6 tales of found family and fantasy to begin your 2024 reading list
- As Anne of Green Gables would say, ‘Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about?’
- Discover the tale of a witch who hides her powers and a secretive group who connects with a writer in the aftermath of WWII
This list of books is sure to get your 2024 reading list off to a great start. Photo: ShutterstockFor those looking for a feel-good, thought-provoking read this new year, look no further! This week, we explore five uplifting books that revolve around nature and found family to lift your spirits and show you new perspectives on life.
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
This timeless children’s novel follows the adventures of an 11-year-old free-spirited orphan girl named Anne Shirley, who finds a home in Avonlea, Canada. Set in the late 19th century, this heart-warming, coming-of-age story centres on themes like found family and girlhood.
“Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive – it’s such an interesting world. It wouldn’t be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There’d be no scope for imagination then, would there?”
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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Set in 1946, shortly after World War II, this historical novel is told through an exchange of letters between a literary society living on the island of Guernsey, which Germany had occupied during the war, and a budding author from London who connected with each other through a second-hand book. This heartfelt story is about friendship, resilience in challenging times, and the power literature can have in bringing people together.
“We were all hungry but it was Elizabeth who realised our true starvation for connection, for the company of other people, for fellowship.”
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Set on a magical island, this fantasy fiction follows Linus Baker, a no-nonsense case worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, who is tasked with taking care of six dangerous young people with fantastic powers in an orphanage, unfolding long-held secrets of the isle.
“Change often starts with the smallest of whispers. Like-minded people building it up to a roar.”
“The things we fear the most are often the things we should fear the least. It’s irrational, but it’s what makes us human. And if we’re able to conquer those fears, then there is nothing we’re not capable of.”
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Better Living Through Birding: Notes From a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper
In 2020, Black birdwatcher Christian Cooper asked a dog walker to leash her dog in New York’s Central Park. What seemed like an innocent gesture escalated into a viral incident that sparked conversations about racial identity. Cooper’s book not only captures the art of birdwatching but is also a memoir that reflects on what nature and the world of birds can teach us about living our lives to the fullest.
“Birding shifts your perceptions, adding new layers of meaning and brokering connections: between sounds and seasons, across far-flung places, and between who we are as people and a wild world that both transcends and embraces us. In my life, it has been a window into the wondrous.”
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
This fantasy novel tells the story of Mika Moon, a witch in the UK who lives a solitary life and hides her magic from people until she meets a new family and love interest. This feel-good read about found family and embracing one’s quirks will certainly warm your heart.
“It’s a leap of faith to love people and let yourself be loved. It’s closing your eyes, stepping off a ledge into nothing, and trusting that you’ll fly rather than fall.”