Books We Would Give to Our Younger Selves

Happy World Book Day to all! To storytellers, story lovers and seekers all over the world, this is quite an exciting day.

We know the power of a good book. They have a way of capturing the mind and creating a bit of an imprint. This World Book Day, we’re asking some of our Diva team members: What Book Would You Give to Your Young Self?

No holds barred. No rules. And we got some interesting answers, too…

“I think it talks to the teenager in all of us. It beautifully captures the precarious landscapes and dangers that lurk all around us as teens… and having to face them on your own. The trepidatious world you experience when you’re young that adults can’t help you with.

“It’s not an easy read. I think it would have scared me as a kid.

“It’s a world I grew up in, watching the 6 o’clock news with stories of the Troubles, but not knowing what was going on. Reading it as a teenager would have given me an understanding of what it was like. And it’s interesting to read a book set in a time you grew up in.”

“I’d like to introduce sci-fi and fantasy to myself at a younger age. I felt like I maybe didn’t have the older sibling or friend that said “check this out, it’s weird!” and open me up to more creative outputs at an earlier point in my life.

“I have similar stories for music too. I had no exposure, no one told me the guide to finding cool music!”

“As a Dyslexic, I was and am a very slow reader. So growing up, I really put off novels and more ‘mature’ books, simply due to the time investment needed. As such, I just never read that much.

“If I’d been introduced to the format of short stories earlier, I think I’d have been a more avid reader. Finishing a 30 page short was more attainable and still had the pay off of the whole story.”

“Something on landscape and place. Tell myself to go outside and get some fresh air. You’re looking pale.”

“My kids are 5 and 3. We have tons of books for them and we read every night. I read one to my three year old and then my 5 year old reads one to me. It’s the best part of the day. Every day.

“This is a book I particularly love to read with them at the moment. It’s a very simple book, written with great economy and illustrated with slightly mournful watercolours, which give the book a wistful and lilting dream-like feel.

“I used to get grumpy with my dad when he read to me because he would put silly voices on for all the characters in the stories. But there isn’t any dialogue in Lost and Found, so I think I would have liked him to read me this one.”

“This book gives insight into why we fear things and how those fears stop us from doing things. It may have changed some of my life choices because I was fearful of them going wrong or failing.”

“Just a simple reason. I really enjoyed fantasy books, it’s really well written and a fun read. So I’m sure I would have enjoyed it.”

“I only read it recently but I could have done with it a lot earlier. It’s a book that makes you realise that meaning, beauty and optimism can be found in the most simple or unlikely places.

“It’s full of ways of looking at the world and how you should experience life that I wished I’d embraced a lot earlier.”

“I’ve always read a lot, but I have a strange relationship with tragedies based on real life. I’ve always avoided them. People used to talk about the The Color Purple film adaptation a lot in school — and I refused to watch, or read it. Because I knew it would hurt. And I was afraid of that.

“When I turned 23, I finally bought a copy. And it’s just one of the best books I’ve ever read. It was so much more than I ever thought it would be. Tragedy? No, ma’am! It was funny, powerful, rhythmic, evoking, heartfelt and sad. I love when a story makes me feel complex and contrasting things. Plus, I know I’d have taught myself a world of things if I had the courage to read it when I was 14.”

“It’s not quite what I’d give my teenage self, but definitely for my early 20s self.

“I read this as I turned 30 and so much of it was relatable to how I was feeling about my 20s and how I’d stumbled through a lot of it having not a huge sense of direction or understanding of who I was.

“I think if I’d have read this in my 20s, I’d have felt better knowing that there was a lot of people out there who were also figuring so much of it out and I wouldn’t have felt quite so on my own about it. I never felt bad, but just a little aware. And it was nice to see something so close to my own experience in family, friendships and relationships.”

“It’s an honest look at our ridiculous understanding of masculinity. I’d be a much happier man if I had read this as a teen and lived my adult life with the knowledge inside its pages.

“It taught me to sit my arse down and let go of ‘manning up’.”

It’s interesting to think of books we know and love as adults, and imagine what our younger selves would get from them. We may have learnt a huge lesson earlier in life, and made less mistakes. We may have figured ourselves out so much sooner. We may have opened ourselves up to brand new and exciting realities. Discovered who we are and what we want to be. All with a book.

Do you see any you would also have liked to read (or re-read) as a teen? Any other books that would be on your list?

Let us know in the comments. No holds barred. No rules.

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