As a writer, a reader, and a homeschooler, I get to engage with a feast of books and resources. Even though my To Be Read (TBR) list grows wildly out of proportion to my spare time, I’m still adding to it every day. It’s an exercise in optimism. And since I’m also that friend who will inflict upon you any number of book recommendations as often as you’ll allow me, I’m going to combine my love of books and sharing books to give you: the regular Reading Roundup!
Each month I’ll give you a list of our family’s (mostly my) favorite reads and resources. I’ll kick off this one with only the highlights from our year so far. Since I’m thinking of January-September for this one, I’ll keep comments brief(ish) for each one, but more reviews are coming!
On to our first ever family-friendly Reading Roundup!*
My Toddler’s Current Faves:
I Am a Bunny by Ole Risom, illustrated by Richard Scarry
o We have read this board book so many times to our little ones that it’s committed to memory. My toddler always chooses this one first and we adore the darling illustrations.
Moo, Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton
o Our littles have always loved our Boynton board books, but this one is THE favorite. My toddler has it memorized and “reads” it to herself.
My Kids’ Favorites So Far:
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
o I am pretty sure this one is my favorite from the Narnia series. We did this as a read-aloud and I stopped many times to re-read particularly beautiful sentences and linger on passages layered with meaningful depth. Lewis really is the master of tedious truths articulated in simple language.
This Seat’s Saved by Heather Holleman
o This book was named the winner in the Young Adult (YA) category in Christianity Today’s 2024 Book Awards. My girls (ages 8 and 10) gave it a listen after I did and we all loved it. My eldest especially appreciated the way Holleman speaks to her fears about fitting in and having a seat at the social table. Very well done!
A Wolf Called Wander by Rosann Parry
o My 10-year-old read this New York Times bestsellers novel on her own. She wrote a little review for you: “I loved this book! It was filled with thrill and adventure—very engaging and exciting. There are heartbreaking circumstances for the wolves, but it does end with hope.”
My Favorite Recent Reads:
Gone Too Soon by Melody Carlson
o This contemporary YA novel carefully speaks to grief through the eyes of a teen girl. We meet the main character as her world is falling apart and by the end we see her standing on her own two feet, clinging to hope. Carlson covers a lot of ground from a Christian worldview and does so authenticity (read: it’s not all hunky dory in the end). I would recommend doing a pre-read to determine when this is a good fit for your teen, as there are some intense topics. My girls aren’t there yet, but my eldest will be in the next couple years.
All That We Carried by Erin Bartels
o I adore so much about this story! We see adult sisters work through their story of shared grief from two completely different worldviews and perspectives—neither one Christian. The sister relationship and deep feelings going on is so relatable and I was yelling at one point, “Ugh, this author is SO good at tension!” She literally writes her characters into the woods, puts them through the ringer, and brings them to the other side as changed women. There is biblical truth and hope to find in the ending and it’s crafted gently and honestly (which is not easy to accomplish). When I felt the downhill of the story, I understood that these sisters were not going to find all the things tied up with neat bows, but there was still hope in the resolve. The way that Bartels shines a light for her characters to move forward is done in a way that’s easy for the reader to absorb and consider in her own life.
o You can also find Erin Bartels on Substack and search her name wherever you listen to podcasts. I don’t often find current authors who make me want to read all their books, but clearly her voice resonates with me. So I’m working through Bartels books now and am excited to get to make it to her latest book The Lady with the Dark Hair.
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy by Karen Abbott (aka Abbott Kahler)
o This book is about four different female spies during the Civil War and it is THICK. I mean it took me an entire year of chipping away between other books to get all the way through it. Worth it and I recommend buying the physical copy because you need to be able to underline and take notes. I hope Abbott writes more biographies because she takes her reader down every single rabbit trail and gives every extra tidbit we could want. Besides being an extra involved researcher, her work also features language and imagery that writers of creative non-fiction may only ever aspire to. There are several scenes that took my breath away while I was reading—seriously, I forgot to breathe while I clung to every riveting phrase.
The Wolf in Their Pockets by Chris Martin
o This one is written towards pastors, but we all need it. I read it in January, but I may need to read it again. It’s that important for us as we continue to work through how to be present in community in an era when our phones have such a tight grip on our attention and even our allegiance.
Still Waiting by Ann Swindell
o Another beautiful example of creative nonfiction, Swindell weaves her personal story of living with trichotillomania with the story of the bleeding woman who Jesus healed. This is one I finished at the start of the year but have thought through the message many times since. She’s a conversational and sympathetic writer who speaks the truth clearly and unapologetically—balance that takes true skill. Swindell also has a cozy Christmas romance hitting the shelves soon. You can pre-order Christmas in the Castle Library and have it in time to read in your fuzzy slippers with a cup of hot cocoa!
Bible Studies:
Grace-Fueled Womanhood: A Bible Study on the Proverbs 31 Woman (on sale!)
o This study is one I worked on in between small group studies and it’s incredible. The background and full Biblical theology the authors undergird each portion of the study with is so rich, my heart couldn’t resist being humbled through it. As a lover of all things print media, I also appreciate the page layouts and the weight of the paper. The study is beautiful inside and out. Well-Watered Woman has many more studies and resources to set you up for a meaningful Advent season.
o These studies were created by two women who write and leading Bible studies at their church. My friend and I have led our women’s small group through both their Lamentations and Philippians studies. If you’re looking for a SOLID Bible study for a group setting, these are very doable and you can break up the chapters if you have a group that needs a little more time to complete their study week.
Have you read any of the books on my little roundup?
I would love to know what some of your favorites are from the year so far!
* If you haven’t read my post 6 Alternatives to Buying Books From Amazon, that’s a great start for figuring out where to buy books. Most links provided will direct you to Bookshop.org, where your purchase supports independent booksellers and literacy initiatives (I also get credit if you use my link). If a book is not available via Bookshop.org, I link directly to the publisher or author website.
6 Alternatives to Buying Books From Amazon
As a theologian (we all are), a homeschooling mom, a writer, and a general lover of all things story, I interact with a lot of books. Every time a new title ends up on my wish list or TBR, I’m faced with an important question: From where will I acquire this title
Okay, my TBR stack just got bigger! These look so good! This Seat's Saved and A Wolf Called Wander will be added to the Recommended Reading List for my sixth grade students. I love learning about new authors (or new to me!), and I'm excited to read Erin Bartels. Thank you for this wonderful list!
I love to see that your family is enjoying The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It's my all-time favorite of The Chronicles of Narnia. I love all of them but that one the best.
One of my greatest joys as a mother and sometime homeschooler, sometime teacher was introducing my children and other kids as well to The Chronicles of Narnia.
I don't know if you listen to the gray havens, but their album Blue Flower has a song called Tread the Dawn that you should listen to with your kids. They'll love the allusions to voyage of the Dawn Treader. (Allusions to Lewis' other works are sprinkled throughout that album.)