I’ve always loved to read - it’s one of my passions in life, probably ranked even higher than my passion for being prepared!  While I have a pretty extensive library for myself, I’ve been thinking about what books I’d want available to my kids and myself in a long-term survival situation.  If we have to go some time without electricity, it’s a good idea to have plenty of reading material available.  The days of casually dropping by the bookstore or library may not be feasible. 

I mentioned before about having a set of good reference books available, and you’ll want to stock up on certain classics like:

The Chronicles of Prydain, by Lloyd Alexander

Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum

Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl

The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank

My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George

There are so many great kids books, it’s impossible to list them all.  Don’t just think of books about overcoming struggles - think entertainment, something that will make your kids happy during a difficult time.  Then, start thinking about yourself and any other adults that will be with you.  Not only should you have some great gardening and preserving your harvest books, but think about starting a more extensive preparedness library.  You also might want to have some high-quality maps and an atlas.

You can find many low cost fiction and reference books at resale book shops and on the internet.  If you’re a reader like me, you know a  great story can consume you and take your mind off any immediate worries.  Having a great home library is a functional and entertaining necessity.