The Turning of a Page

“The journey of a lifetime starts with the turning of a page” ~ Rachel Anders

As time goes by, we become less reliant on books for enjoyment; you may wonder why… however, the answer lies in-front of you; technology is unfortunately serving as an alternative to reading for numerous people. I have always been a keen reader, however, as the years pass, it remains unnoticed how even the wildest of ‘book worms’ have lost their keen interest. Whether you are 4 years old or 80 years old, reading remains a significant opportunity for mental, psychological and emotional growth; allowing you to broaden your horizons/knowledge, develop perspectives, discover yourself, augments your imagination, etc. Reading is beneficial in countless ways, and is an efficient yet pleasurable activity to pass your time. This concise yet impactful entry is designated to a selection of my favourite books to help you pass your time efficiently at all times. Avert your boredom the right way!

Each book has been categorised upon interest in age groups, although, any selection that interests you is the right path to pick! For example, the Harry Potter series, written by J.K Rowling, can be of interest to a 10-year old as well as for a 30-year old; feel welcome to read & choose any book of your interest, even if my list of recommendations and personal favourites may not specify the same for your age.

Ages 4 -5 :

1. Harold & the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

To purchase/access ; https://www.amazon.com/Harold-Purple-Crayon-Books/dp/0064430227 OR PDF file with free account http://getbooks.online/book/1258664 (not secure, but the pdf version of book available here)

2. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

To purchase/access; https://www.gruffalo.com/ (secure website with interactive activities) and https://www.amazon.com/Gruffalo-Julia-Donaldson/dp/0803730470 (free audiobook also available)

Ages 6 – 8:

1. The BFG by Roald Dahl; A classic by the author of the legendary book and play Charlie & the chocolate factory

To purchase/access; https://www.amazon.com/BFG-Roald-Dahl/dp/0142410381 (where free audiobook is available) https://ggwy.bnu.edu.cn/docs/20180321092340203052.pdf (reliable and secure PDF to download)

2. The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy

To purchase/access; https://www.amazon.com/Worst-Witch-Jill Murphy/dp/0763672602 (free for kindle) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/351023.The_Worst_Witch (reviews and access links)

Ages 9 – 12:

1. Wonder by R.J Palacio

To purchase/access; https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11387515-wonder (reviews and access links) https://wonderthebook.com/books/wonder (interactive site with shopping options) https://www.amazon.com/Wonder-R-J-Palacio/dp/0375869026 (free audio book)

2. The Harry Potter Series by J.K Rowling

To purchase/access; https://www.goodreads.com/series/45175-harry-potter (entire series available to read, with free and secure sign up) https://www.wizardingworld.com/discover/books (all books available in several free forms; secure site) https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Paperback-Box-Books/dp/0545162076 can be bought separately

3. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien

To purchase/access; https://www.amazon.com/Hobbit-J-R-Tolkien/dp/054792822X (audio book is available and free; all options available) https://archive.org/details/TheHobbitByJRRTolkienEBOOK/page/n3/mode/2up (free and secure pdf download)

Ages 12+ :

1. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins (trilogy)

To purchase/access; https://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Book/dp/0439023483 (entire trilogy available in different forms like free audio books) http://kieferorigins.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/7/6/13762989/collins_-_the_hunger_games_trilogy.pdf (not secure but entire trilogy available for download as pdf)

2. One of us is lying by Karen M. McManus

To purchase/access; https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32571395-one-of-us-is-lying (links for access and reviews) https://www.amazon.com/One-Us-Lying-bestselling-thriller-ebook/dp/B01MXTCX3O (with free audio book also available)

3. Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan

To purchase/access; https://rickriordan.com/series/percy-jackson-and-the-olympians/ (official website secure and has access links) https://www.amazon.com/Percy-Jackson-Olympians-Hardcover-Boxed/dp/142314189X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1589880694&sr=1-1 (many purchase versions inclusive of hardback, paperback, audio CD, etc.)

Ages 16+

1. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

To purchase/access; https://www.amazon.com/All-Bright-Places-Jennifer-Niven/dp/0385755910 (in various versions, free audio book available) https://archive.org/details/AllTheBrightPlaces_201805/page/n2/mode/2up (secure website with pdf download)

2. To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee

To purchase/access; https://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbird-Harper-Lee/dp/0446310786 (3 versions, but the audio book is free) https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=YW5udXJpc2xhbWljc2Nob29sLm9yZ3xzaXN0ZXIta2F0ZWx5bnxneDo2NjVmZmE1NzNjNjc4NWM (secure pdf version)

Ages 20 +

1. Becoming by Michelle Obama

To purchase/access; https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Michelle-Obama/dp/1524763136 (free audio with audible trial, different versions available to purchase) https://becomingmichelleobama.com/ (interactive website; pdf download available, purchasing locations, where it is available and blurb of the book; secure) official book website

2. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

To purchase/access; https://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari/dp/0062316095 (free audiobook with audible trial) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23692271-sapiens (reviews and online store access links)

3. Midnights Children by Salman Rushdie

https://www.salmanrushdie.com/midnights-children/ (official and secure website, sharing places you can purchase and access books; hyperlinks) https://www.amazon.com/Midnights-Children-Modern-Library-Novels/dp/0812976533 (3 versions, free with audible trial) (the book is soon becoming a Netflix series)

I hope my selection interests you and inspires you to become a more frequent reader, happy reading!

Mini-bibliography = https://gladreaders.com/importance-of-reading-books/ for importance of reading