Books are a treasure, a portable warehouse of knowledge for some and an escape into a fantasy world for others. This is a hobby that educates, informs and entertains its seekers with genres ranging from lifestyle, novels, short stories, biographies and more, there is a world of collection to choose and explore from for all ages. This particular hobby has begun to trend recently due to the spare time available and lack of physical movement due to social distancing. More and more people are reintroducing themselves to the art of knowledge and finding a new passion for this age-old form of expression.

For The Beginners

If you haven’t started already and are thinking of taking a leap into the world of books then what better time than now with all the spare time on our hands. However, starting something new requires a pre-set unspoken rule to be followed which is to take one step at a time and work your way from the bottom up. Reading for beginners is no different, as the best approach is to start with light and interesting reads while trying to figure out what genre is for you. Trial and error is hands down the best strategy to figuring out what is best for you. Some notable beginners reads that can get the process started for adults include 'Note to Self', 'The Beginning of Everything', 'The Art of Thinking Clearly', 'Rich Dad Poor Dad'. Some popular beginner reads for kids include 'Little Creatures', 'Jungle Animals' and  'Peppa Pig’.

For The Children

Getting the kids to like reading and writing is a challenge, but to introduce them to the world of literature through fun and exciting methods can lead to positive outcomes for the long run. Implementing approaches that appeal to their other senses like listening through audio-books is one way to go. Short story books like 'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland', 'The Lion And the Mouse', 'Winnie the Pooh', 'Interview With the Robot', etc. are some of the many that are available online to tickle the imagination of your child.

Once they have mastered the art of getting involved in the stories they hear, paperback books with lots of pictures like activity books that require them to either complete a task or use their mental capacity [Brain Games, The Complete Book of Origami, Ella’s Kitchen, The Cook Book: the Red One]; puzzles [The Everything Kids’ Puzzle Book] and coloring books [Unicorn Coloring Book] can be introduced.

The tweens on the other hand can be kept occupied with both audio and paperback books as per their preference, some examples of audio-books include 'The Reluctant Dragon' and 'Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare'. Some renowned authors in this category include Philip Pullman, Shannon Hale and Rebecca Stead.

Teenagers can spend their time on more complex problem solving books such as 'The Ultimate Brain Bender' that include games, puzzles & trivia challenges. If your teen prefers comics over traditional books then until May 4, all fans of Spider-Man, Black Panther, the X-Men, Fantastic Four and more can check out some of Marvel’s biggest story-lines though the Marvel website and app!

For A Positive Mind

It is essential to have a slot in our daily life dedicated to everything positive! From positive quotes, discussions to reading material that can be referred to for a quick mood boost or for maintaining good mental health during tough times. Some great examples to spread the joy include books like 'The Power of Positive Thinking', 'Learned Optimism', 'Mindset and Holding Up the Universe'. Another good mention is 'The Happiness Advantage', which is suitable for positivism in the work-space. Reading such books will help in narrowing down focus to things that are necessary and require our attention as opposed to a dispersed attention span over many unnecessary details.

For Knowledge on Coronavirus

There is always widespread confusion and worry during any emergency situations that people are new to, without knowing how to act and what to do, it can get a little scary and may even lead to panic. However, making sure that people on a large scale are kept up-to-date and informed on how the situation they are in needs to be dealt with begins from the efforts made by individuals themselves.

The first step is education and where to get it from. Researching with reference to past events is one way to tackle uncertain situations as it gives us an insight on what was done before in a similar, if not the same, situation. Following are a few reading materials that can help build knowledge on the ongoing pandemic: 'Epidemics and Society, From the Black Death to the Present - Frank M Snowden', 'Viruses, A Very Short Introduction - Dorothy H Crawford', 'Spillover, Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic - David Quammen',  'The Pandemic Century, One Hundred Years of Panic, Hysteria, and Hubris - Mark Honigsbaum', 'The Psychology of Pandemics, Preparing for the Next Global Outbreak of Infectious Disease - Steven Taylor', 'Coronavirus and Business: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review'. Reading these can guide us on the road for discussion, a starting point towards finding a solution and even help spread a sense of calm among people, knowing that plan-to-action can be created and worked upon.

Make the best out of the time in hand, positively! Stay safe & healthy.