What Is A Good Book Really Worth?

No, of course not! Even a single article for the Neopian Times takes a lot of hard work and research. Just imagine all that and magnify it tenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold even (depending on how thick this book is). Place yourself in the author’s shoes, think about all the long hours you spent crouched over a desk, pen in hand, scribbling tirelessly at your manuscript. Their blood, sweat and tears were poured into those paper pages, and their hopes and dreams went into the words printed on it. Now, imagine that book of yours, the culmination of all that work, sold for a pittance. At 10NP a piece, it’s not going to be paying for daily dinners at The Kelp anytime soon.

Even if you don’t take into consideration the immense effort the author took in creating each book, just examine the book itself. What is it about? Is it interesting? Helpful? A fun way to pass your time? Do you think it was worth the tiny amount of neopoints you spent to get it? Or do you think it’s worth more?

Below, I’ll be listing down some books all worth less than 1,000NP, making each (and all) of them cheap enough that many might consider these “worthless”, but I challenge you to reconsider these viewpoints, and I’ll list reasons for each one on why.

1. Maraquan Bed Time Stories - Around 10NP

We’ve all had that moment in our lives where you toss and you turn, close your eyes tight and fruitlessly try to fall asleep. On nights like these, where not even counting Babaas works, a book like this is just what you need! Reading a few of the spell-binding stories here (works best when someone reads it to you, by the way) will have you starting to slip into sleep and amazing, exciting dreams.

Okay, so maybe this book is just a little bit soggy, and maybe the ink blurs in a few places, but that just makes it more authentic! This is proof that it is a genuine Maraquan article you have in your hands, you lucky Neopet. Just imagine reading this in your Neohome in Neopia Central, and imagine all the miles this little book has travelled to get there. Doesn’t it make you feel special? Certainly worth more than 10NP!

2. Neopian Times Issue 3 - Around 10NP

Now, admittedly, this makes some sense. Newspapers are very much an item of the times (if you’ll forgive the pun here), and they typically lose their value as a trove for current information as soon as the next issue hits the the shelves. But, you’ll find something interesting happens to newspapers if you go far enough, like this one does--it gives you a glimpse into what life was like many years ago! Have you ever wondered what Neopia was like in its early years? What were Neopets interested in back then?

If you want to have those questions answered, look no further than this perfectly preserved copy of history. Back in those days, the Neopian Times has a very different look, so much so that it might be almost unrecognizable save for its name. The articles you’ll read will give you a picture of a very different Neopia, one that had prices not yet hit by inflation, one where pets only had so many colours to choose from. This tiny window into the past is worth so much more than 10NP, don’t you think? It almost deserves to be in a museum instead.

    3. Book of Origami Paper - Around 600NP

So, maybe you have a lot of scratch paper lying around the house that you can barely make a dent in. Maybe you’ve always wanted to do something creative, but you can barely draw a stick Scorchio, and needles make you shudder. Perhaps you’ve just seen some origami works on your last trip to Shenkuu and just thought it was the thing for you. If any of those scenarios sound like they fit you, then this is the book for you!

The art of Origami is an easy one to learn but hard to master. All it takes is a lot of paper and patience. This book is good for long car rides, or any time you have a few hours to kill. There are easy-to-follow steps written down, as well as several samples inside. With the help of this, you’ll be able to make anything from a simple Yellow Poogle to a complicated Darigan Draik, all with nothing more than yellow and black colored paper! Though the paper itself might be quite cheap, the sheer amount you’ll end up going through once you really practice this craft means this will certainly be costing you more than just 600NP both literally and figuratively. Still, once you have those pretty origami artworks of yours displayed proudly in your Neohome, it’s more than worth it, no?

4. Scorchio Sketch Book - Around 800NP

Some seem to think books are only for those wordy types who like reading, and not for those who are visual learners or prefer pictures to words. For people like these, I present to you this how-to drawing guide that will have you drawing Scorchios like a pro in no time! This here little book has very few words and very many pictures, so for those who might not have great reading comprehension yet, but have a great love for drawing, this is a great choice.

Now, as anyone who has ever tried it knows, drawing is hard. Well, okay, so maybe just drawing is easy. But drawing well is hard. If you want to draw something that actually looks like a Neopet and not just some squiggly blob, you’re going to need a lot of practice. And some references. This book gives you both in one! It not only includes a lot of finished Scorchios in various poses, it includes a step-by-step guide on how to draw them all. Showing the process and breaking it down like this will help you to be able to make new drawings of these awesome Neopets in new poses all on your own, because almost every drawing starts with these same basic steps of starting with outlines and basic shapes before slowly adding details.

5. Math Flash Cards - Around 800NP

Math can be a hard, terrifying concept--just ask Imiya the Aisha from Math’s Nightmare! Studying for your tests can be a frustrating, challenging task, especially when your tests are going to be held the next day! But don’t panic, because this handy little set will help you out. Now, this might not be a “book” exactly, so maybe I’m stretching the concept here, but TNT labelled this thing a book officially, so for the purposes of this article, it totally works.

Flash cards are helpful for studying because they condense a lot of information into an easily digestible chunks, the same way you do with food by cutting it up into smaller pieces before you eat it. When the subject is one as terrifying as math, it helps to break it up so it’s not so scary-looking anymore. This smaller packaging also makes it more portable and takes a shorter time to go through, which makes it good for studying anywhere, anytime, in between meals or on the road. Because math is also a subject which requires a lot of practice as well as understanding concepts, this is great. Now, when you’re panicking for a test and it seems like all hope is lost, a helpful study aid like this can be invaluable. Worth more than 800NP even, I’d say, though the price is very helpfully just in range for a student, so perhaps it is perfect the way it is.

6. Nerkmid Mania - Around 800NP

Perhaps you’ve passed by that mysterious Alien Vending Machine, curious to its contents but without any real clue as to what it could do. Or, perhaps you are not such a novice and already know exactly what that strange little box can do (or give you, more importantly) in exchange for a shiny little star called a Nerkmid. In both cases, you can benefit from reading this nifty little book, because you’ll get to know all about them, in this complete guide to Nerkmids.

From how to get them, to what price they should be and where to use them, both newbies and experienced Nerkers will find something new here. There are plenty of tips and secrets that have been slipped into this goldmine of information, and anyone who is even slightly interested in Nerkmids and what they can do should read it. For the uninitiated of you out there, Nerkmids inserted into the Alien Vending Machine have a possibility of giving out incredibly rare items like expensive paint brushes and gourmet foods, as well as other Nerkmids. Considering the profit here can be up to millions in neopoints, this little information trove is certainly worth more than its measly 800NP!

7. Encyclopedia Neopia - Around 900NP

Last, but certainly not the least, we have just the book you need for any questions you might have about the anything Neopian around you! Have you ever wondered about the Snowager’s exact dimensions, or where it got all its treasures from? Perhaps you’ve been visiting his shrine all this time but still don’t know the full history of Coltzan and just why he deserved one in the first place. Whatever question has been bugging you all these years, you may finally get it answered! Isn’t having that peace of mind just priceless?

But if you’re still not convinced, think about the time and effort this book will save you too. Instead of searching for all those answers in separate books, all you’ll need is this single encyclopedia. The author has already helpfully researched and condensed all the most important and relevant facts you’ll need and want to know, so you won’t have to do it. When you think about it, this means that you’re getting more than a hundred-books-in-one here. All of which will pile up to far more than 900NP!