Some of my favourite books I rarely talk about; I like to keep them secret like a hidden treasure, tucked away for only me to enjoy. Some books I want to march around town waving banners about and recommending them to everyone I know. But some books I reserve for a few special people, people that I hope will feel exactly the same way I did about that particular story.
So as my brother becomes a more and more confident reader, I wait with growing anticipation to recommend books that, when I was his age, I cherished above all others. More often than not, I find myself analysing broken spines and dog-eared pages, questioning whether my 8 year old brother, who currently likes Diary of a Wimpy Kid, would love them just as much as I did.
On that note, here is a list of books that are sitting patiently in a pile waiting for the second sibling to adore them just as much as the first one did.
1. Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan
To me, reading Percy Jackson feels like coming home. You really can't go wrong with it, as millions of copies sold have proved. Heart-warming and heart-breaking, funny, clever full of adventure, it really does have everything. Great for all ages, but I'd probably start at 8+
2. Sophie's Adventures by Dick King Smith
As a girl who'd just started to read proper books, I couldn't get enough of Sophie. Her determined outlook on life in general was a pleasure to read as we learnt about here and her dreams of running a farm. Her animals and attitude combined were perfect and I stayed up late reading this book more than once. 6+
3. Wonder by R.J Palacio
After I read this book I remember recommending it to anyone who would listen. A wise move from 8 year old Juliet. This book touched me; it made me cry, made me laugh, made me smile quietly as I turned page after page, hungry for more. And now, years later, it's being made into a movie! To say I'm excited is an understatement.
https://www.littleenglishbookworm.com/product-page/wonder
4. Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz
Alex Rider was actually a much more recent read than the ret of the books here, having discovered it older than I would have liked to. I can only imagine how much fun I would have had pretending to be a spy, and Alex Rider would certainly have been more than enough incentive for me. Sadly, an opportunity missed, but I won't deny my brother the opportunity. Gritty and action-packed, great for 8+
5. Pippi Longstockingby Astrid Lindgren
Although my memories of Pippi are a bit hazy, since this book was read to me by my mother at a much younger age than the rest of them, I remember the important things, such as how much I loved to hear Pippi's stories. I owned the edition which was illustrated by Lauren Child which I'm sure only added to the allure, being a hardcore Charlie and Lola fan. But Pippi was created long before my time and I'm sure I'm not going to be the only one encouraging my brother to read it...
