Throughout the school year, students are obligated to read a set list of books. Although this selection changes every so often, not every book will be super engaging. While everyone seemed to enjoy The Absolutely True Part Time Diary of an Indian by Sherman Alexie, Shakespeare’s classic masterpiece  Macbeth wasn’t as popular. All in all, each piece of literature has its intended audience and, therefore, reading can become much more enjoyable when you identify what type of category you fit into. Of course, depending on your mood this may change, but in general, each one of the recommendations below fits into a specific “profile”.

For the shopaholics:

For all the shopaholics out there, I would recommend When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger. Simply by looking at the title and cover of the book, it is clear what type of audience the author is looking for. The novel is actually the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada (an iconic book and movie which I am obviously assuming you know all the lines to). The book is an easy read and is more dynamic than expected since the story is told through the perspective of three different women. 

When Life Gives You Lululemons is a New York Times Bestseller and according to The Washington Post it “reads like The Real Housewives of Greenwich.”

For the ones who always ask “what if” questions:

People who constantly ask “what if” questions seem to be trying to understand parallel universes and that is why I recommend Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. It is a science fiction-infused anti-war novel that explores the recollections of Billy Pilgrim’s World War II experiences. However, this is not an ordinary book. Since the narrator is what we would call “abnormal”, the plot is a mix of true facts, illusions, and dreams, making the audience question the various outcomes of Billy Pilgrim’s decisions during the war. 

For those trying to be mindful:

Calm the F*ck Down has the same vibe as the famous The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck and has honestly saved my life. The book (or even better, the guide) is part of a collection of four books by Sarah Knight. Not only does it include various helpful tips, but there are multiple “interactive” parts where you get to write in the book and make direct connections with your own life. Overall, Sarah Knight’s intention with this book is to make the audience understand that there are things in life you simply won’t be able to control and that is ok (for those of you who haven’t realized yet, this is essential in the IB!)

For the ones who are “kids at heart”:

Myself fitting into this category, there are actually a few books I would recommend. First of all, anything Dr. Seuss. He is a genius, there is no need for further explanation. Other than the king himself, I would recommend The Missing Piece and The Missing Piece Meets The Big O. This mini collection by Shel Silverstein has taught me some serious life lessons and has left me crying in the book store’s kid’s section – it was not a pretty scene… Another great kids’ book is The Giving Tree, also by Shel Silverstein. This is a classic and it doesn’t get old. 

One by Kathryn Otoshi is another personal favorite that talks about the relationship between different colors and how they express themselves.  Clearly, I have some knowledge in this area so if you ever need a recommendation for children’s books PLEASE let me know! To justify myself, I have a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old brother!

For the ones who actually do the school reading:

Just look at this link. I’m not about to discuss the summer reading with you all, I have to save my insights for the Socratic Seminars… 

As you can probably tell by now, there are books for every type of person. If you aren’t a frequent reader, I suggest you start now because apparently these next-level teachers known as “professors” are – for some unknown reason – obsessed with reading assignments and they aren’t as intriguing as these recommendations above. Might as well read an engaging book while you still have time!