Eighteen Memorable Book Moments in 2018
Being a critic of books is impossibly challenging for me. I’m an enneagram nine. I like all the books!
So my first go at creating a Best of Books List for 2018, I struggled to pair it down. I mean, if I finished the book, I probably liked it, so it’s worth sharing, right?
But actually, I realized I began approaching my list in a similar exercise to creating my Reverse Bucket Lists, by scrolling. First I looked through my lists on Good Reads. This was helpful to at least remember the early part of the year and what I read. But then I scrolled through my pictures, once again. I saw moments of reading to the kids on the hammock. Sitting on the beach blanket while the kids played in the sand. Early morning reading with Mike by the Christmas tree. A special shared chapter book with my biggest. A brand new reader snuggled up with her little brothers.
And with each moment I remember a book. Because the experience and the feelings surrounding it are what bring that book alive to me. My senses are sharper when I take notice. And when my mind is sharp, my memories are strong.
So today I share Eighteen books that evoke a personal experience. For some it’s a physical place in which I remember reading. The beach, the hammock, the couch under a blanket. For others, it’s a place in time. A difficult pregnancy. A foggy newborn stage. A challenging stage of parenting. And for some, it’s a moment that I realize is one of a momentous milestone. Like seeing her read a book for the first time. Or reading our first chapter book series together.
From picture book to early chapter book. From researched non fiction to memoir. From critically acclaimed literature to cozy mystery. From new to me authors to old favorites. From the book everyone is talking about to the treasures I just happened upon. Here are eighteen books that evoke a memorable book reading moment. The kind I hope to fall into again and again in my reading life. Happy reading friends!
Picture Books
Everything you Need for a Treehouse
Children’s Fiction
Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
Non-Fiction and Memoir
The Gardener and the Carpenter
Fiction