Books That Inspire

Scorpions - An Inspiration
The one book that inspired me the most was Scorpions by Walter Dean Meyers. Scorpions is about a young man named Jamal who gets into some trouble. His older brother gets arrested and put in jail. Jamal and his mother are very poor. His mother works hard to try and support her and Jamal. He thinks it's a good idea to follow in his brother's footsteps and joins the gang, Scorpions, and he also drags his best friend into the gang, where they both get into a lot of trouble.

This book inspired me very much. It shows me how lucky I am to have a loving and caring family. My brother is a straight "A" student, and he's not involved in any drugs, guns, or gangs. My mother is a school secretary and a very nice person. She always has a smile on her face, even when my brother Shawn and I are bothering her. My father is awesome; he works his tail off all day and then he has to come home and listen to Shawn and me complain. He just tries to relax, but he can't with us running around. What I'm trying to get to is that the book Scorpions lets me know everything I have and how wonderful my life is. It shows what can happen if I don't treat my life with "RESPECT".

by Chris H. (2/01)

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Many books I have read were inspiring but this book, by far, is the most inspiring. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor changed my point of view of the African-American race and the hardships they endured through discrimination. Taylor's choice of characters was a very good one; she had a wide variety and they seemed extremely realistic. While reading the book I went through a swing of emotions because many instances occurred where racism was involved, and I personally hate racism so I felt mad and sad at times throughout the book.

On Martin Luther King's Day, the news showed footage of the struggle for civil rights. This novel was written from the perspective of a young girl having many disturbing experiences. Realizing that many children faced the same problems and difficulties was very intense. I hope many other people read this book and feel the way I do. This book has inspired me to encourage equality and discourage racism and discrimination.

by Joey M. (2/01)

To Kill A Mockingbird
I have read many books for school and for pleasure, some of which have influenced me. The book that has influenced me the most would be To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. After reading the book in school, I realized the impact that it had on other students as well.

The reason why this book has influenced me so much is because Harper Lee had such an important message. The message that I gained from it was that to really understand another person you would only have to walk in his or her shoes for a day and try to realize what that person has to go through. If you do that, you will realize how not only he or she feels inside, but also you will develop respect for that person.

I enjoyed reading this novel and it has influenced me as well as many other people who have read the book. It has been one of my favorite stories to read, and I suggest that other people, young or old, read it.

by Caitlin A. (4/00)

Last Christmas I received a gift that would be my favorite for years to come. I received a book entitled Into Thin Ice by Jon Krakauer. When I unwrapped this gift, I just simply placed it down in the pile with all the other stuff and eyed the larger presents underneath the tree. I wouldnąt pick the book up again for two months.

When I was cleaning out my room one day in February, I spotted this book lying in a pile of old papers. I picked it up and opened it to the first chapter. I was hooked on the first sentence of the story:

Straddling the top of the world, one foot in
China and the other in Nepal, I cleared the ice
from my oxygen mask, hunched a shoulder against the
wind and stared absently down at the vastness of Tibet.

This sentence started the whole story, and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. This story made me feel like I was there climbing Mt. Everest with the author, Jon Krakauer. I felt every step he took, every gust of wind he had to face, and all of the cold air and frostbite he had to endure. This story is a match made in heaven for people who like to read action, tragedy, and books about the will to survive. Another reason why I like this story was because it was recent and true.

This story inspired me to go to the Museum of Science and to see the show about this story in the Omni Theatre. I not only saw it once, I saw it four times and also got one of the men who climbed the mountain to sign my ticket stub. The story also taught me many facts about the mountain, like how many risks you would be taking if you climb it, and how quickly the weather changes on Mt. Everest. This story also has started me on one of my lifetime goals. . . to climb Mt. Everest.

by Brian L.(1/98)

When I was about to read I'm Still Scrambling by a great football player Randall Cunningham, I thought it was going to be a good book. But, it was a great book! It also had a great impact on me. He wrote about his upbringing in Santa Barbara, and how he got through life being the youngest of four brothers and living in a racially divided world. Randall said to take things one thing at a time and to tough things out. He also wrote about his memories playing on the football field. Cunningham had a difficult career in Philadelphia with the Eagles. The press, his teammates and coaches were always bothering him about his play on the field. He also wrote about his parents and his college roommate at UNLV who died of cancer. He said "those were the toughest times of my life." I would recommend this book to everyone. It is a fun and serious look at life.

by Eric C.

One book that had a big impact on my life was Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. It deals with real life stories and situations that have been written and sent in by the people who faced them. If you are feeling down, confused about friends, or family, or just wanting a boost, Chicken Soup has a story that will suite your mood. I love this book. It picks you up and shows you how to get the most out of life through the stories of other people. This is a book I will read over and over. It changes the way you feel inside, in a good way.

by Danielle N.

I never had a book that made an impression on my life, so I asked my father what he had read. The book that made the biggest imprint on his life was called The Long Grey Line. It was about a man who graduated from West Point Military Academy. He liked it because my brother graduated from West Point, and it told my father more about some of the things that my brother went through when he went to school there. The author also went to Vietnam and my father liked that because he was in Vietnam. My father said the book was very good, and now I am reading it and I really like it.

by Steve "Swift" R.

A book that had the greatest impact on my life was Number the Stars. It was, I think, the first book I had read that was about the Holocaust. My mother read it to my sister and me when I was in the first grade. I was fascinated at the experiences Jewish people endured and how their close friends and, even complete strangers, helped them. From then on, I have always wanted to learn more about the Holocaust. I have read Number the Stars a dozen times, and each time, I am deeply moved. This is why I feel that Number the Stars has had the greatest impact on me.

by Lindsay S.

A book that inspired the way that I live today is probably To Kill A Mockingbird. This book inspired me because of the main character Atticus Finch. Atticus kept telling Scout and Jem not to only look at situations from your own point of view but also from the point of view of other people.

by Matt S.

The book that has had the greatest impact in my life was a book about Michael Jordan. It talks about his days in high school, and the things he did to get to where he is now. This book taught me never to give up, to keep trying, and to do what it takes to accomplish your goals. Michael Jordan had some problems in junior high playing basketball. His coach said he didn't have what it took for this sport, but Micheal didn't give up. In high school, he gave it all he had and showed that coach he had what it took to be in the pros. Before he knew it, he had accomplished his dream and was playing basketball for the Chicago Bulls. He became the M.V.P. in the NBA. That's the book that has had the greatest impact on my life.

by Peter P.

The book that had a great impact on me was So Far from the Bamboo Grove. It tells the story of a little Japanese girl, her sister, and mother and how they got to freedom during W.W.II. It taught me that even though the odds are against you, you still can make it through a tough ordeal.

by Brian B.

The book that had the greatest impact in my life was Anne of Green Gables. Even though it isn't a very philosophical book, it has some lessons in it. For every adventure the Anne had, there was usually a lesson at the end of it. She learned many lessons about life that were very true. She also learned about hardships in life. It had an impact on my life because the lessons she learned and the hardships she endured were ones I could relate to.

by Denise L.

The book that has the biggest impact in my life would be my Boy Scout Handbook. With this book, I have received many merit badges: for example, environmental science, emergency preparedness, and Indian lore. I have also learned many different first aid skills. The skills I have learned are used for hurry cases, C.P.R., the Heimlich Maneuver, burns, blisters, insect bites, snake bites, puncture wounds, skin poisoning from plants, and frostbite. I also know how to cook, use a compass, tie knots, set up camp, and the names of many animals. With these skills I have had an easier life and have the will to do more. This book has inspired me, and without this book, and some of my own determination, I probably would not have been able to do everything I have done and am planning to do.

by Patrick J.

The book that had the biggest impact in my life is The Cay . The book is about a boy on a cruise who gets washed up on a deserted island. This book showed me that you can do anything if you set your mind to it. It inspired me to read more books because it was so different from all the other books that I had read. This was an excellent book.

by Erin R.

The books that have had the greatest impact on my life are the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. All the stories are uplifting. Even if someone experiences something horrible, they always get through it. The books show the brighter side of things. I will continue to read these books for as long as I live, to help me through the bad times, and celebrate the good times.

by Christine Fiander

The book that had the most impact on me was Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry because I didn't know how bad it used to be for black people. That book really opened my eyes to it. In fact, I thought that after slavery ended everyone was treated all right. I didn't know that some people were treated badly because of their skin color. If it wasn't for Dr. Martin Luther King and others like him, it would probably be the same way today.

by Bill H.

The book that influenced me the most is So Far From the Bamboo Grove, by Yoko Kawashima Watkins. This book told of the journey Yoko Kawashima and her family made from Korea to safer lands. Yoko's courage influenced me the most in this book. It made me think of how lucky I am to have a good home, food, and clothing. I realized my problems in life are small compared to those of people like Yoko.

I then asked Kristen Pearson what book influenced her the most. Her choice was Night. It made her realize how hard some people's lives are. It taught her to appreciate how lucky she is to have such an easy life.

I finally asked my mother what book influenced her the most. Her choice was The Road Less Traveled, by M. Scott Peck M.D. It influenced her because it enabled her to look at how to get along with people and how to solve problems in life.

by Erin L.

The book that influenced my mom the most is The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield. This book influenced her because she read it at a very difficult time in her life. It was given to her by one of her best friends. It made her realize that all things have a purpose and meaning.

The book that influenced my dad the most is Success By Choice by Rick Pitinio.This book influenced him because he read it when he was changing careers. It made him realize that he controlled his own destiny and made him realize the steps that were needed to achieve success when you're starting at the beginning of a new career. This was something he hadn't dealt with in a long time.

by Chris C.

I asked my grandmother what book made the greatest impact on her life, and she told my the Bible . Just by reading bits and pieces of it, she found that it did make an impact on her life. It showed her the way of God and how to find peace and happiness. It also showed her how to help others and to enrich her life.

by Justin M.

 Out of the many books that I have read in my lifetime, there is one that has had a great impact on me. That book was Don't Die, My Love, by Lurlene McDaniel. It is a sad love story about a boy who has a life-threatening illness. It had an impact on me because it taught me that disease can strike anyone, at any time. It also taught me that love can survive anything - even death.

by Jenny P.

The book that had the greatest impact on me was, The Swiss Family Robinson. I remember the scene where they had the animal race. Also, I remember the snake scene, and the battle at the end. This novel showed me you can chose to have fun or live a dull and boring life. The Robinson family chose to make the best of what they had and led a wonderful life on the island.

by Chris L.

The books that have influenced my life the most are the books by Lurlene McDaniel. They are about kids with diseases or kids whose friends have diseases. They tell about how the kids handle living with that. They show how people with cancer, leukemia, diabetes, or any other disease live and face every day knowing it could be their last.

by: Nicole M.

My dad said the most inspiring book to him would be A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawkings. He said it puts in layman's terms, many of the laws and theories that explain our physical universe, such as Einstein's theory of relativity. My mother's favorite is Simple Abundance, because she likes the reminders to stop and appreciate how rich we all are. The most inspiring book that I've read is Hatchet. It teaches the skills of survival and how a young boy overcame the wilderness.

by Brendan C.

From each novel a person reads, they get something. The novel that has had the greatest impact on my life is It's A Matter of Trust by Marcia Byalick. This novel taught me never to take anything for granted. It also taught me that you never know who your good friends are until there is a complication in your life. To me, these were two of the many messages in the novel, It's A Matter of Trust.

by Kim B.

Last updated: Feb. 4, 2001

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