Modern Book Recommendations Based on Your Childhood Favorites
If you enjoyed some of the favorites on this list, chances are you’ll like these next options.
In today’s world, it is tough to blindly pick up a book and expect to enjoy it, especially if you’re blind. With all of the options on a Barnes & Noble bookshelf, it is hard to know that “that” book is the right one for you. Listed below are some books that you may have read as a child, as well as a relevant recommendation to accompany it.
Reading is something that is oft forgotten in today’s social-media world, so please take a moment to check out these picks and see which ones are right for you. As they say, a book is worth a thousand words.
“A book is worth a thousand words.”
-They
Without further ado, here are my recommendations:
If you liked The Lorax, read The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
The Lorax needs no introduction. A book known for its accurate portrayal of the California Redwoods, it theorizes what could happen if corporate greed grows at the expense of the environment.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy takes the ideas in The Lorax and brings it into reality. Following the plight of a father and son after a mass extinction, it is eerily similar to the mass extinction that occurred in The Lorax. As you read about The Road, you follow a father and son as they scavenge, sacrifice, and fight to survive. It is highly emotional and one that will leave your heart strained as you finish it.
If The Lorax is a colorful, fictional post-apocalyptic novel, The Road is a harrowing, convincing post-apocalyptic novel. Much like Dr. Seuss’ famous horror It — which is set to be in theaters later this year — The Road also dives into themes of hardship, perseverance, and family.
Both can be found in your local library and both are a more iconic duo than Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
If you read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, read Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling.
The Sorcerer’s Stone takes the reader on an amazing journey. It introduces readers to dynamic characters and possibly the most intriguing setting in all of fantasy: the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And I am not just kidding when I say that J.K. makes her wizarding world one you won’t want to leave. Following the lives of three children as they enter a wizarding school, there are plenty of elements relatable to modern education systems, from overpaid administration to the horrible student-housing.
Its sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, is recommended because that’s how reading a series works. You read the next book. That’s why I am recommending the second installment of this seven-part adventure.
If you read War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, read Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.
Charlotte’s Web follows a similar path as Leo Tolstoy’s except E.B. is able to get the same themes across in far fewer words. Try not to waste your time with Leo if you haven’t already.
If you liked The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, watch Human Centipede.
I’m not really even sure where to go with this recommendation. Human Centipede is not even a book. Anyway, The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a about a gluttonous larvae as he eats his way through the most diverse forest imaginable. Stumbling upon ice cream, sausages, lollipops, and more, he somehow avoids diabetes and transforms into a beautiful butterfly at the end of the book.
Unfortunately, Human Centipede is exactly what it sounds like — human beings being stitched into a centipede. This film is as gross as it sounds, and it’ll probably be a better experience if you just avoid it altogether and watch the South Park spoof, “HumancentiPad” instead.
If you liked The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, watch HumancentiPad from South Park Instead.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a heart-worming adventure about a young caterpillar as it seeks to find food. Featuring cute pictures and diverse treats, it is a great read for children as it can introduce them to a wide vocabulary of words.
If you are a bit older and want something with a better sense of humor, watch the HumancentiPad episode of South Park. As the first episode of season fifteen, it is a hilarious parody of the infamous film, Human Centipede.
If you read Mr. Popper’s Penguins, I recommend the Planet Earth documentaries, but only the parts when cute animals are in danger.
Living a suburban life like myself, it is easy to forget that other animals die — horrifically. Books with anthropomorphized animals such as Mr. Popper’s Penguins can give the wrong idea about their lifestyles. That is why it is healthy to inject the truth into your entertainment choices.
Watch Planet Earth to remind yourself that it is unrealistic for a Mr. Popper to actually own penguins.
Good books are always difficult to come by, and sometimes it is better to hear a recommendation from a person as opposed to an algorithm. The issue with algorithms is that they tend to give completely unrelated or completely random book recommendations. They waste your time, unlike this blog entry. I hope my recommendations can spur some eagerness or haste in your quest for the next novel, and if these inspire even more reading, let me know what you picked in the comments below.
Thank you for reading and thank you for letting me inspire. Feel free to check out my website — Ingenius Gentleman — and follow me there to receive updates of new posts via email.
