Four Books to Read to Escape Reality
We’ve all been there. Maybe you realize that you haven’t started a huge end-of-year project that’s due tomorrow, or maybe your dog took the liberty of peeing on your new white carpet. Maybe you’re tired of hearing about how all your graduating siblings are going on to do “amazing things” while your last Instagram post was about how you FINALLY tried all the burrito flavors at your local taco shop.
Whatever the circumstances might be, we’ve all thought “Man, I really wish I didn’t have to deal with this today” at least once in our lives. So, I’ve compiled a list of 4 of my absolute FAVORITE books to read if you want to escape reality for a little while! These books are great for elementary-schoolers and middle-schoolers.
#1 - The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer
(best for ages 9 and older)
I decided to start off our list with one of my hands-down favorite books of all time, and not just during my elementary school days. This gripping, magical, and downright fantastical novel follows the lives of twins Alex and Conner Bailey when they find themselves transported to The Land of Stories, a world in which fairy tales are a reality. Not only is this book nostalgia cranked to the max for all of us who grew up on Disney Princess movies, but the characters and relationships are so authentically written that the human aspect of the novel is just as big a draw as all the fantasy elements. I am not kidding when I say that this book made me cry several times (yes, this book about fairy tales triggered the waterworks, don’t judge me). Not to mention the fact that it is also incredibly cinematic, with one of the most thrilling climaxes of any book I’ve read.
And the best part? The Wishing Spell is only the first book in a series of SIX amazing Land of Stories novels! You could spend literal DAYS binge-reading this series, which is always a huge perk. So, the next time you find yourself longing for talking animals, wholesome sibling dynamics, or high-stakes adventure, consider opening up The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell! You might just find your new favorite book series.
#2 - The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
(best for ages 10 and older)
It may seem pretty daunting seeing this next entry on our list, considering you’ve probably already heard of this novel, which was the inspiration for the iconic book and film franchise The Lord of the Rings. However, on the off-chance that you’ve never heard words like “Smaug”, “Hobbit”, or “Gandalf”, you should definitely acquaint yourself with the whimsical universe of Middle-Earth, the land in which this book takes place. The Hobbit follows the tale of young Hobbit Bilbo Baggins as he gets pulled into an epic quest when the wizard Gandalf shows up at his doorstep with a group of wandering dwarves. He then has to defeat countless dangers throughout this magical land before finally coming face-to-face with the ruthless Dragon Smaug, who has been terrorizing the countryside.
If you ever need a fix of high fantasy, I cannot recommend this book enough. It truly has everything you could possibly want in an “escape from reality” – magic to dragons to an exceptional climax. But you don’t have to take my word for it; looking up the statistics, you’ll see that The Hobbit is the 7th best-selling book of all time, selling 100 million copies worldwide. You can be pretty sure that it’s worth your time.
#3 - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
(best for ages 9 and older)
Another classic fantasy novel has, unsurprisingly, made its way onto our list. Who knew that famous works of fiction would be so amazing to read? The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe follows the adventures of 4 siblings (Lucy, Susan, Peter and Edmund) after they step through a magical wardrobe and are transported to the enchanting world of Narnia. From there, the novel escalates into a high-stakes family adventure, but there are still plenty of slower moments that allow the reader to fully immerse themselves in the wonderful world of Narnia.
I actually have quite a personal connection to this novel, as it was the book I reread during lockdown when I needed a break from all the craziness that 2020 brought. It is written extremely well, with characters you will grow to love and root for. So, I can confidently say that if you need to take a break from your world, you don’t actually need a magic wardrobe, as getting your hands on this book would work *almost* as well. But let’s be honest, a magic wardrobe would be pretty awesome…
#4 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
(great for ages 11 or older)
For the last entry on this list, I wanted to acknowledge those of us who might not be super huge fans of fairies and witchcraft, but still want to escape reality (which may seem uneventful in comparison). If this is the case for you, then I promise you will not be bored AT ALL when reading The Hunger Games. Honestly, I should warn you that once started, you will not be able to function as a human being until you finish that last page (it’s just that gripping).
The novel takes place in the nation of Panem which holds a yearly television event known as The Hunger Games in which 2 teenagers from each of the 12 districts that make up Panem are forced to compete in a televised battle to the death… yikes. When the protagonist of the novel, Katniss Everdeen, takes her sister's place in the games, she has to survive the extremely deadly arena and some of the most lethal killers in the nation. While this may not be a universe that you would physically want to be transported to, it is still very effective in taking you out of your day-to-day life as you enjoy heavy doses of action and excitement. And who knows, you might even come to appreciate your own life because at least you don’t have to worry about entering literal death matches any time soon.
And there you have it! The best books to read if you want to forget about your life for a bit and get lost in the amazing worlds that these authors have created. Immersing yourself in a new book is always a great thing to do, and I hope that this list will help you decide which novels you HAVE to read if you need a dose of world building, adventure, or fantasy.
