8 Short Book Recommendations You Can Read in a Day
Today, I’m excited to recommend 8 of my favorite short books that you can read in a day. Whether you’re a reader who loves animal books, nonfiction, or even classics, there’s a recommendation for you here!
For those who love quirky high school romances
After suffering from schizophrenia for most of his life, Adam is no stranger to what it feels like to be crazy. Adam’s story is told through the perspective of his therapy journal. In refusing to speak out loud to his therapist, Adam recounts his experiences in his journal as he starts a new high school, and the new miracle drug of his dreams, ToZaPrex. In his new high school, Adam meets Maya, Dwight, and the sometimes-insufferable Ian. No one knows about his schizophrenia at his new school, but it soon becomes clear that he won’t be able to hide it forever.
Words on Bathroom Walls is perfect for readers who love high school romances, stories about mental health, and tons of high school humor.
For the animal lover
Black Beauty, a young black horse, grows up with many different people who treat him many different ways. Through the course of his life, Black Beauty learns the meaning of his life and what happiness can be found in it. Narrated from Black Beauty’s perspective, this novel by Anna Sewell is an instant classic among animal lovers.
This novel is perfect for readers who love animals (and hate unhappy endings).
For the book lover of friendship narratives
Told from the perspective of Ponyboy, The Outsiders is a story about friendship, high school, and the difficult relationships that come from being on different sides of the tracks. With gangs, violence, drugs, and alcohol (along with many other things), this novel is perfect for people who love novels about friendship and the many different decisions that come from growing up and growing wiser.
For the person who wants a wholesome adventure
Christopher is a fifteen-year-old with autism who is investigating the murder of his neighbor’s dog. The reader gets to follow Christopher as he navigates through his life investigating, obsessing over math, and growing up.
This novel is perfect for anyone who wants a quick, wholesome adventure that doesn’t take too much thought. It also doesn’t hurt that (despite what the subject matter may make you think) this novel is so lighthearted and fun.
For someone who likes books about trauma and grief
Courtney Summers is one of my favorite authors, so it just makes sense that one of her novels is on my recommendations list. Cracked Up to Be is about Parker Fadley who used to be popular and perfect… until she didn’t want to be anymore. Due to a traumatic incident, Parker can’t get past her grief and guilt. This story is perfect for people who love to read darker subject matter and who love to feel emotions on a deeper level.
For the nonfiction lover
Paul Kalanithi has so much talent and promise. He is a budding neurosurgeon, brightest in his class, able to get almost any position that he wants from wherever he wants. His life’s goal is to find out what makes human life meaningful. All of that is put on hold, however, when he is diagnosed with cancer.
When Breath Becomes Air is perfect for people who love fiction and nonfiction. It reads like a fiction novel while still being a true story, so it was a really great and inspirational read.
For the person who loves classics
This is one of my favorite novels that I read in high school (along with The Outsiders). Of Mice and Men also has strong relationship and friendship themes throughout the novel. It deals with Lennie and George who are in California searching for jobs so they can get a farm of their own. George takes care of Lennie (who is mentally disabled), and it basically follows them as they find a job and work towards their dreams.
Fair warning: this one is a tear jerker. It is also most definitely 100% a classic and a must-read for anyone who hasn’t yet read it.
For the book lover of all things small and beautiful
I recently just finished Nina LaCour’s most recent novel, but We Are Okay was the first book I ever read by her. The prose is beautiful and the story is haunting. It has themes of grief, trauma, and avoiding those you love even when they’re trying to help you. It’s along the same lines as Cracked Up to Be except for the fact that the main character in this novel is just starting college.
I really enjoyed this novel for the way it portrayed grief and the oftentimes questionable decisions we make after going through a traumatic event.
