Short Books

Short Books

Short books are great for when you’re traveling, waiting in line,need a read during your lunch break or just want to read something quickly.

What is a short book?

A short book is a book that can be read in less than six hours.  Most of the time, the books themselves are 200 pages or less and they don’t take long to complete at all.

Keep in mind though, they aren’t necessarily easy reads and most of the time you’ll find yourself thinking about them after finishing them.

What length is a short book?

A short book is anything less than 200 pages.  It can be shocking to see such a small number when you think about how many pages there are in most paperback novels.

However, with so many books being published these days, it’s likely that if you go into a bookstore and just browse around, you’ll only find the bestsellers or books that are at least 300 pages, which will take you a lot more than one hour and thirty minutes to read.

Make sure you keep an eye out for short books when looking for something to read because they’re getting harder and harder to find.

How do I find a short book?

You can ask your local bookstore if they have a list of the shorter books that are available, or you can check online.  There’s going to be a variety of lists there for people who love short stories, and why not try one out?

Short stories give you a little taste before deciding whether or not you want to invest in the longer version later on.

Well known short books: Short book classics

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (99 pages): A classic that’s sure to be a quick read.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (100 pages) : Another book that you probably heard about at some point in school.  It takes less than an hour to complete if you read quickly.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (100 pages) : A wonderful book about millionaires, love and deception.  A must read.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (190 pages): Holden Caulfield is one of those characters that you’re going to remember long after reading this book.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (309 pages) : A touching book about two boys growing up in Afghanistan.  It’s a lovely read that will make you think twice about the world we live in today.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (162 pages): Another classic that you can’t go wrong with.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (156 pages) : This dystopian society might just give you nightmares.

1984 by George Orwell (176 pages) : Another dystopian book that is hauntingly disturbingly.  It’s a classic and you can’t go wrong with it.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (95 pages) : A wonderful story about a horse and the people who love him.  Read it, you won’t regret it!

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (95 pages) : A lovely little story that you can finish in a couple of hours.

Short books are fun and a great way to get entranced by the beautiful words of literature.  Why not try one out today?

How much do short books cost to buy?

Some short books are free online, but others cost about the same as a regular paperback.

For example, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is 9.99 on Amazon  and The Old Man and the Sea costs between $10 – $15.

If you want to buy something that costs less than ten dollars, be sure to check out the bargain bin at the bookstore.  You just might find something that you love and that’s a steal!

What do I need to know about buying short books?

There’s not really anything special that you need to know before reading a short book, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

It can be easy to get lost in reading them, so try your best to stop after an hour and thirty minutes if you have other things that you need to be doing.

You might struggle with finishing a short book because it’s just too easy to get into reading them.  It can almost feel like cheating!

You should keep the length of the book in mind when reading it.  For example, if you’re looking for something quick to read during your lunch break, don’t choose a book that’s over 300 pages.

You might find yourself wishing that the short stories had more detail or were longer because you enjoy them so much!

It can be easy to struggle with finishing a short book because you don’t want it to end.

Short books are a great way to get into the short story world and discover new authors that you love!

Where can I find short books?

You can usually find some shorter stories on your favorite author’s website, or on Amazon.  If they’re not there, then check around at the bookstore and see if they have anything that you might like.

If you know of any other great places to find short books, feel free to let us know in the comments below!

Are there any series of short books?

Short stories: There are lots of different types of short stories out there, but one type is called a short story series.  Short story series are a series of short stories that all take place in the same universe and have overlapping characters, plots, etc.

Here is a list of some short story series:

• Sprawl Trilogy by William Gibson (5 books) – The first book is called “Neuromancer”
• Game Trilogy by Chuck Hogan (3 books) – The first book is called “Prince of Thieves”
• Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins (3 books)  Divergent Trilogy  by Veronica Roth (3 books) – The first book is called “Divergent”

Other shorter series: There are a lot of different series out there that aren’t as long as a normal series, but they are still series.

Here is a list of some other shorter series that are worth checking out:

• Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz (10 books)
• Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter (6 books)
• House of Night by PC Cast and Kristin Cast (8 books)
• Maximum Ride by James Patterson (7 books)
• Percy Jackson  by Rick Riordan (5 books)
• Detective Jack Creed Series by C T Mitchell (10 books)

Short books to read

Short books if you like Harry Potter: If you’ve read the Harry Potter series and loved it, then there are some short book series that might interest you.

Here they are:

• Warriors Series by Erin Hunter (6 books) – The first book is called “Into the Wild”
• Inkworld Trilogy by Cornelia Funke (3 books) – The first book is called “Inkheart”
• Shade Trilogy by Jeri Smith-Ready (3 books) – The first book is called “Shade’s Children”
• Twilight Saga  by Stephenie Meyer (4 books)

Short books like The Hunger Games:

If you’ve read the Hunger Games and enjoyed it, then there are some short book series that might interest you.

Here they are:

• The Maze Runner by James Dashner (3 books) – The first book is called “The Maze Runner”
• Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth (3 books)
• The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry (4 books) – The first book is called “The Giver”

Other short books to read:

Of course, there are so many other great authors and books out there, so you might find some of those interesting as well.

Here is a list of some short book series that we think that you’ll enjoy:

• Kate Mackenzie Series by C T Mitchell – first book is Deady Vows
• Battle Royale by Koushun Takami (3 books) – The first book is called “Battle Royale”
• Crank by Ellen Hopkins (5 books) – The first book is called “Crank”
• Inheritance Cycle  by Christopher Paolini (4 books) – The first book is called “Eragon”
• Maximum Ride by James Patterson (6 books) – The first book is called “The Angel Experiment”

Short poem books:

There are a lot of different short books that have poems inside them.

Here is a list of some that we recommend:

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (192 pages) – This book has around 60 poems, most of which are very short, but there are some longer ones as well.

Poems for the Dead by Alan P. Scott (52 pages) Out of the Dust  by Karen Hesse (160 pages) – This book has one very long poem that takes up most of the pages, but there are some shorter poems within the text too.

Short books for book club books

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (217 pages) – This book has multiple short chapters that are written in letter form.  It’s not really a book club book, but it does have some themes that might be interesting to discuss.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker (137 pages) – This book is mainly composed of letters and conversations between the characters, so it’s a little easier to get through than most books.

It has some dark themes that might be good for discussion.

Short children’s books

I Survived Series  by Lauren Tarshis (9 books) – The first book is called “I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941”  Spirit Animals Series by various authors (5 books) – The first book is called “Wild Born”

Geronimo Stilton Series  by Geronimo Stilton (27 books) – The first book is called “Thea Stilton and the Blue Scarab Hunt” A to Z Mysteries Series  by Ron Roy (26 books) – The first book is called “The Wrong Side of the Law”

Short books in the Bible (the most famous book of all)

There are some great short books in the Bible as well.

Here is a list of some that we recommend:

Job – The entire book is one very long poem about a man who loses absolutely everything and his journey to find out why. There are some themes for discussion, but mostly it’s just a really interesting story.

There is no real main character in this book, so it’s less about the actual story and more about the themes themselves.

The entire book is only 42 chapters long (or verses), so you can read it in one or two days!

Psalms – The entire book is one very long poem with 150 different poems inside of it.  It’s basically just a list of praises and complaints, so it doesn’t really have any human characters or story line.

There are no chapters either, so you can read one poem at a time whenever you want!

Short chapter books

There are many awesome short chapter books that you can read if you want to find ones that are shorter than the Harry Potter series.

Here is a list of some awesome ones:

• The Black Stallion Series by Walter Farley (17 books) – There are around 5 chapters per book, so they’re perfect for reading in class!
• Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (76 pages) – This book has 10 chapters per book, so they’re great for reading in class too!
• Junie B. Jones Series by Barbara Park (23 books) – There are around 20 short chapters per book and they’re full of funny things that Junie says, so they’ll definitely be fun to read!

Short mystery books under 200 pages

There are a lot of mysteries that you can read under 200 pages, so we’ll list some of our favorites below:

The Cat Who… Series by Lilian Jackson Braun (22 books) – There are around 30 short chapters per book and they all focus on getting to know the different characters.  Each mystery is solved in one or two chapters, so the stories are all pretty quick.

The Hardy Boys Series by various authors (129 books) – There are  around 25 short chapters per book and each mystery is solved in one or two chapters.

Short books to read for beginners

If you’re just learning how to read for the first time, then it’s best to find books with fewer than 100 pages.

Some of our favorite short children’s stories are:

The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper (32 pages) – This is actually one long poem about a train that makes it over a mountain.  It’s abo ut believing in yourself and trying your best, so it’s a great lesson for everyone to learn.

The Story of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff (32 pages) – This is the first book in the Babar series and it’s all about how Babar goes from being King of the Elephants to finally conquering his fears.  It’s all about conquering your fears, so it’s really great for everyone to learn.

Every Living Thing by James Herriot (94 pages) – This is the first book in the Herriot series and it’s all about how James learns to become a vet.  It’s also just about animals in general, so there’s not really a story line.

Short book series around 200 pages

There are some awesome short children’s book series that we think you’ll enjoy:

• The Critter Club Series by Callie Barkley (22 books) – This is such a great short chapter book series because it follows all of the girls at school and what they like to do together.

  There are around 10 or 12 chapters per book and there’s a new mystery in each one too, so they’ll definitely keep you on your toes!

• The I Survived Series by Lauren Tarshis (54 books) – These books are all about the main character surviving different disasters throughout history such as the Great Chicago Fire and Hurricane Katrina.
• Father Douglas Cozy Mystery Series ( books) by C T Mitchell

Conclusion

If you’re looking for some new reading material, here are a few short books worth checking out. These quick reads provide rich insights in an easy-to-digest format. From leadership to relationships and everything in between, these stories have something for everyone! Check them out today on Amazon or your favorite bookstore.

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