Today’s Top Ten Tuesday is Quick Reads/Books to Read When Time is Short (books under 150 pages or books you could read in a day/single sittting). I could easily pack this list with the SFF novellas that have fluorished in recent years. Wayward Children and The Singing Hills Cycle, among others, are well positioned to fill up this topic! So instead, I’m going to try to look farther back. 5 adult and 5 middle grade. For the middle grade, I’ll try to highlight ones that haven’t received as much attention. (I ended up almost exclusively selecting titles I enjoyed in childhood, when most middle grade books were a more easily digestible length…)
- The Lost Flower Children by Janet Taylor Lisle (122 pages) – Somehow, this was a favourite book of mine, even though it isn’t a true fantasy. I couldn’t tell you how many times I checked it out from the library when I was in grade one and two. It was one of the first books I ever purchased with my own money.
- Ragweed by Avi (178 pages) – Not the first in the Tales from Dimwood Forest series, but the first I read and therefore my favourite! Another book I first encountered in first grade.
- This Can’t Be Happening at McDonald Hall! by Gordon Korman (128 pages) – Korman’s first novel! Published several decades before I was born, I found it still held up when I reread it about ten years ago.
- Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath (160 pages) – My fifth grade teacher read this aloud to us. I think a sequel was published a few years ago. I would consider it a Canadian children’s classic at this point.
- Haven: A Small Cat’s Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd (144 pages) – A contemporary release! Come to think of it, this would probably be a good read for those who enjoy Tales from Dimwood Forest.
- You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann (114 pages) – I don’t remember much about this one now, except that I found it a satisfying weird little read.
- We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (160 pages) – Sometimes I forget that this is by Jackson. It’s been a long time since I read it but I quite enjoyed my first go through.
- You Will Not Have My Hate by Antoine Leiris (131 pages) – Well, this can be read in a single setting but perhaps it shouldn’t be, as it is a deeply emotional read.
- 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (106 pages) – A delightful collections of letters written by an American book collector to a book seller in England.
- I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel (156 pages) – Another book for book lovers! It was far more relatable than I had expected.
What are some of your go to short reads?
Link your TTT posts in the comments!
84 Charing Cross Road is an old favorite😁
It was such a lovely little read! I was impressed.
The Lost Flower Children looks like a good read.
Here is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
I’d Rather Be Reading sounds interesting.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
I love that you highlighted some books from your childhood. The only book from your list that I’ve read is We Have Always Lived In The Castle, which I read a few days ago.
Thanks Sarah! What timing – how did you enjoy that one? Had you read Jackson before?
84 Charring Cross Road is a fantastic read. Happy reading. My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/top-10-short-books/
Lots of fun books to investigate here. I love posts like that. 84 Charing Cross Road I’ve loved since i first read it in high school in the dark ages aka the 1970s!
Thanks for the stopping by! I hope I’ll also still be enjoying that book 50 years from now 😄
I have always wanted to try We Have Always Lived in the Castle. This cover in particular always grabs my attention.
I think the cover is a great representation of the story within!
I’d Rather Be Reading sounds fun! Addings it to my TBR 😀
Good call! ☺ I originally thought that one was going to be too twee, but I found a lot of enjoyable parts within.
I hadn’t heard of Haven, but it looks so cute! I think I need to give it a try. :3
Good call 😸