I organize nearly everything by color. The apps on my phone, some of my Pinterest boards, all my clothes, shelves of art supplies and obviously my bookcases. It gives me so much joy and satisfaction to see my color organized books. I love that the colors are accentuated when they are sitting by others of that color. And it makes it incredibly easy to tell people where to find a book if I can tell them to look on yellow shelf or the maroon side of the red-browns. (It does get a little more difficult when I’m trying to explain to one of my color blind brothers where a particular book is on my colorful shelves.)

You’ve probably heard someone say to “eat the rainbow”. If we’re eating the rainbow, we’re eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

Well, today I’m going to suggest you READ the rainbow!

I’ve picked a handful of brightly colored books to emphasize what I mean. But more than reading books with different colored dust jackets, I want to encourage you to read a wide variety of types of books!

A couple years ago I became convinced that I only like to read middle grade contemporary fiction, so that’s basically all I read for a really long time. Looking back on that, it’s really quite sad to think of how much I missed from other genres and varieties. Over the last while I’ve read a lot of books that have been completely different than what I’ve previously read — and some of them are my very favorite books.

There are so many really good books to choose from and you shouldn’t limit yourself and become narrow minded in your reading choices. At least try some new things every so often. You might realize that factual history books just aren’t your thing, but maybe you like historical fiction more than you thought. Plus, it’s fun to mix things up and have something refreshing and totally out of the norm. It’s good for you to read the rainbow!

I’ve taken a colorful stack of book suggestions. It’s a wide variation of genres but they are all books I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and I am therefore recommending them to you.

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty G. Birney

This is a fictional story I’ve read a few different times. The main character is a young boy who wants to see the world, but before he can, he has to find seven wonders in his home town, Sassafras Springs. It’s quirky, fun, and will hopefully make you look at your own town with new wonderment.

Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull

I read this one last summer and it’s still sticking with me. About every day I’ll say to one person or another, “Ed Catmull says . . .” This book, written by the CEO of Pixar, is inspiring and it made me really want to start up the next big-name corporation. Filled with information about Pixar, the business atmosphere of the studio, and directed towards creative people and business personnel, Catmull’s book addresses having creativity in your business and life. I learned a great deal from the organizational strategies talked about in here and found the book very interesting. My copy of Creativity, Inc. is filled with notes and highlighted sections.

Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott’s books are classics and I’m reminded why each time I read one. I would encourage you to read this one weather you a young or elderly bookworm. I think I read this one for the first time when I was about nine. The story is darling and sweet. I absolutely love all the cousins and their interaction with the main character, Rose Campbell.

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

After drinking from a magic spring the Tuck family will live forever. Tuck Everlasting tells their story and a young girl named Winnie. The prospect of eternal life is tantalizing and seems absolutely wonderful, but would living forever, never getting older, actually be so great? I love this book and the unique perspective on life it tells.

Becoming Madeleine by Charlotte Jones Voiklis and Lena Roy

A short biography about Madeleine L’Engle told by her granddaughters, Becoming Madeleine is probably my favorite book I’ve read so far this year. Sometimes I shy away from biographies, convincing myself that I wont enjoy it as much as another book, but I am always so grateful when I read one and love it. I’m not joking when I say that I couldn’t put this one down. It is absolutely delightful and after reading it I felt like Madeleine and I were good friends.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

The Flavia de Luce mysteries are absolutely charming and irresistible. Young Flavia, a chemist enthusiast, uses her creativity and intellect to solve the crimes surrounding her father’s mansion of Buckshaw in the 1950s. Despite the local police’s wish for Flavia to stay out of their business the young gal doesn’t give up. You never know where Flavia will end up and what trouble she’ll find for herself.