I seem to find my best reading ideas when I check out what other people are reading, so I thought I’d give you a little peek into what’s been on our family’s reading list lately.
Emma
The Cul-de-sac Kids Series by Beverly Lewis
I love that this is a Christian-based series without being in-your-face or cheesy about it. I know that the books are all safe and align with what we believe. They cover different topics like telling the truth, being a good friend, and the importance of family. My brother’s family got these for her as a birthday gift, I think she’s already on her third or fourth read-through of the series. I love hearing her giggle through the funny parts.
The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson
We started our homeschooling year by reading this together. She’s giggling over the antics of the Herdman family, and I’m excited for her to read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in December. Emma’s picked up some great new vocabulary words through this book. It’s been fun to hear her use them (or notice when other people use them) in our day-to-day life.
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling
This is the book we’ve been reading together at bedtime. We’re about halfway through right now, and Emma’s wondering if John’s ever going to taste anything but chocolate again.
Jason
Waking the Dead: The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive by John Eldredge
This is a re-read for Jason. We’re big Eldredge fans around here. He’s the real stuff.
The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis
This is a re-read for him too. In fact, I think it was assigned reading for him in college. 🙂 It’s a classic… and I confess that I haven’t read it. But I may. I think it addresses an interesting point about how pain and suffering contrast with a good God.
The Shack by Wm. Paul Young
Another re-read for Jason. (I just mentioned that we could get him some new books, but he’s a re-reader.) If you haven’t read this one, it’s a worthwhile one to pick up.
Jennifer
I’ve been reading some Kindle books lately, mostly ones that were free at one time. And now that I’ve thought about what all I’ve read, I realized that I’ve spent more time reading than I realized!
Inescapable (Road to Kingdom) by Nancy Mehl
I’m in the middle of this one right now, so shhhhhh… don’t tell me how it ends! This one’s been a good read so far.
Coming Home by Karen Kingsbury
Yes folks, I did actually PAY for a Kindle book. It’s was Karen Kingsbury!! I love her books. If you’ve never read anything by her, pick up a copy of Redemption and read through the whole Redemption series. Then just keep going. 🙂 You won’t regret it! Coming Home was an amazing wrap-up of the whole Redemption, First Born, Sunrise, & Bailey Flanigan series.
Desert Gift (Side Roads) by Sally John
I had read one other Sally John book. It’s not the normal fluffy Christian chick lit that I tend toward, and it made me appreciate my marriage.
Kate’s Song (Forever After in Apple Lake) by Jennifer Beckstrand
This was a light read. I figured out where the ending was going (sort of) before I got there, but I didn’t mind much with this book. I’ve found myself drawn to reading Amish-based fiction lately, so this was a good fit.
Almost Amish by Kathryn Cushman
The idea of a book about a reality TV show sounded like something different. Again, this was a good one to reaffirm the importance of family.
Directed Verdict by Randy Singer
This was NOT my usual reading style, but it was an excellent read. A friend compared Randy Singer to John Grisham without the language that can be in his books.
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynn Reid Banks
I’m reading ahead for our homeschooling. This will be Emma’s next book, and I’m getting everything prepped for it. I used to do this book with my 5th graders, and I know that she’s going to LOVE it. They made a movie of it, but I haven’t seen it yet. I’m wondering if that will be appropriate for her when we’re done.
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And I’ve now officially realized that I’ve been reading WAYYYY too much fiction and no non-fiction. Oops. I think that’s been out of pure convenience. Time to change that. Here’s what’s on my wish list for reading:
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are
Grace for the Good Girl: Letting Go of the Try-Hard Life
The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home (Third Edition)
Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living – I started reading this a while back and have the Kindle version. I’m thinking that I need to get the hard-cover edition again so that I can work with it better. I absolutely LOVE what I’ve read so far!
Feel free to leave me any other recommendations that you have.