Books are the ultimate holy grail of education. Take any book and the knowledge one derives is immense. To be able to have the power of reading is to continuously pave the way for infinite learning and have a winning streak for life.

One has to develop a zest for reading and the joy will only increase manifold. Children have to be encouraged to read books and the habit has to be initiated from a small age to become a way of being. School study books give them degrees and careers which are supremely crucial but at the same time story books or intriguing novels on various genres transport them into a world of imagination and other informative books in general broaden their horizons. More importantly it strengthens their language and vocabulary. It helps them to effortlessly communicate and moulds them into confident individuals ready to take on challenges.

With the advent of audio books, pronunciations can be mastered by children. Mostly you would let your child read on their own but in certain cases you may read the book aloud to them but never miss this fabulous activity and keep aside a few hours each day for reading. Every book has a special meaning and a takeaway for children. They need to discover it for themselves. In the current times, where children are hooked onto social media, we would say, get them to befriend books and you will see your precious gems, rise and shine.

A majority of institutions across Dubai, UAE, the Middle East and the GCC countries are nurturing reading activities for children alongside regular academics and are making sure that parents are investing their children’s time into reading. We would like to bring to you a couple of recommended reading books for 7th graders.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

You may have already spotted this popular book in most bookstores, libraries or e-book readers. It has been published in more than 70 languages. Anne was about 13 years old while she was writing her diary, the age equivalent to a 7th grade student. Her writings were penned when she was in hiding with her family when Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940. She passed away in 1945. The diary was retrieved by Miep Gies who gave it to Anne’s father, Otto Frank, the family’s only survivor, just after the Second World War was over. It does make an inspiring read of a brave heart.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

While the text immerses children in a world of fantasy where magical creatures exist, this exciting book would even motivate them further to face real life tough situations. The story revolves around Eragon, a simple farm boy, who discovers a dragon as a unique treasure. He decides to raise the creature himself and face the wrath of a cruel leader who wants to snatch the dragon away from him and the rest is up to the reader to find out whether Eragon was successful in protecting his friend from the evil enemy.

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

This is a beautiful story with a meaningful narrative that returning or going to one’s home can sometimes be the hardest journey of all. The storyline is adventurous and explores the wonderful father-daughter relationship. The duo travels the county in an old school bus and over the course of thousands of miles, Coyote, a young woman, will discover her destination home is the most difficult to reach.

Alone by Megan Freeman

The story revolves around the protagonist Maddie who wakes up one day to find her entire town empty and she must depend on her survival instincts. She faces human and animal opposition. How she deals with a never experienced scenario is why we urge you to have your child read this book. In this fast-paced competitive world, situations often get too overwhelming where young minds succumb to anxiety and depression, in spite of family and friends around them. So, whether they are in a crowd or alone it would empower them to fight their battle and not let the loneliness overpower them. As they say, being alone is a sign of strength but certainly not being lonely.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The author considers her book to be a simple love story. It is a novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town. The story is compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving which takes readers to the roots of human behavior that have extreme levels of emotions with kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humour and pathos all packed into a masterpiece of literature that got translated into 40 languages and over 18 million copies sold. This instant bestseller won a Pulitzer prize in 1961 and was later made into an award-winning film. You definitely do not want your child to miss out on reading this classic.

All you Knead is Love by Tanya Guerrero

This book makes for a thought provoking read that would bring in awareness and empathy in the mind of a child, that abusive relationships exist which is the harsh reality of life and to be grateful if they are not in such a situation and are blessed to be brought up in loving families. 12-year-old Alba’s mother who lives in New York has decided to leave her abusive father and wants Alba to live in Barcelona with her estranged grandmother. Much as Alba initially did not want to live in Spain, she develops love for the place as well as a close relationship with her grandmother and meets another supportive father figure. All of this while discovering another love and passion for bread baking and facing threats towards her bakery’s closure. She fights all odds to save her bakery and also decides to make her family whole again. It is a courageous story that must be read.

Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper

This book is sure to embolden the reader which is why we recommend your child to read it. Every individual is remarkable whether they are abled or differently abled. No one must ever underestimate the potential or the skill of a person if they lack in other areas or are not fortunate like other children to be considered normal as they put it out. The story is about Melody who is disliked by most people. She has cerebral palsy and cannot walk, talk, or write. What she does have is a genius photographic memory to remember every little detail that she has ever experienced. She is undoubtedly the smartest kid in her entire school but no one knows about it. It is a fascinating story saying every child is indeed special and inclusivity is all we need.

‘Highlights Library’ is a global media brand with major presence in Dubai and UAE, and a digital reading platform that fosters a child’s love for reading. With thousands of books at their fingertips, students can enjoy a world of imagination and exploration personalized for them. It supports children’s many interests through stories, videos, and rewards that engage and delight. Spanning 10 content areas and 30 reading levels, ‘Highlights Library’ let’s children choose what they read and thus they are excited to discover even more books. If you are a resident of the Middle East or GCC Countries, subscribe to the Highlights platform via our website https://knowledge-hub.com/ 

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