Simply stated, Novel Pairings is a fun phrase for pairing two books together that are similar—but one is for adults and one is for children. Not every parent wants to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn out loud to their 12-year-old. But maybe they want to read James by Percival Everett while their child reads Huckleberry Finn. This can lead to fun and insightful conversations.
Novel Pairings are not intended to replace reading to a child—the more reading the better. They are a creative option that can work well in some settings. Because the adult and child don’t have to agree on one book there is flexibility in choosing a book that is interesting to each person. The child has some agency is picking their book, but it keeps reading a family activity.
The Novel Pairings idea came to me when I read Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan Henry and told my daughter the storyline. She was interested enough for me to start reading this book out loud to her and inspired her to pick back up her copy of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (which, sadly, was laying lonely on her bookshelf with only a few pages read).
Like many kids, she has an average interest in reading but rarely chooses a book over TV or the tablet. She was reinvigorated about books when she realized that I was reading a book she could relate to—a book for grown-ups about one of her own books. Kids and adults are more alike than different and before kids hit those tumultuous teenage years they are yearning for conversations with the adults in their life.
It isn’t necessary for kids and adults to read similarly themed books to have a fantastic bookish conversation, but it might be a game changer if you know a kiddo who doesn’t have that book bug. And going back to the aforementioned tumultuous teenager—this may lead to an unexpected connection with a teen. Teenagers love the BookTok recommendations as much as the rest of us.
Normally I would wait for wintry weather for this recommendation, but there is no better choice for this month’s recommendation than the book that inspired the idea. Once Upon a Wardrobe and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe are such a delightful pair of books. Patti Callahan Henry’s descriptive novel focuses on the question “Where did Narnia come from?” The book is moving and magical—with truths woven into the narrative.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe may be popular enough with your child to get them reading the entire Chronicle of Narnia series. I’m a huge fan of series and kids anxiously awaiting the next book. This is an excellent choice for your first Novel Pairing if you haven’t tried it. The age range for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe varies greatly as all children are on different reading levels—but ages 6-12 could be appropriate depending on the child.
I would love to hear your feedback on this month’s recommendation and on Novel Pairings in general. If you have a recommendation, please let me know. Check out our Novel Pairings table at our pop-up on August 8th at the Cornerstone Pharmacy. As always, happy reading!
