I don’t read as many children’s books or young adult fiction as I used to. It’s only natural, given that I’ve waded pretty far into the muddy waters of adulthood at this point. But it’s also a bit of a shame, because books for younger readers, when written well enough, can cast a special kind of spell no matter what your age. The very best of them glow with an aura of awe and wide-eyed wonder most adult fiction can’t quite manage (with a very few exceptions—I’m looking at you, Neil Gaiman). It’s refreshing. It’s fun. Most of all, it’s comforting, especially when you’re having a bad day.
When I was a child, I spent a lot of time sick in bed with several colds a year as well as what I later found out were severe migraines. Bright lights and loud noises physically hurt, which ruled out TV and computer games most of the time. Nausea made it hard to get up and do much of anything at all, and I had no siblings my age to come bother and distract me from my malaise. Instead, when I couldn’t sleep, I read. I escaped a body that didn’t feel well and the white walls of a bedroom I spent too much time in by losing myself between the pages of a few well-worn, well-loved books that I kept handy for just such occasions.
These “sick day” books saved me from myself and my symptoms. I owe a great debt to the authors for the help they’ve given me over the years, unwitting though it may have been. And even now, I still reread these books from time to time—whether I’m sick or not—to recall the wonder, the magic, of stories which once drew me in so deeply that I could forget everything, even pain, even nausea, for a little while.
So what constitutes a good “sick day” book?
Easy to read—not “dumbed down,” but written in a style that is relatively easy to digest, even when your brain isn’t functioning at full capacity. This is partly what makes good children’s and young adult books ideal “sick day” books. The vocabulary tends to be simpler, but the storytelling is still on point.
Re-readable—the best “sick day” books are ones you can turn to again and again without getting bored. It’s hard to think straight when you’ve got a fever or your head is about to explode, which makes choosing a new book difficult and actually comprehending it harder still. I read several of the books on this list at least a dozen times.
Ageless—again, a quality I think any youth reading material should possess, but especially so in this case. After all, the flu doesn’t care how old you are. A truly great “sick day” book will be enjoyable whenever you get sick, no matter how many years it’s been since you first picked it up. I’ve had most of these books on my shelf longer than I can remember.
The following books check all of these boxes and then some.
A Glory of Unicorns and Half-Human, by Bruce Coville
I will always love Bruce Coville best for The Unicorn Chronicles, but for bedridden days, short stories tend to be more manageable than a series of novels. A Glory of Unicorns and Half-Human, for which Coville served as both compiling editor and contributing author, contain some truly beautiful fantasy stories and fairy tales by talented authors like Jane Yolen, Gregory Maguire, and Tamora Pierce.
And okay, I’ll admit it—pretty much anything with a unicorn or a dragon could tempt me at that age. Or any age, really.
Zel and Sirena, by Donna Jo Napoli
If there was one thing I wished for more than anything as a child, it was for a bit of magic. Both Zel and Sirena feature heroines who are not only strong of spirit but enchanting, both literally and figuratively. Zel is an unforgettable and unique retelling of the story of Rapunzel, while Sirena is the tale of a mermaid whose stars are crossed with that of a young man who has been cursed by the Greek goddess Hera. I related to Zel, alone in her tower, and Sirena, who left her siren sisters to live on her own off the coast of a deserted island, despite having neither magic hair nor a fishtail. And even now, Napoli’s words continue to cast a spell on me every time I revisit them.
Absolutely Normal Chaos, Walk Two Moons, and The Wanderer, by Sharon Creech
And now for something completely different—none of these three books would qualify as “fantasy,” per se. But instead of helping me escape to a completely other world, they let me take refuge in the heads of truly engaging characters whose story arcs tap-danced a very fine line between comedy and drama effortlessly, with just a hint of mystery thrown in for good measure. Mary Lou, Salamanca, and Sophie were girls with very different lives from mine but with whom I had much in common. They kept me company during many a long afternoon sequestered away from my real-world friends (back when texting was not an option).
What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones
Another non-fantasy fiction book, What My Mother Doesn’t Know taught me a lot about myself, both as a young woman and as a young romantic and lover of art. The free-verse format makes it especially easy on the eyes without sacrificing anything in terms of storytelling or character development—in fact, this was the first of many free-verse books I enjoyed in my pre-teen and teen years. As for the doodle in the corner? Sprinkles on top of the cake, my friends. Delicious, rainbow-colored sprinkles.
Books Make “Sick Days” Better
In my experience, cough drops may help sore throats and prescription medications may make migraines more manageable, but books make everything better. These aren’t the only books that help on a bad day, nor are children’s books the only place to turn for solace during a cold. Comic strips, manga, graphic novels, poetry—as always, the only real limit here is in your own imagination. The most important thing isn’t what type of thing you read, but how it makes you feel. Choose a book that makes the bad stuff small and reminds you of the good stuff—that makes the pain less painful and sickness less sickening.
And then, if it serves you well, don’t be afraid to choose it again, and again… and again. As Charlie Lovett once aptly put it, “A good book is like a good friend. It will stay with you for the rest of your life.”
(And to the authors of some of my very best friends: thank you, so much, for everything.)
