Top Ten Tuesday is a CREATIVE weekly feature hosted by the Broke And The Bookish and is the brain child of the beautiful Jamie at the Perpetual Page Turner.
This week is all about recommending books for people that hate reading, although this seems to be a waste of time, I think with the right book you can convert someone to the magic of words and the page.
1. Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling
I've caught the golden snitch!
Why?: If you can’t appreciate Harry Potter, you don’t belong in my airspace. Seriously, if Harry Potter can’t turn someone into a reader, then, yo, no hope there at all.
2. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Vampire Academy
Why?: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead is action packed and filled with vampires that aren’t wusses and don’t sparkle. If the book hater is big into DRAMARAMA, then they might be into Vampire Academy for the ballad of Rose and Dmitri.
3. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Lightning Thief
Why?: Percy hates reading. HEY LOOK SOMETHING IN COMMON. Also, this shiz is MAD FUNNY.
4. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
To Kill A Mockingbird
Why?: Look, you want something that will inspire? Beautiful prose? CHARACTERS YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP. Boom. To Kill A Muthafuckin Mockingbird. All up in your grill. Seriously though, To Kill A Mockingbird should help convert adult non-readers.
5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Book Thief
Why?: Give The Book Thief to a non-reader with a box of kleenex. See if they don’t want another soul shattering book.
6. The Outsiders by SE Hinton
The Outsiders
Why? Stay gold, Ponyboy. That is why. Bitch.
7. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
This Lullaby Sarah Dessen Book Cover
Why?: If the book hater is a girl, but she likes swooning, give her a bit of Dexter and Remy. I’m pretty sure Dessen has the magical power of hooking a teenager girl into reading.
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Why?: Yo, The Hunger Games is full of action — so if the book hater has the attention span of a gnat, they won’t get bored. ALSO there are deeper themes and romance and awesome characters.
9. The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian
Why?: Humor often wins people over. Alexie’s humor isn’t fake trying too damn hard humor, but genuine and touching and painful and true.
10. Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Murder On The Orient Express
Why?: Some crazy ass shit goes down. AND THE WOOL GETS PULLED OVER YOU. And sometimes people like that sort of thing. If this reluctant person loves a red herring, they will be down for some Agatha Christie.
This post was written by...
April (Books&Wine) – who has written 1076 posts on Good Books And Good Wine.
April is 24 years old. She is an educator. In her free time she can be found reading, working out, or eating junk food. She often wears her sunglasses at night.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
HOLY BANANAS, WE ARE TWINS. Again. (Seriously, this is crazy, right?) Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and Vampire Academy, holla! And I thought of putting both The Hunger Games and The Book Thief on my list, too! I can’t believe I forgot about Sarah Dessen, though! Such a good call. She’s magic when it comes to getting girls to read.
Super list, as always
It is so hard for me to imagine people who don’t like to read; even at my work, I’m surrounded by readers! Great picks-I especially like the Sarah Dessen suggestion.
I assume all non-readers have the attention span of a gnat. Otherwise, why would they not be reading? Reading is amazing.
Great choices – I’ll have to check some of those out as I’ve only read a few!
My Tuesday Memes post
That’s a really great list. I am now hanging my head in shame that I have not read vampire Academy. I have seen that on a lot of blogs. It’s on my TBR list, I just haven’t gotten around to it. I have also heard that Sarah Dessen’s books are fantastic.
I often tell my sister, who DOES NOT READ, to read Percy Jackson. Heck, I tell anyone who doesn’t read to read Percy Jackson. In fact, I’d tell them to read just about any of these books and see if they don’t become an overnight reader! I just can’t wrap my mind around people who don’t read. How can you not read?!
Some great books here! I’m especially interested in Part Time Indian for my own shelf. It sounds really good
Percy Jackson is the bizness.
Just this morning I tried picking up our copy of Percy #1, after which I was PUT IN MY PLACE by one of my 8-year-old twins-complete with head bobbing and an index finger. It seems she’s re-reading Percy #1 and isn’t finished yet and, well, it’s apparently rude for me to try and start it before she finishes it. (I’ll allow this behavior if 1. it’s over a book and 2. she has a point.)
GRETA is BEAST. Also, we totally need a second set of those in this house. I swear if it’s MG and it’s good stuff, I have no chance with it unless I sneak it away from my girls.
THIS is exactly the reason why I am buying a second set of Harry Potter’s.
LOVE This Lullaby. Dexter is the BEST. Favorite Dessen book, although The Truth About Forever is great too.
Excited to see Murder on the Orient Express on here! I am reading it later this year for a book challenge and can’t wait!
PONYBOY!!! My original book boyfriend! Yet, somehow? That book didn’t make my list. I think I was thinking that everyone MUST have read it in school – right? That’s where I read it the first time.
Come see my Top Ten / Teaser Tuesday! (And be sure to enter my giveaway.)
I LOVE the Percy Jackson series! It gets a reread from me every now and then and I’m quite certain it’s the type of book that most people (including non-readers) might enjoy if they gave it a chance.
Cool choices! Harry Potter is on everyone’s list! lol
http://janieraeldridge.blogspot.com/2012/02/top-ten-tuesday-5.html
Our lists are so similar! I cannot wait to read The Book Thief! And I love that you mentioned Sarah Dessen… This Lullaby is one of my all-time favs!
Jennifer @ Feminist Fairytale Reviews
http://feministfairytalereviews.blogspot.com/2012/02/top-ten-tuesday-12-books-for-non.html
I agree with pretty much every one of these. Anyone who can read these and not enjoy them the slightest bit should probably get checked .
HAHA! So true. If you don’t like Harry Potter, I don’t want to be anywhere near you. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like HP.
Poo on book haterz! I have way too many students who claim not to like books but when I put OUTSIDERS or HUNGER GAMES into their hands, they can’t put them down. Great list!
Holy unexpected Agatha Christie Batman! I gotta admit, I did not see that coming. And it was awesome. Of course the rest of the list was all well and good as well. I agree, people who don’t appreciate Harry Potter don’t deserve your good graces. I hear Hitler didn’t enjoy Harry Potter.
Yes for sure on TKAM. I think everyone who is assigned it in school doesn’t really mind.
VA is just sitting on my shelf waiting, watching, waiting, watching…
AGATHA CHRISTIE. Of course you went there.
Vampire Academy and The Outsiders are on my list as well! Harry Potter and THG are too, of course.