Top Ten Books for High School Graduates by Amy Reade
I don’t have a child graduating from high school
this year (two more years!), but there are millions of people who do, so I
thought a bookish gift guide might be a useful post for this graduation season.
Many high school graduates have had their fill of
books for the last four years, so the items on this list have to tread a fine
line: they have to contain lots of useful advice, but they also have to be
compelling enough to make a grad want to delve back into reading. And bonus:
many of these are great for parents, too.
We’ll work our way from #10 to #1. Ready?
10. The Schmuck in My Office: How to Deal
Effectively with Difficult People at Work by Jody Foster, MD. All high
school grads have to enter the real world at some point, and this book teaches
them how to deal with the schmucks that are in every workplace.
9. Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me
& You by Lin-Manuel Miranda. What started out as a collection of
Twitter posts to inspire his followers every morning and evening has taken on a
life of its own. Lin-Manuel Miranda (yes, THE Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame) has compiled this lovely
book of self-affirming “pep talks” that are perfect when someone needs a little
lift. And we all know that there are going to be days that your grad needs a
little lift.
8. Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote
to the College Admissions Mania by Frank Bruni. It can be hard for kids to
see the big picture when they graduate because it’s been a heady last semester
and they’re headed off into the unknown. For kids going to college, this book
serves as a reminder that it’s not where you’re going that’s important—it’s
what you do with your opportunities that matters.
7. Very Good Lives: the Fringe Benefits of
Failure and the Importance of Imagination by J.K. Rowling. Most people know
J.K. Rowling’s story by now: she was down-and-out when a publisher took a
chance on a main character by the name of Harry Potter. This book derives from
a Harvard graduation address Rowling delivered in 2008, and it highlights the
importance of failure and what failure can teach us. Sometimes it’s good for
kids to know that it’s okay to fail.
6. The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook: Easy,
Healthy Recipes for the Next Four Years and Beyond by Pamela Ellgen. Even
though the title suggests that these recipes are for the college-bound, they’re
really for everyone.
5. Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School?: 99
Personal Money Management Principles to Live By by Cary Siegel. This teaches
some real-world lessons about money management, which many kids are sorely
lacking when they graduate from high school. You’re never too young to learn
the practicalities of money or the lack thereof.
4. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. The last
thing you want to do is make your kid cry, but this is a beautiful book that is
well worth a read. Written by a professor who had recently learned he had
terminal cancer, this is his last lecture to his students, his last gift to
them. Once your child has read it, make sure you read it, too. It’s a lesson we
can all take to heart.
3. The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You
Might Run Into in College by Harlan Cohen. I actually had a naked roommate,
and I wish I had had this book those many years ago. It’s full of tips and
advice for every step of the way through college.
2. Make Your Bed: Little Things that Can Change
Your Life…and Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. This book
derives from a commencement speech given at the University of Texas at Austin.
I’ve seen the speech online, and it’s fabulous and powerful. I would highly
recommend the book to anyone, not just grads.
1. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss.
You knew this was coming, didn’t you? This is hands-down my favorite book to give
high school graduates because it’s fun, it’s both childish and grown-up at the
same time, and it’s perfect for every kid, whether they’re off to college, the
military, trade school, or the work force. It’s a classic.
Are there other books you would recommend? A hearty
“Congratulations!” to all the grads and families out there.
Author Bio:
Amy M. Reade is a recovering attorney who
discovered, quite by accident, a passion for fiction writing. She has penned
eight mysteries and is working on two more, plus a Cape May County historical
mystery series. She writes in the Gothic, traditional, contemporary, and cozy
mystery subgenres and looks forward to continuing the two series she has begun
since December, 2018. She also loves to read, cook, and travel.
She is the USA
Today and Wall Street Journal
bestselling author of Secrets of
Hallstead House, The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, House of the Hanging Jade,
the Malice series, the Juniper Junction Holiday Mystery series, and the
Libraries of the World Mystery series.
Connect with Amy on the following sites:
Thanks so much for having me here today, Susan! Our local high school celebrates commencement the week after next, and this is a great time for people to run out and get those last-minute gifts that are perfect for graduates. I hope your readers find this a helpful list. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're SO welcome, Amy! It's always a pleasure to share your wonderful and informative posts. This will definitely be valuable to my readers. All the best to you and yours! :)
DeleteLet me add my congratulations, and what a wonderful list. Good job, Amy!
ReplyDeleteThis was great. Thank you. A good list.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marja! I could have used a few of these books myself. And when I promoted the post on my FB page, one person responded saying she knows of a mom who bought the book when her son was in kindergarten and asked every teacher of his through high school to sign it at the end of the school year. He had a wonderful remembrance of all his teachers as a graduation gift. What an incredible idea. You know I'd lose the book in first grade.
ReplyDelete