The Four Books You Should Read To Your Children According To Successful People

Perhaps one of the most important character you can impart to your child is the genuine love for books. Not only would it be a good hobby, reading is scientifically proven to make people smarter and more emphatic. Some of the world's most influential people have attributed their success to reading, and here are their picks. 

US President Barack Obama: "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak

It is no secret that outgoing president of the United States is a confessed reader. However, one book that stuck with him all these years is "Where the Wild Things Are" by American illustrator and author, Maurice Sendak. 

During the Easter Egg Roll hosted by the White House in 2012, Obama explained that the Caldecott awardee is "one of my favorite classic books of all time," reported ABC News. Here he is in a very lively performance of "Where the Wild Things Are" in front of an audience full of children (including young Malia and Sasha):

Tesla Motors and Space X CEO Elon Musk: "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams

Elon Musk, one of the most influential people in the tech industry and the inspiration behind Tony Stark, is a science fiction geek. One of his favorite book from the genre is Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," which he found "instructive," according to the Financial Post. 

"If you can properly phrase the question, then the answer is the easy part," he said. "So, to the degree that we can better understand the universe, then we can better know what questions to ask."

Billionaire/Philanthropist Bill and Melinda Gates: "The Curious Incident of Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Hadon

On an interview with NPR, Melinda Gates revealed some of the books that she and her husband reads to their children. One of the titles mentioned is Hadon's masterpiece, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," which tells the story of a kid living with Asperger's.

The  2005 Person of the Year Awardee said that her sister recommended the novel after seeing the stage adaptation in London. She explained that her kids fell in love with the book because it provided a glimpse into the life and mind of a person who sees the world differently. 

The "Harry Potter" Series Author J.K. Rowling: "I Capture the Castle" by Dodie Smith

Kids today would choose Rowling's seminal work, the "Harry Potter" series as their favorite book, but the British author devoured Smith's "I Capture the Castle" growing up. She listed the novel on the FAQ section of her official website along with "The Little White Horse" by Elizabeth Goudge and E Nesbit books.