Important Books- What They Are

As a librarian for children (and now teens), I read a lot of books. Beyond theme and genre, I have started labeling the Important Books as such in my mind (and in this blog's tags). Let me be upfront and clear here: Important Books are not necessarily better than other books in every way. But they are different because they say something important about life, about humanity. I want you to READ. I want you to read anything you enjoy, not just the Important Books.

An Important Book:

  1. Makes you think
  2. Leaves unanswered questions (see #1)
  3. Has believable characters you can connect to
  4. Evokes emotion
  5. Has major characters that grow or change
  6. Inspires discussion
  7. Transcends genre
I'm considering this list incomplete. I want your feedback, readers. What did I miss? 


John Green is one of my favorite authors of all time, and author of Important Books

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