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11 best English books for students to read

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11 best English books for students to read

Developing a habit of reading English books can be a very refreshing and beneficial experience. It allows you to explore the world around you without actually traveling around. Every word in the book gives you a visual representation of what the given situation would look like, as mentioned in the English storybook.

In this way, reading is a fun activity that won’t let you be bored at any time once you’ve started reading a good English book. Our private tutors suggest book reading as a productive activity that helps students to learn and focus better.

Positive impacts of reading

Reading can have a very positive impact on your general ability to function by affecting your mental and physical health for the better. Here are some of the ways that English books demonstrate a good impact on your thought process and outlook.

benefits of reading

It enhances brain activity

Reading can be very productive for brain activity as it enables you to think more clearly and out of the box. Entering the world of a book brings out the creative side of your brain hence improving its functionality and activity. Improvement in brain activity requires regular exercise; hence you need to read on a regular basis.

Just like a light workout on a daily basis is good for a healthy body, reading works as that workout activity for the brain, promoting its good health.

Reduces stress

Reading on a regular basis has been associated with a decrease in the rates of blood pressure and psychological distress. For a temporary time period, when you are reading a book, you tend to escape the reality that makes you anxious. This brings ease and calms to your mental state.

Reading brings soothness to the brain inhibiting the role of stress-promoting hormones. Sometimes reading feels like a good escape from the reality of the outer world. Making you roam around in the world of happiness=ess that you want to roam in.

Encourages better communication skills

Communication might be the key to almost everything, right? For this to be true, communication has to be done rightly. It has been seen that people who read more often tend to have better communication skills than those who don’t read too often. Reading lets you engage in a conversation within yourself that promotes good communication with others.

When you read more, you come to know more about the world surrounding you, how people think and behave. In this way, this knowledge helps you have a better idea of how to engage, communicate and function better in society. You can connect better with other people with the knowledge you possess. You can talk about the things you have read, finding a common topic to talk about and discuss.

Improve focus and concentration

If you struggle to focus and concentrate, reading can be a good solution to this problem. When you are reading an interesting book that has your attention, you will read it till you know how it ends. In this way, reading can help you improve your concentration skill in general as well.

A good book has the power to grab your attention in a way that you often imagine it’s visuals alongside reading it. In this way, you are usually so well absorbed in the book that your focus does not move here or there.

Improves literacy skills

Reading helps you increase your literacy skills because it helps with enhancing your vocabulary and sense of connecting words to make up a good sentence. This helps you gain knowledge from the books you read hence bringing betterment to your literacy skills. Reading is a great part of literacy skills helping you to improve your skills.

Good English books to read

Reading a good book is essential to develop the habit of reading because if you are reading books that you don’t find interesting, then you can lose focus. In order to be rightly invested in reading and draw maximum benefits from it, we would suggest you read the books that have a good impact on you.

If you are looking for good books to read that can catch your attention well, here we have listed and talked about some books that are our picks for English book recommendations.

1. The code breaker- Walter Isaacson

After the success of Leonardo Di Vinci and Steve Jobs, the author Walter Isaacson has brought yet another amazing book for us to be inspired by if you are looking for motivation to do better in life and achieve your goals that seem rather difficult.

Reading about a true success story with good grammar will not only motivate you to do better, but it will also enable you to increase your reading habits by encouraging you to read more good books like these.

About the storyline

This book tells us about the real-life story of America’s renowned biochemist and noble prize winner Jennifer Doudna who, along with her colleagues, was able to bring revolutionary changes into the medical field by developing a gene-editing tool also known as CRISPR. This has enabled humans to bring a cure to diseases, have babies who are rather healthy, and use it for many other purposes.

The author also gives us a preview of how the passion for science developed in Jennifer as she came home in sixth grade one day and found a book named double helix. Not knowing what the book was about, she still decided to give it a read, and after that, she developed a connection with chemistry, leading to a revolutionary invention.

Why you should read it

It’s a very motivational book that enables young minds to believe that their dreams are not invalid. The plans in their minds hold meanings. In an era where females were not considered a significant part of the scientific community, Jennifer rose to a great height with her goals. So if you have goals in your mind, give it a read!

The code breaker- Walter Isaacson

2. Heaven- Meiko Kawakami

A great book with a great impact by Meiko Kawakami where the author digs up the bullying culture prevailing in our society. We are no strangers to the bullying kids and even adults have to face on a regular basis which shapes their entire personality overall.

If you are looking for a book that develops a sense of awareness while improving your literacy skills, this book can be a good pick for you.

About the storyline

It’s a narration of a 14 years old boy who is being bullied at his school by his classmates on a regular basis for having a lazy eye. The bullying is not limited to being verbal only. They beat him up, force-feed him materials like chalk, and even lock him up in a locker. He’s unable to find a safe shelter in school and home as well since his home life is filled with silence.

Amidst all this chaos in his life, he finally finds a soft pat on the back in the form of his newly developed connection with his female classmate, who is going through the same torment as him.

Why you should read it

If you or someone you know has been a victim of bullying, this book wants you to know that you are not alone and you have the power to fight it; you just have to find it. If you ever feel helpless, know that there are other people in a similar situation as you who would stand by you.
This is a good read to believe that there is still light in the dark.

Heaven- Meiko Kawakami

3. The little prince- Antoine De Saint-Exupery

This book is a perfect depiction of how the thought process experience transitions from being a child to an adult after the truth and realities of the world unveil in front of. Beautiful interaction between a traveler and a little prince from another planet takes the attention of the reader.

This is easy to read with good vocabulary and grammar so that you can learn as well while reading something interesting.

About the storyline

A traveler’s plane crashes in the Sahara desert, where he comes across a little boy. The boy turns out to be the prince of a planet who tells him that he had a rose he loved very much, but that rose turned out to be deceiving, which made him leave the planet. Throughout his journey, he meets many many people, which makes him wonder things like why powerful people want to be praised and served.

Throughout his journey, he misses his rose too, and eventually, it’s a fox that becomes a real eye-opener for him as the fox tells him that the real things in life are seen through the heart, not the eyes and that you are responsible for the one you love.

Why you should read it

While it might seem like a book to be read by a child, it is a great read for adults as well. It tells you how the little things in life can change your perspective about life. This change in perfection can become the reason for the transition from being a child to being an adult. It also teaches us how good it is for us to be responsible for our loved ones.

The little prince- Antoine De Saint-Exupery

4. In cold blood- Truman Capote

If you like to read crime books with chilling details revealing the realities of a dark society we live in, this book might be a good pick for you. It’s a true story of the murder of four members of the Clutter family in the year 1959.

The mystery of finding out who the murderer was will keep you engaged in reading the book and finishing off till the end. This will help you in increasing your focusing ability while reading.

About the storyline

In November 1959, the four members of a family of clutters with the parents and two teenage children were killed brutally with no apparent motive. When the case was investigated, it turned out that the murderers were neither related to the family nor took anything important from them. Hence it became even more difficult to investigate the case since there seemed no motive behind such brutality.

The novel tells the real-life story as well as a novel that contains dialogues and details, enabling the reader to understand the crime scene in a thorough manner.

Why you should read it

There are many dark aspects of this society that need to be addressed and worked on. Just like described in this novel, murdering a family with no apparent motive is disturbing. Even with motive, such a cold-blooded murder should be condemned.

Reading it will enable you to know about the dark shadows in our societies and what should be done to eliminate them from society.

In cold blood- Truman Capote

5. Invisible man

This is a story of a nameless black man who talks about the invisibility that is not actually literal invisibility but rather an inability of others to see him, even the people that are around him, which makes him an invisible man until he finds a reality of his own.

This book has good use of grammar and vocabulary that can help you get a good grip over your literacy skills while creating a sense of awareness for justice in society.

About the storyline

The story is about a black man who is not really invisible, but the people around him refuse to see and acknowledge him. He is seen telling his story from a dark basement somewhere, which he has now made his home. He talks about his invisibility and how, throughout his life, everyone has just exploited and broken his trust and made him a mere fool.

All his life, he believed in people that they might actually want something good for him, but each person ended up betraying him, making him believe that he actually is an invisible man in the society that is ridiculed by everyone, whether they are white or even black.

Why you should read it

Throughout history, we have seen social injustice prevailing in society in the form of racial discrimination. This book tells us from the first-person perspective how being of a certain color has made his life so unlivable that he ended up being so invisible that his life felt no worth. With the increasing awareness of making people feel like no color should be discriminated against, this book is a good read for understanding things from a better perspective. So this is why we would recommend this book to everyone wanting to bring awareness to society.

Invisible man

6. The old man and the sea

This is a great story about a seasoned fisherman who is considered rather unlucky because, for almost 84 days, he’s unable to catch any fish despite trying for so long. In this way, the whole town names him as being unlucky.

It’s a calm read, so you can get good at learning basic vocabulary to help you widen your literacy horizons.

About the storyline

There’s an old fisherman who goes out in search of catching a fish daily but ends up failing in the task, and eventually, he gets the label of being unlucky because, for 84 days straight, he was unable to catch any fish. There’s a little boy who accompanies him, but after his unlucky label, the boy’s parents grew concerned as well and told the boy not to go with him.

Eventually, on the 85th day, he set out for a three-day journey with the determination to catch a big fish. He actually ended up catching it, but sadly the shark’s attack on the fish couldn’t let him take the fish to town. He was only able to take the skeleton that was left of it.

On the other hand, the boy felt sick with the worry of the old man not being there.

Why you should read it

This is a good read for those looking for a classic light book to read. This book gives determination to always stay hopeful. Life is colorful only for those who remain hopeful even after hardships. Patience and hope can help you keep going in a state of life where moving forward seems rather difficult.
So if you are looking for a ray of hope, this book might be a good choice for you.

The old man and the sea

7. The kite runner

This book is about Amir, an Afghan immigrant in America who is called back to Pakistan by an old friend of his father who asks him to go back to Afghanistan to bring back a child that belongs to Amir’s best friend, Hasan. This is when he has to reflect on several decisions he made in the past and how this particular decision will have an impact on his life.

Grammatically, the book is rather easy to read. Being an emotional ride, you will definitely have a chance to get a stronger grip on your skills related to grammar and vocabulary.

About the storyline

The story is about two best friends, namely Amir and Hasan, who grew up together. Hasan, along with his father, has worked at Amir’s house since his father was a child. Their bond is unbreakable, but there came a point in their life when Hasan risked his life for Amir, and Amir could’ve saved his friend but instead chose to run away. He took this guilt with him to America after the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Until one day, when he was called back to Pakistan by Rahim Khan to bring Hassan’s son Sohrab from Afghanistan after his parents were killed there.

At that point, Amir had to face his forgotten guilts and make a decision that would decide who he was as a person.

Why you should read it

This is a great read because it tells us about friendships, guilt, remorse, and reflection. It makes us reflect on how we tend to shape ourselves based on the decision we make. It emphasizes the importance of being there for those who would actually go far to risk their lives for us.

This book is not only a good read but also provides one with valuable lessons related to self-reflection.

The kite runner

8. Tuesdays with Morrie

This book is about a bond between a student, Mitch, and his professor, Morrie, who has developed ALS, and as a result, his muscles grew weak. Instead of just sticking to bed, he opens his home to visitors when a series of Tuesday meetups start between Morrie and Mitch until the final goodbye.

This is a very soft reading storybook in English for those looking to read a good book to keep them engaged in the habit of reading. Being engaged in reading will help you to improve your overall literacy skills.

About the storyline

The story takes off with a college graduation ceremony where Mitch says goodbye to his favorite professor, where the feeling is likewise. After years, Mitch found out about the disease condition of his professor, and despite being a workaholic, he decides to give his professor a visit on the first of the many coming Tuesdays. After meeting with him, he felt sad because Morrie had grown very weak due to his illness, but the two had a very good chat with each other. He decides to visit Morrie every Tuesday until the 14th Tuesday, on which they both have to say the final goodbye before Morrie finally dies.

Why you should read it

Anyone who wants to reflect on their purpose in life can find this as a very good read because it talks to the reader about death, forgiveness, and little things in life that hold great importance. It’s never too late to bring back some things that were once important to you. Separating time for these important things in the busy life makes life more meaningful.

Tuesdays with Morrie

9. The diary of Anne Frank

This English book tells the story of a thirteen-year-old girl, namely Anne Frank, who gets a diary as a gift on her thirteenth birthday, but she isn’t able to start using it because of the Jewish invasion in Holland. She spends a major portion of her life in a hideout, and this changes her reflection of life.

This English storybook will enlighten you about the realities of life while making you literary aware of improving your grammatical skills as well.

About the storyline

The thirteen-year-old Anne Frank has to spend almost two years in a hideout with her family and a few other people after they come to know that her sister will be taken to a concertation camp during the Jewish invasion. During this time, when Anne thinks that nobody understands her, she befriends the diary that has been gifted to her. She starts writing in it about everything she feels. When they finally get out of the hideout, she thinks that her diary is good asses and people would like to read it, but this good feeling doesn’t last long because soon Anne becomes hard on herself and the people around her, changing her reflection ability. When she wrote the final page of her diary, two days after that, she, along with her family, was taken to different concentration camps.

Why you should read it

This book tells us that everyone has the right to live and feel regardless of their background, whether religious, social, racial. There might be different motives or purposes in life, but that doesn’t change the basic fact that no one should be deprived of happiness because they belong to a diverse background. Everyone has the right to be happy.

This book teaches us to reach out to everyone because no one should be left behind based on who they are.

The diary of Anne Frank

10. And then there were none

This book tells the story of eight strangers who are invited to an isolated island. After a fancy dinner, they listen to a recorded voice that accuses each one of them of murders that they have committed somewhere in the past. The strangers suddenly start to mysteriously disappear one by one until they decide they have to stick together in order to survive and find out who is behind this.

This English storybook is quite good to keep you engaged and focused on improving your reading skills.

About the storyline

There were eight strangers who were brought to an island. They were offered a fancy dinner by the host couple. After the dinner, they were all brought to the drawing-room where they heard a recorded voice that accused each one of them of murder. The accusation is an actual murder that each of them has committed in the past. At night while sleeping, all of them go on a guilt trip. When they wake up in the morning, they find out that their host couple is gone. They wander off to find a way out. Going individually, they all start to disappear one by one.

Finally, they come together since this is the only way to survive, and together, they work to find out who is actually behind all this.

Why you should read it

If you are into mysteries, then this novel will be a fun ride for you. A mystery novel can help you increase your focus and concentration factors because you are engaged, and you want to know what actually happens afterward. In this way, we would suggest that you read mystery books like these more often.

And then there were none

11. The grapes of wrath.

In 1930, during the great depression, people witnessed heavy industrialization, which resulted in many devastations. The Joads became a victim of this when they had to move from Oklahoma to California in search of jobs because back at home, their land was left barren as a result of the depression.

About the book

The book is about a family who is constantly suffering from different miseries one after another as a result of the consequences of the great depression. After they have to move to California because of no crops or farming back at home in Oklahoma, they now have to look for jobs in order to survive, but the situation keeps on worsening when the family bonds are shattered as well. On the other hand, the greedy industrialists and capitalists continue to oppress the weak with the constant desire to have it all. Their greed led to the lands of the farmers and tenets becoming barren. In this whole time, the family faced many new and hard experiences like shifting of the family roles, deaths, and disasters.

Why you should read it

It is good for your grammar and vocabulary improvement. This book gives the reader an insight into how the world is changing due to the impact of industrialization and capitalism and what a man is capable of with empty pockets and hunger for power. It tells the effect of the great depression from the perspective of the ones who are constantly losing everything they have.

The grapes of wrath

Conclusion

Reading is a very productive activity because it not only keeps you entertained and engaged in a story, it also offers many psychological and eventually physical benefits to us. Developing a habit of reading from an early age can be very good for children. Above we have talked about some good books that you can read for a good time. Our private tutors also encourage the habit of reading in students.

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Austin has 10+ years of experience in teaching. He has researched on thousands of students-related topics, issues, and concerns. You will often find him writing about the common concerns of students, their nutrition, and what is beneficial for their academics and health both.