Category: Literary Prescriptions

I once had a student tell me that the book “literally” saved her life. I didn’t think too much about that until I read her college application essay in which she described how she was feeling about life and herself when a friend told her she should read it. She connected strongly to Chbosky’s Charlie. His struggles mattered to her, and she, like Charlie, decided to “participate” in her own life. I don’t think this book is for everyone, but for the right teenager and the right
moment, it can be magical.

Prescribed by: Jeanne Glynn

… Continue readingThe Perks of Being a Wallflower

It is a story about showing strength and working as a team through extreme adversity.

Prescribed by:

… Continue readingFailure is Not an Option

When I’m having a tough time, I want to read books that are comforting to me, and Little Women is the definition of that. Besides my emotional connection to the book, I also see a message of strength throughout that is inspiring. As the characters confront challenges in their lives–war, financial difficulties, sickness, career uncertainty, love, and death–they do so with patience and courage, and with the ultimate goal of being good people. To me, this book speaks to the importance of finding joy in your everyday life and being kind to others, and a reminder of these values helps me to pass through any tough time.

Prescribed by: Anna Newman

… Continue readingLittle Women

Simple plot and easy read, transportation into a different world, themes of triumph in struggle, the comfort of returning to childhood favorites to re-read

Prescribed by: Jessica M.

… Continue readingHarry Potter, Books 1-7

The book, which describes an ingenious escape attempt from a German prison camp by Allied POWs during World War Two, helps modern readers put things in perspective. The author’s vivid descriptions of the harsh conditions of camp life, the physical dangers of digging a primitive escape tunnel, and the emotional effects of long-term confinement may help modern readers put their own problems into perspective. Due to its subject matter, it is an exciting read, and as such offers readers a brief escape (no pun intended) from their everyday lives and problems.

Prescribed by: Nick Hurley

… Continue readingThe Wooden Horse