Continuing To Encourage The Hidden Reader

One of the most popular posts I've written is How To Encourage The Young Readers Around You... And In You despite it's long title lol. And to tell the truth, it was probably one of my favorite posts to write because of how much I adore reading - and getting other people to love reading too.

Like I said in that post, reading is a gift, a blessing. And people who don't read are... missing out. Missing out on a world of friends and enemies and adventures and heartaches. Missing out on learning empathy, and history. Life lessons, and pick-up lines. Romance and intrigue.

Telling yourself you don't enjoy reading is putting yourself in a box, honestly. It's limiting yourself to you, and missing out on the stories and lives of other people, whether real or fictional, that can teach you so much.

So, to encourage you to pick up a book, or press play on your audiobook, here's a list of books that got me so giddy about reading, I couldn't think about anything else - from when I was two, to sixteen.

Plus, some amazing fall desserts to go with them. (And credit for this idea goes to the amazing Erin Bronn, an epic romantic suspense author who you can find more about here or join her super super fun email list here.)

The Little Engine That Could - Pumpkin Pie Fudge

I had a lot of books memorized when I was little, but The Little Engine That Could was definitely one of my favorites - I even knew the name of the author and would say it like it was part of the title.

If you haven't read this classic, and old... but very cute and inspiring book to your kids (or even yourself XD) I would definitely recommend. Especially if you're reading it while eating some rich pumpkin pie fudge!!

Watership Down - Pumpkin Carrot Cake

Now, a lot of people haven't heard of Watership Down, or have only seen the movie because the book is quite thick. As in, it was the thickest book I had ever read when I read it at eight years old.

It's actually a pretty scary and morbid-ish book (and the movie is actually like really scary lol) but I read it because my dad said he read it as a kid, and that instantly made it cool. Looking back on it now, though, it was probably the first book I read that was even remotely scary, and dark - like, really dark.

And when I read it then, I don't think I truly appreciated what a beautiful book it was - it's incredible... in a morbid, boring at times, Animal Farm kind of incredible.

But it was the first big, heavy, lots-of-chapters chapter book that I read that made a big impression on me. And what better to read it with than some rabbit-inspired pumpkin carrot cake?!

The Wingfeather Saga - Old Fashioned Gingerbread

Probably one of my favorite book series still, and that has made me cry almost every time I read it, The Wingfeather Saga is a book that both kids and adults can enjoy together - one of few books that I loved when I was ten, and still love now.

The third book in the series, my favorite one if I had to pick, made me both very scared when I stayed up reading it late at night, and made me cry in front of my siblings when we listened to it together. It was also the first book that I had to go upstairs in the library to get - which definitely freaked my mom out a little bit I think.

Now, to be totally honest, the first book is more geared toward younger kids - and with each book, the content gets heavier and heavier. Almost as if the reader is growing along with the characters. So if you start the first book, and you're bored - keep reading! I promise it gets so so much better.

And if you start the first book with your kids, maybe, depending on the child, read the second book before they do - or better yet, with them.

But most importantly, don't watch the movies before reading the books. I promise you you won't regret it. Andrew Petersen is an incredibly gifted storyteller (what is the difference between telling a story, and the art of storytelling?) and his words are worth reading, either on your own, or with your kids. (Or with some thick, deliciously-full-of-molasses gingerbread.)

The Wolves Of Willoughby Chase - Harvest Spice Bread

The Wolves Of Willoughby Chase is a very random, not-too-long book that I couldn't recommend the sequel or love the author... but for a long time, it was one of my favorite books. A book that got me out of reading slumps multiple times when I was in my tween years, and gave me lots of inspiration to write.

It really is a very interesting, intriguing middle-grade book - one of the best middle-grade books I've ever read, quite honestly.

But I think what really pulled me into the world of this book is the fact that I had been living in this kind of a world, in my imagination at least, since my older cousins taught me what an orphan was! It's like Joan Aiken took years of our "orphan catcher" games at grandma's house, and wrote a book about them!! And as an eleven and twelve-year-old, I couldn't have loved anything more.

I promise you that if you sit down after making some delicious harvest spice bread - or, in other words, apple pumpkin carrot cinnamon brown sugar spice cake - and give this book a try, your imagination at least will be given some exercise.

Sweep - Pumpkin Scones

One of the more sad books I read when I was younger, Sweep is one of those books that will really just open your eyes to real life - real life for chimney sweeps in London.

It showed me a whole other world, and made me realize just how blessed I really was to be sitting in school, having parents, and not having to fit through chimneys no wider than the open book I was holding.

I also just loved it because it was... sad. But at the same time funny and quirky and totally not what you would expect out of a novel about child chimney sweeps, while at the same time fitting exactly how you would want it to.

To this day Sweep is one of my favorite books and has some of my favorite fictional characters of all time. And if you eat some scones while reading it, you'll really feel like you're in England.

Small Acts of Amazing Courage - Carrot Halwa Cake (Indian Carrot Cake)

With an insanely long title and a pretty, but not necessarily eye-catching, cover, Small Acts of Amazing Courage is one of those books that doesn't exactly jump off the shelves at you, if you know what I mean.

But it completely changed my perspective of India's fight for independence - not that I knew very much about it in the first place until I picked up this book. Gloria Whelan has so so many good historical fiction books, and I would absolutely recommend them all, but this one was just a step above her average.

And reading it really opened my eyes to not only life in India as they fought for independence, but also life in Great Britain from the perspective of a British girl who had grown up in India, and never wanted to leave. And while your preparing to open your mind up to a whole new story, try out some Indian Carrot Cake to get the full experience.

before I called you mine - Caramel Apple Dessert Pizza

The amazingness of caramel apple dessert pizza - and that sounds pretty amazing - doesn't even compare to how amazing of an author Nicole Deese is. And while before I called you mine doesn't have the prettiest of covers (like All That Really Matters), it is my soul story all wrapped up and written so beautifully the way Nicole does.

If Wolves of Willoughby Chase was the epitome of my childhood, then before I called you mine is my dream of the future - in a sense.

But really, it's just a very gorgeous, hilarious, super cute, and cozy romance that just makes me want to cry and laugh and dream and... everything XD so go read it!

And I could Go On, And On

But, for your sake, I'm not going to. Maybe, if you all like this kind of thing, I can do another post over the holidays, but for now, go check out one of those books.

Pick up a book and read!!!!

Don't keep listening to that voice telling you you don't like reading, because I think if you found your niche, you would love it. You would get excited - giddy - about reading!

If you need more recommendations, or want age-specific or genre-specific books, please let me know! I would love love love to give you a very long list XD And then, you won't have anything stopping you, or your kids, from reading.

So go out there and read, or listen, or read to your kids - and let me know if you liked any of these books that I love! (Also let me know if you tried out any of those recipes!!)