A popular quote by Dr. Seuss goes thus, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

This is such a beautiful quote, and I know it inspires you to encourage your kids to read more books. But what particular books, exactly? There are many books available today, hence parents must be selective about the ones they let their children read. You wouldn’t want your child to indulge in a book that would do him more harm than good.

At this point, allow me to make some carefully chosen book recommendations for your teenagers. These books are filled with valuable teachings that will inspire your child and set him up for success.

I AM MALALA

The takeaway from this book is incredible: I AM MALALA will encourage teenagers to believe in the ability of one individual to make a difference in the world. The book, I am Malala is a memoir by the youngest recipient of the Nobel peace prize. 

When the Taliban seized power in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, one girl raised her voice. Malala Yousafzai fought for her right to an education and wouldn’t allow herself to be silenced. As the youngest candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize, she rose to prominence as a global figure of nonviolent protest at the age of sixteen.

“One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world,” as Malala famously said. Every teenager can find inspiration in this book, but especially the young girl child.

HALF OF A YELLOW SUN

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Women’s Prize-winning novel is widely regarded as one of the most important works on the Biafran War. Historians often advise that we learn history so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past. More importantly, it is good that teenagers learn about notable events that happened in their country, such as the Biafran war.

Chimamanda’s Half Of A Yellow Sun is a perfect book for teenagers. It has all the amazing characteristics of a great story –  amazing plot twists, cutting-edge suspense, and a whole lot more. Still, within the pages of this book you will find a major part of Nigeria’s history captured from the standpoint of 3 major characters. 

I AM ENOUGH

The author of the book, I AM ENOUGH was a former inmate of Mountjoy Prison and the author of other interesting books. Gary has had the opportunity to deliver his unique message to over a thousand young people across the nation. The most common statement that Gary has heard while speaking in schools is: ‘Most of the time, I just don’t feel enough.’

In order to correct that mentality, Gary wrote this book and I can assure you that any teenager that reads this book would begin to experience an overflow of self-confidence. This inspirational book contains stories that are based on true events. Each of these stories addresses a particular topic. These topics include social media, peer pressure, bullying, dealing with grief, and tragically, suicide. You can see these topics are things that most teenagers struggle with today. The ultimate purpose of writing this book is to make everyone who reads it realize that they do not need to be perfect – instead, they should look in the mirror and say out loud, ‘I Am Enough!’

THINK BIG

This is one book that has changed a lot of lives and is still doing so today. Dr. Ben Carson’s story is an absolute inspiration. Dr. Ben is recognized internationally as the neurosurgery doctor who separated twins joined at the back of their heads, however, he wasn’t always like this. He used to be a dullard in school. Like Nigerians would jokingly say, “He used to be the first position in class, but from behind.”

Things later switched up for little Ben when his mom cut out his play time and TV and instead forced him to visit the library to read. All of a sudden, his grades started to rise and he went on to study in one of America’s finest Universities, and the rest they say is history.

Ben Carson’s Think Big is a must-read for teenagers who want to achieve greater heights in academics and life in general. No matter what a student’s current score in school is, he can do better, and this book provides a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this. Inside this book, Ben Carson gives an acronym to the word THINK BIG – Talent/time Hope, Insight Nice Knowledge, Books, In-depth learning, and God. If you would love your child to reach for the stars, make sure this book is within reach.

RICH DAD POOR DAD – FOR TEENS

Here at GATE Academy, we believe in financial literacy. We believe that teenagers should learn about money early enough, don’t you think? 

In order to give teenagers access to financial education, this particular book – Rich dad poor dad – has been rewritten in a more suitable version for teenagers so that they can easily comprehend all the financial jargon in it. The teen’s edition of this book makes it very easy for teenagers to learn about money and how to make wise money decisions. It contains secret lessons from the true story of the author, Robert Kiyosaki, and his two dads. This book is an asset in the hands of any teenager who reads it.

Conclusion:

I can actually go on and on with recommending good books for your teenagers because we have quite a number of inspirational books out there. But let’s stop at 5 today so you don’t have a hard time choosing what book to start with. 

I’d love to know your thoughts about the books though. Which ones have your teen read and which one will your teen be reading first?

Heads up! We actually suggest that you give your child the liberty to make a choice for himself though. This way, he’ll pick a book that resonates with him and be more likely to finish it up.

Be reminded of the quote I started with: 

 “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

If you’d love more book recommendations, do well to let me know in the comments section!