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Home » books

The Best Stories For Kids Ever Written

April 5, 2016 By Toby Isaacson Leave a Comment

Some of the most iconic and timeless pieces of literature were aimed at children. In fact, The Little Prince happens to be the third best-selling book of all time, having sold over 100 million copies worldwide, despite the fact that it was in French. It’s a good thing that language barriers can’t keep the message of a good story from getting across to the audience.

We have to ask – is reading as much of a dying breed as it’s made out to be? Surely there are plenty of people who consider that the little ones born and raised during the technological boom of the 2010’s have no interest in this activity. You look left and right and undoubtedly notice at least one child who is thoroughly absorbed in some application on a smartphone. But that doesn’t mean they can’t read, let alone that they’re not interested in it. Children are interested in anything that helps polish their imagination and creativity, so chances are that they’ll fall in love with any of the many stories for kids that you’d put in their hands.

So, knowing that, where do we begin? The children stories market is in a competition just like any other market, so there are definitely some ups and downs. Below, you’ll find a small list of recommendations on stories for kids that are objectively (and even a little bit subjectively) considered to be the best of the best.

P.S. It’s also filtered by age categories.

Stories For Kids

Maurice Sendak, “Where the Wild Things Are”

A story with only 40 pages, Where the Wild Things Are managed to leave its mark on literature. The plot depicts a young boy named Max, who enjoys dressing up as a wolf and wreaking havoc around his household. After he is sent to bed without supper, he realizes that his bedroom as turned into a strange jungle inhabited by bizarre animals and monsters called “Wild Things.” After scaring every being on the island with the costume, he is crowned as the king of Wild Things. However, his adventure is cut short when he returns home, where he finds a warm meal waiting for him.

The story is blunt and straight to the point, having at core a moral lesson that can be easily grasped and understood by children of the age range it’s marketed for. The success of this short story spawned an opera adaptation and a movie version, released in 2009.

Stories For Kids

A.A. Milne, “The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh”

The little golden pooh who feels very strongly about honey is one of the most memorable characters to come from a children’s book. Winnie-the-Pooh is the first of Milne’s collection of stories which depict the whereabouts and adventures of Winnie the Pooh and his likewise iconic friends. The book mentioned here is a glossary which contains essentially all of them. Since the publishing of the first story, there have been spawned numerous adaptations, including a popular cartoon series.

Pooh’s success comes from the simplicity of the plot and setting. Children love animals and, if they loved the storybook, then they’ll definitely love the concept of imagining themselves as the boy present in the cartoons. There is something about being surrounded by friendly, colorful, talking animals that is guaranteed to make any child happy.

Stories For Kids

Dr. Seuss, “The Cat in the Hat”

Dr. Seuss conveyed one of the biggest dreams of any children – a magical appearance from an equally magic entity that will take them on an adventure of fun and laughs. The memorably looking Cat shows up at the house of Sally and her unnamed brother, determined to entertain them while they’re home alone and stuck inside because of rain downpours. After wrecking the whole house, he conceives a machine that miraculously puts everything back in place before he takes his leave.

The plot is as simple as it gets and, in a way, it essentially explains why children are so fascinated by tricks and magic shows. In a sense, they may be seeing a little bit of the Cat in every performer, even if they haven’t read the story yet.

Stories For Kids

The Brothers Grimm, “Grimm’s Fairy Tales”

Yet another example of a collection of multiple stories rather than a standalone one, the fairytales crafted by the Grimm brothers are as timeless as they are iconic. Extremely varied and imaginative, this amassing of stories contains famous titles of the likes of Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, or Briar Rose.  All of these stories, even separately, are definitely topping the list of fairytales every child should know.

The elevated age range comes from the considerably more subtle morality of the stories, as well as the inclusion a certain graphicness. We all know how the woodchopper cuts the Big Bad Wolf in two to free Little Red and her grandmother and, generally, the presence of evil is much more accentuated.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Filed Under: fun Tagged With: books, children stories, children's books, family, kids, stories, stories for children

9 TV Shows That Were First Books

February 29, 2016 By Toby Isaacson Leave a Comment

This is the decade of adaptations. I mean, sure, books as old as time were turned over the years in movies, some an unhealthy number of times (seriously, please, stop). But these days, having a bestseller book, especially if it’s part of the ever so popular YA category, means an almost certain green light for a big screen production. There are few people left who don’t know that this film they’re watching used to be a book or, more, a franchise. Movies aren’t the only things that books make the transition towards, though. Some made the transition to television instead. In fact, there are some TV shows you might not even suspect of being backed by novels. So, in order to make this fact know, this is a list of 9 TV Shows That Were First Books.

1. Game Of Thrones

TV Shows That Were First Books - Game Of Thrones

Based on the book series A Song of Ice and Fire written by George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones has to be the TV show whose origins the majority of the audience is aware of. The TV show is known for many things, unpredictability and shock factor included, but its biggest ace is its ability to keep viewers hooked and wondering. Given these circumstances, it’s not surprising that many people turned to the books during the show’s hiatuses, in hopes that they would perhaps reveal further information on their favorite character’s whereabouts. Unfortunately, although Game of Thrones definitely maintains much of the source material, it often diverges from the books and now, with the premiere of the sixth season, it will completely surpass their timeline.

2. Sherlock

Sherlock - TV Shows That Were First Books

Who doesn’t know about the worldwide famous novels and stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the man behind the creation of Sherlock Holmes? His tales have been adapted and re-adapted a copious amount of times through the decades, though it’s very likely that BBC’s Emmy nominee Sherlock is the most unique. Taking the premise of the crime solving duo Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, then embedding it in a modern setting, this show reinvented the series. It benefits from great cinematography and two lead actors, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, who were critically acclaimed for their performances.

3. Sex And The City

TV Shows That Were First Books - Sex And The City

HBO didn’t always produce TV shows that were a controversial mix of graphic violence and nudity. Thanks to Candace Bushnell, who finally managed to get her ideas published after she filled the columns on the New York Observer with them, we got Sex and the City. This story follows around four women’s lives, filled with relationship and romance issues, though what truly made this series stand out was its great satirical tone, and its cultural impact that opened doors for media composed of a cast of almost entirely women.

4. House Of Cards

House Of Cards, One Of The TV Shows That Were First Books

One of the most critically acclaimed productions of the era, House of Cards is what truly let the world know that Netflix means business with its original series. But for the premise, we have to thank Michael Dobbs, a British politician that wrote the book that’s behind the series. Since it was a politician who crafted the story, the focus is naturally on another politician, by the name Frank Underwood, as he pursues his ambitious goal of occupying the seat of the most powerful man in the world. Praised for its impressive line-up of cast members and storytelling, this TV show helped us know how truly vicious politics can be.

5. Dexter

TV Shows That Were First Books Include Dexter

This criminally good TV show has its origins in the Jeff Lindsay novel, Darkly Dreaming Dexter. Being the production that became the trademark of Showtime, Dexter gave us a generous number of seasons as it followed around Michael C. Hall’s character, a serial killer with a consciousness rattled by righteousness. Considering that many of the criminals out there eluded the punishment they truly deserve, Dexter takes matters in his own hands, and makes us all question our sanity and morality in the process.

6. M*A*S*H

M*A*S*H, Among The TV Shows That Were First Books

It’s not just TV shows from the late 90’s onward that learned what success is. Initially a lesser known novel literary novel, this 70’s series focuses on a group of military surgeons in the heart of a war in South Korea. However, given the time period, many people chose to believe that the show inserted various nods to the conflicts in Vietnam, especially given the accuracy with which some details were being told. M*A*S*H truly stood out by being the perfect mix of comedy and serious tones, even managing to strike a controversial chord with its much talked about series finale.

7. True Blood

True Blood Is Next On The List Of TV Shows That Were First Books

Before HBO decided to follow up on the vampire craze that blew up in the last several years with True Blood, we had Charlaine Harris and her The Southern Vampire Mysteries series. In both stories, we follow protagonist Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress who’s struggled her whole life with the ability to read minds. In a world where supernatural is well known to humans, she meets Bill Compton, a 173 year old vampire, and gets tangled in a series of affairs that result in a lot of trouble.

8. Orange Is The New Black

TV Shows That Were First Books - Orange Is The New Black

Another brilliant production with the Netflix trademark annexed to it, Orange Is The New Black was adapted from Piper Kerman’s memoirs, where she actually shares her experiences from behind the bars of an all women prison. The series was highly praised, especially for the variety of characters and inclusion of a race and orientation diversity, as well as for the masterful acting and the quality insights and developments of the characters.

9. Hannibal

Hannibal - TV Shows That Were First Books

Thomas Harris wrote Red Dragon, the novel which would soon become the inspiration behind the series that follows the infamous Hannibal Lecter. Even though adaptations have been made before, most notable being the chilling portrayal offered by Anthony Hopkins, Hannibal takes a different approach. Instead, it focuses on the complex relationship between Doctor Lecter and the detective trailing his murders, Will Graham, and the ways in which the former manipulates the ones around him to cover up his dark secret.

How many of these did you know about? Sure, some of the series have behind a single, lone novel, while others were built on the foundation of an entire franchise, possibly still ongoing (I’m looking at you, G.R.R. Martin, stop procrastinating). Still, it’s always interesting to know at least 9 TV Shows That Were First Books.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Filed Under: fun Tagged With: books, HBO, Netflix, tv shows, tv shows that were books

5 Great Nonfiction Books You Must Read

June 3, 2014 By Fred Mitchell Leave a Comment

We’ve recommended you some powerful books that will change your perception on life and now it’s time for nonfiction. These following great nonfiction books will not only change your perception on life, but they will change your life. They will change the way you eat, the way you memorize information, the way you use the internet, the way you view time and space and the way you view yourself as a human being. Here are 5 great nonfiction books that you must read this summer!

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric SchlosserFast Food Nation The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser

Fascinated by fast-food? Whether you love it or hate it, we assure you that you will love this great nonfiction book. Eric Schlosser exposes the underbelly of the American fast-food industry and it’s not pretty. Did you know that fast-food restaurants work on the same principles that a factory assembly line do? Factory farms are presented, slaughterhouses reveal their secrets and you learn why French fries taste so good with the help of a visit to the largest flavor company. It’s not a comfortable book, one that you snuggle up to the fire with. It will shake you, but you will thank it for doing so at the end.

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua FoerMoonwalking with Einstein The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer

Moonwalking with Einstein is a fascinating book written by young journalist, Joshua Foer. In one year he managed to do what others thought would be impossible: he won the United States Memory Championship. In the book he tells us how he did it and he teaches us how learn how to memorize. These days people seem to rely on their own memory less and less and it is changing the way our brain works. The art of memory is a set of techniques that were invented in ancient Greeks that helped people memorize entire books. These ancient mnemonic methods are brought into our attention and they’re simply fascinating.

The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas CarrThe Shallows What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr

With this book Nicholas Carr challenges the most popular and helpful tool humanity has at this moment: the Internet. Is Google making us dumb? was the question that started it all. The gist of it is that the ease with which we receive information has permanently changed the way our brain perceives information in general. Discoveries in neuroscience have revealed that our neural pathways have been rerouted. The Internet has literally changed our brains! If you still don’t want to go out and buy it, know that the book was a finalist for the 2011 Pulitzer Price in General Nonfiction.

A Brief History of Time by Stephen HawkingA Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

This great nonfiction book you must read was number one on New York Times’ bestseller list. It is a landmark piece of scientific literature written by one of the greatest contemporary minds, Stephen Hawking. The book explores the age-old questions of how did our universe begin, is there a limit to our universe? The awesome thing about this book is that it is written in plain English, so that we can all understand what that man is telling us. So, if black holes and quasars have always fascinated you, pick up a copy of A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking and devour it!

The Selfish Gene by Richard DawkinsThe Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins will challenge the way we view natural selection. The man’s theories that he presents so clearly and so beautifully in his book, The Selfish Gene, have helped change the nature of the study of social biology. Many of his readers have claimed that this book has changed their beliefs on life. The book is about exploitation, competition and how we’re genetically engineered to be selfish. The current revised edition of the book has two new chapters, one of which is entitled Nice Guys Finish First and it tackles the subjects of selfishness and cooperation. He argues that evolution favors co-operative behavior, even in a selfish environment.

Have you read any of these great nonfiction books? Which one do you find most appealing? Drop us a line!

Filed Under: art Tagged With: art, books, nonfiction

5 Less Known Books Inspired by Their Authors’ Dreams

February 3, 2014 By Fred Mitchell Leave a Comment

One of the most interesting questions you can ask a writer is where did he get his or her inspiration to write a certain book, and given the fact that the history of literature registered so many great works, the answers are infinite and fascinating. And when it comes to world – famous writers and novels, things get even more interesting, as imagination seemed to travel to territories us readers don’t even begin to comprehend. But was it only imagination, creativity, a blend of personal experiences and fictional reinterpretations of reality that made some writers deliver outstanding creations, or was it more than this?

Today we will see five less known books inspired by their author’s dreams, and even you already are aware of titles such as The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – which came from Mr. Robert Louis Stevenson’s dream of a man with multiple personality disorder, or Mary Shelley’s dream about what humanity will later meet as Frankenstein, there are other just as famous titles which can be traced back to their authors’ dreams.

5. Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre

jane eyre

Jane Eyre’s story arc comes from a blend of lucid dreams, night dreams and even lucid visions Charlotte Bronte had and detailed. One of the biggest classic novels of all times, Jane Eyre may not have come directly and perfectly from her author’s hallucinations, prophecies, visions and dreams, but it is a product of them all, skillfully put by Bronte on paper, together with a touch of genius.

4. Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot

salem's lot

Mr. King never neglected the dreams function and inspiring role into the life of a writer. While it is well known that terror / horror masterpiece Misery was inspired by a dream he had on the board of an airplane. The nightmare about a psychotic fan kidnapping a writer was so powerful, King soon translated the images into words, and this is how bestselling novel Misery was born. But King had other dreams, even as a child, and Salem’s Lot is the product of adult and established writer King going back to child Stephen and putting that old nightmare on paper.

3. H.P. Lovecraft’s The Statement of Randolph Carter and all his other works

statement of randolf carter

H.P. Lovecraft is the incontestable father of all things horror and all his works deserve a place in this list of less known books inspired by their author’s dreams, especially if we talk about The Statement of Randolph Carter, a dream the author just transcribed into words, adding some preface to make things clear. But Lovecraft is known for suffering from nightmares since his childhood years and critics safely assume that almost all his terrorizing stories about the Great Old Ones and the monsters he created can be traced back to his troubled dreams.

2. E. B. White’s Stuart Little

Stuart Little

Maybe this one isn’t all unknown to you, but it is still fascinating how one of children’s most favorite characters came directly from the author’s dream. He actually “saw” a young boy acting and looking quite well like a mouse, and here is where it all began. E.B. White confessed to this, but it took him nearly two decades to turn the dream into a story.

1. Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire

interview with a vampire

If Stephenie Meyer did indeed dream about a sparkly old beautiful vampire falling in love with the girl next door, thus becoming one of the most successful Young Adult book (and movie) series in our modern times, back in the day, the mother of the most fascinating vampires that ever blessed literature and cinema was dreaming of blood, death and her very sick daughter, who eventually died of a severe form of leukemia, sending her mother to the edges of darkness and despair. Anne Rice maybe never dreamed about Lestat and Louis, but she did dream something so powerful, so unnatural, that it turned into one of the best and most appraised vampire sagas in all history. 

Surprising or not (and mostly not), in this list of less known books inspired by their author’s dreams, you can fit in almost all Edgar Allan Poe’s works, as he, just as Lovecraft, was a troubled man with vivid nightmares that are plausible to have turned later on in mind-blowing masterpieces, but literature knows many other works that came directly from their creators’ vivid dreams and visions.

Filed Under: art Tagged With: books, strange books

3 Powerful Sorcerers We Should not Forget About

January 30, 2014 By Fred Mitchell Leave a Comment

Just dare say “famous wizards or sorcerers in books and movies” and the world will split in a biblical half, with Harry Potter fans on one side and J.R.R. Tolkien’s fans on the other. Harry, Gandalf, Saruman, Severus Snape, you will hear being shouted everywhere, as fantasy literature and cinema really outdid themselves in creating some very powerful and popular characters. Some shy voices might even whisper “Lady Melisandre”, as she is indeed not a man, but some people bet she could make mighty Sauron cry and run away in fear. So as we all know, famous, powerful sorcerers dominate this world, as a tribute to the old gang, such as Merlin (who is still quite popular) or the Great Wizard of Oz, a very amusing character if you still remember your childhood years. Still popular, though.

But what abut some even older and even more powerful sorcerers we should not forget about? What happened to the real dark, malevolent, mischievous, power – thirsty ones? Are they really forgotten or just terribly underrated, now that we have spectacular CGI wizards and fantasy series so epic, they sell millions on both paper and the silver screen. So who are these 3 powerful sorcerers we should not forget about, as they were monumental back in their day and deserve our full attention?

3. Harry Dresden

Granted, he is the most famous in our list of underdogs and became quite popular in the last years, not to mention his character is so badass, you can’t have anything but respect for him. This sorcerer private investigator is the Philip Marlowe of magic cases, a man who can take a punch and a stab wound like others can take a compliment. Smiling, that is. He is to the book series what Nathan Fillion was to the Firefly TV series and in case you didn’t get it, we’re talking about the Dresden wizard in the books, not in the TV show, as you won’t get half of the character’s savory by watching TV.

2. Darth Vader

In case you forgot, Vader was the most badass, darkest, meanest and most powerful sorcerer in the Galaxy. He was the quintessence of the Sith and even if the Jedi did some magic of their own and Yoda is still considered the cutest green grammar – challenged sorcerer that ever blessed this world, Darth Vader was the true force to reckon with. One of the most powerful sorcerers we should not forget about, Vader’s legacy would still be standing if not for the pesky little ones to interfere in his life. We are thinking seriously if the continuation of the Star Wars saga should not resurrect Vader somehow, as the man had magic at his little finger. Severus Snape and Saruman should take lessons.

1. Randall Flagg

Randall Flagg, as depicted by Michael Whelan

A man of many names and of many trades, he may not say anything to you if you’re unfamiliar with Stephen King’s universe. Actually, it’s enough for you to read the Dark Tower Saga, perhaps the most underrated fantasy series of all times. You may know something about the Man in Black, Walter o’Dim, Walter Padick and a few other references, but Randall Flag is one powerful, dark, twisted, psycho and supernatural sorcerer you need to know more about. I personally wait the day for Peter Jackson to turn the Dark Tower series into the movie series it deserves and give R.F. the rightful place among the most powerful wizards in all realms of literature and cinema. If you know that Mr. King has a soft spot for crossing his own plots one book to another and insert symbols and characters’ cameos for the connoisseurs’ pleasure, then you now that Mr. Flagg actually showed up in seven of King’s novels.

So while other people are nostalgic for Merlin or the Oz guy and our peers still fight the good fight of Harry vs. Gandalf, we root for these three powerful sorcerers we should not forget about, characters the world should not only appreciate more, but give more room for them to grow in popularity. Yes, Vader included.

Filed Under: movies Tagged With: books, fantasy movies, Stephen King books

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