Perhaps the desire for summer reading is nostalgic, as I still remember receiving summer reading lists from teachers. I love to read, and by getting a list from the teacher; I had a convincing argument for Mom to take me to the library.
As adults, reading not only keeps our brains healthy, but our bodies too. Henry Ford Health writes:
“According to a study from the University of Sussex, taking as little as six minutes to relax and read a book can lower your stress levels by as much as 68%. This was compared to the success rate of other stress-relieving activities such as listening to music (61%) and walking (42%).”
“Reading or listening to audio books is not only a great way to learn, but it can also help you momentarily escape the stressors of daily life,” says Vaidahi Patel, M.D., a cardiologist at Henry Ford Health. “By helping lower your heart rate and cortisol levels, reading makes for a perfect activity to help you unwind at the end of the day.”
My book recommendations for a great summer read may surprise you: classic children’s literature!
To completely convince you of this choice of genres, I found this beautifully written article by Emily Kwilinski from the Arts of Liberty. She begins:
“C.S. Lewis dedicates his classic The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to his goddaughter Lucy with the following words:
I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”
I’m not adding here her list of reasons to discover or revisit children’s classics because her writing is so lovely; I encourage you to read it for yourself! Plus, at the end of her article, you will find her list of favorite titles for adults.
In keeping with our summer analog theme, my personal goal is to build a library of these wonderful books. The plan is to collect copies from half-priced bookstores or even splurge with a few from Barnes and Noble’s collectible editions with gorgeous covers.
If digital versions are more practical for you, check out Project Gutenberg. It is an online library of over 75,000 free eBooks. From Kwilinski’s list, they supply these titles:
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
- Through the Looking-Glass
- Little Women
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
- Peter Pan
- The Jungle Book
- The Prince and the Pauper
- Anne of Green Gables
- The Secret Garden
- The Railway Children
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit
- Black Beauty
- The Adventures of Pinocchio
Relax and read stress-free. No worries of a bombardment of “F” bombs. (My personal pet peeve!) Feel your mind return to a place filled with wonder and pure adventure. Happy, sunny summer reading!
“Christopher Robin was sitting outside his door, putting on his Big Boots. As soon as he saw the Big Boots, Pooh knew that an Adventure was going to happen, and he brushed the honey off his nose with the back of his paw, and spruced himself up as well as he could, so as to look Ready for Anything.” Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne
The Mindful Caravan is on the road headed for the beach! Updates will come later, but in the meantime, this summer playlist song is perfect! Listen to “House at Pooh Corner” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 1970
“Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.” Proverbs 18:4
Leave a Reply