Look at some examples:
·
And
now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one
can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.
·
What
makes the desert beautiful … that somewhere it hides a well.
·
It
is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.
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| Image courtesy |
7. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull
by Richard Bach: This delightful novel is the story of a seagull that refused
to accept the mundane life and hence learnt the great lessons of life. This was
one of my favourite books for a few years of my youth and I have recommended it
to students every year. Here are some quotes:
·
You have the freedom to be yourself, your true
self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way.
·
The
price of being misunderstood, he thought. They call you devil or they call you
god.
·
Heaven
is not a place, and it is not a time. Heaven is being perfect. -And that isn't
flying a thousand miles an hour, or a million, or flying at the speed of light.
Because any number is a limit, and perfection doesn't have limits.
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