Reading novels can be a good way to relax, but also to build up a better vocabulary and to gain insights into the world. Novels can teach people about life, help them understand other cultures, or learn how to make better decisions. Even if you have a busy schedule, you should be sure that you spend time in 2019 reading novels.

Do you have a favourite kind of novel, such as fantasy or historical fiction, or do you prefer adventure stories or maybe novels about relationships?  Whatever kind you prefer, you will probably be able to find a book to suit your interests. If you want to be sure that the books you read are high quality, you can check at the library or look online to see what other people recommend.

Canadian fiction can be a good place to start. The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena is about two teenagers who fall in love with each other, and Ghosts by David A. Robertson tells the story of an Indigenous teenager and a community dealing with an illness coming from a nearby research facility. These and other Canadian books can help connect readers to the communities where they live or introduce them to new ones.

Many good books have also come from other countries. Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus is a mystery set in a small town, while Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian continues the fantasy series about a daring escape and an attempt to win back a kingdom. Fans of the mystery genre might want to check out Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte, and a good choice for a historical novel is The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi.

New books are always exciting, whether they deal with modern life or a past era. Still, good books can speak to people in any era and show them something about life. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, for example, is still popular years after it was written, and the seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia are classics. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle is another very good book that was recently made into a movie.

In 2015, people were excited to hear that a novelist named Harper Lee was going to publish her second novel. The first one, To Kill a Mockingbird, won the Pulitzer Prize when she published it in 1950, and it is still popular today. Even years later, the themes that she wrote about are still relevant.

Good writing is all about helping people to understand the world better, although it can be entertaining at the same time. For example, humour can help people see their faults while making them laugh, and fantasy can use people and creatures from other worlds to show people what this world is like. Some of the characters in Narnia, even though they are beavers or bears, are much like people in the ways they deal with others or in the decisions they make.

Reading novels can be an escape from daily life, a way to relax, but it can also be a learning experience. Be sure to check out some of the best books that are available.

Bibliography:

CBC Books. “29 Canadian Kids’ Books and YA to Look for in 2019.” https://www.cbc.ca/books/29-canadian-kids-books-ya-to-look-for-in-spring-2019-1.4996568.

Time Magazine. “The 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time.” http://time.com/100-best-young-adult-books/.

McMurdie, Dana. “The Most Exciting Young Adult Books of 2019.” https://www.readbrightly.com/ya-books-2019/.

Lifehack. “27 Must Read Books Every Novel Lover Should Read at Least Once.” https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/25-incredible-novels-you-must-read-least-once-your-life.html.

Smith, Eric. 10 of the Best Young Adult Novels of January 2019

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2019/01/best-young-adult-novels-of-january-2019.html.