On this blog I have a series called Books Over Looks. The goal of this series is to discuss topics and stories that focus on how books and reading can help stimulate the minds of people, especially children and young adults, help grow their self-esteem by empowering them with knowledge, and help reinforce that there are more important things in this world than the number of likes on Instagram.

In that spirit, today’s blog is by a guest blogger, my 11-year-old daughter Ella, who reads voraciously. She estimates she read anywhere from 70 to 100 books in 2016, which is likely a good estimate given she completed her school’s 40 book challenge with ease around March or April. From the mind of an 11-year-old girl, here is a reading list to, hopefully, help inspire other kids to read more.

Hello world! It’s Ella! Welcome to my Books Over Looks blog about my top 10 favorite books of 2016.

1. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs* 

2. Inside of a Dog – Young Readers Edition: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know by Alexandra Horowitz

3. Wonder by R. J. Palacio

4. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline  Woodson*

brown-girl

5. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

bud

6. Navajo Code Talkers by by Nathan  Aaseng 

7. The Enchantress Returns (The Land of Stories) by Chris Colfer

8. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

9. The Travelers by K.L. Kranes (Disclaimer: written by Ella’s Mom, so she’s a little biased here. 🙂 )

the-travelers

10. Hound Dog True by Lind Urban

*My two very favorite books on this list.