2 . Four Most Popular Books

Emily’s House

by Amy Belding Brown

Margaret Maher works as the servant in the family home of poet Emily Dickinson, cleaning, cooking, and defending her hostess from prying (窥探) eyes. Margaret’s special voice brings this novel to life; it’s a viewpoint full of honesty, humor, and clever observations.

All In

by Billie Jean King

The tennis champion writes about her life with self-awareness, while not underplaying her role as a trailblazer (先驱) for women’s rights. She isn’t satisfied with her younger self for feeling a need to hide her sexual identity to safeguard her career, and touches on the damage that secret caused.

Pastoral Song

by James Rebanks

English sheep farmer and writer James Rebanks offers a sustainable method for raising animals, preserving habitat, caring for the environment and helping small farmers all at the same time.

Agatha of Little Neon

by Claire Luchette

This is a novel about desire and sisterhood, figuring out how you fit in (or don’t), and the unexpected friends who help you find your truest self.

Agatha is one of four young nuns (修女), who tend to the residents of Little Neon, a house in Rhode Island. She has lived every day of the last nine years with her sisters: they work together, laugh together and pray together. Their world is contained within the little house they share. The four of them are devoted to Mother Roberta and to their quiet, purposeful life.

3 . Criticism is judgment. A critic is a judge. A judge must study and think about the material presented to him, accept it, correct it or reject it after thinking over what he has read, watched or heard.

Another word for criticism is appreciation. When I criticize or appreciate some object or another, I look for its good points and bad points. In reading any printed or written matter, I always have a pencil in hand and put any comments in the book or on a separate paper. In other words, I always talk back to the writer.

That sort of critical reading might well be called creative reading because I am thinking along with the author, asking him questions, seeing whether he answers the questions and how well he answers them. I mark the good passages to store them in my memory and ask myself about every other part and about the complete piece of writing; where, how and why could or should I improve upon it?

You might think that doing what I suggested is work. Yes, it is, but the work is a pleasure because I can feel my brain expanding, my emotion reacting and my way of living change.

Reading exercises is a great influence on a person. If pictures, still or moving, accompany the reading, the memory will retain the material for a long time.

Just as evil books can corrupt, so also can good books gradually work a change on a corrupt person.

Let's get back to the beneficial effects of thinking while reading. It helps us to enlarge our minds. We understand more about the universe, its people and many of its wonders. We learn to think and observe in new ways. We certainly do get a feeling for the language we are reading. All good writers in any language have been readers who read critically and continuously.

6 . The best books for kids

Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth

Hilo doesn’t know where he’s from, why he fell out of the sky, what he’s doing on Earth — or why he can’t go to school in only his underwear. This series by Judd Winick is as funny as it is exciting, and tells the action-packed adventures of the boy robot who cares deeply about his human friends. Ages 5 — 12.

Who Was? and What Was? series

Think of each volume in this series as a history lesson for a child. The books cover everything from the Constitution to the Colosseum, and Paul Revere to Pelé. The already detailed series continues to add titles — your little one can read up on just about any person, place or historical event. Ages 8 and up.

Encyclopedia Brown series

A children’s version of Sherlock Holmes, this series by Donald J. Sobol satisfies curious readers through the stories of a young detective, Leroy Brown. Nicknamed “Encyclopedia” for his vast range of knowledge, he welcomes neighborhood kids to present their cases in his garage before setting out to solve the mystery. Ages 8 — 12.

Holes

One of the rare books to win both a Newbery Medal and a National Book Award, the story by Louis Sachar follows Stanley Yelnats as he fights with the curse (诅咒) that has followed his family for generations. The book with a mystery at its core is by turns funny, heartbreaking and deeply thoughtful. Ages 8 — 12.

8 . Wonderful children's books are being written every year. Below you'll find some of the best new children's books for 2021.

Ways to Make Sunshine

by Renée Watson

Ryan lives with her parents in Washington happily. But when Ryan's dad loses his job, things start to change. Her family has to sell their car and move into a smaller house. What's worse, Ryan has to deal with the pressures of the fourth grade. But she knows how to make the best out of a bad situation. For ages 6 and up.

Freedom, We Sing

by Amyra Leon

This is a book that explains what freedom means. “Is it a place? Is it a thought? Can it be bought?” Through conversations with a mother and her young daughter, this book discusses the ways in which people all over the world are finding ways to live freely. For ages 4 and up.

My Place

by Nadia Wheatley

Have you ever wondered who lived in your house before you did? This book lets you look at the past and see what Australia was like many generations ago. It tells the story of 21 children who have lived on one piece of land in the middle of Sydney from 1788 until 1988.For ages 5-11.

Matilda

by Roald Dahl

Matilda is a gifted child who loves to learn. But she is ignored by her parents and relatives. The only one who recognizes her talents is her kind teacher, Miss Honey. Matilda just played jokes on the bullies in her life. She's too smart to get caught. This story will connect with every kid who has ever felt ignored. For ages 8 and up.

9 . Want to feel more satisfied with life? We picked out these 5 books that will promote your life in 2022.

Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson

Everyone has a passion. If you don’t know what yours is, it just means you haven’t discovered it yet. Or perhaps you have, but it was dismissed early in life. Find out how you can break daily routine and find your calling in life.

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

Did you know if your pulse rate rises above 100 bpm, you’re likely too emotional to think calmly? You probably let feelings cloud your judgment more often than you know. Goleman explains how you can avoid letting your emotions rule you and make better decisions in life.

How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth and Karen Dillon

Are you making the right balance in life? While career achievements can be satisfying, neglecting your family and friends can be harmful in the long run—in ways you can’t even imagine.

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie

Ever wondered why you can’t stop worrying about something? No matter how hard you try, are you focused on the same issue? By defining the source of your stress, you can get over it once and for all. Carnegie came up with a timeless formula (公式) that helps you tackle any overthinking situation.

Thirteen Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do by Amy Morin

Do you struggle to get over your failures? Or concentrate on things out of your control? Getting over these obstacles can have a significant influence on your everyday life. Morin shares how her most successful therapy patients overcame these difficulties.