Honoring Indigenous Identity, History & Culture Through Books

/

Last November we did a mini-unit on Indigenous Peoples of North America (Canada and US) and we all learned SO much. I was so impressed with the resources that we used that I featured them in my Instastories and promised to share a blog post rounding them all up. And then Advent began, and then the New Year, and best laid plans and all that. But I have not forgotten about it and finally pulled together all the amazing books we’ve read over the last few years (many by First Nations authors/illustrators themselves), chapter books/read aloud options for the older set and some adult books (fiction/nonfiction) that I've been using to further close the gaps that I had in my own education. I did take a Native Peoples of the Pacific NW course in university but other than that and a recent trip to South Dakota, all my knowledge has been self-learned. And disclaimer to fellow parents/educators: I did not shy away from discussing residential schools, forced migration, etc but know your audience! Since the curriculum we used was Canadian, there was more discussion about residential schools and the recent tragic discovery of mass graves, as well as the reparations done by the Canadian government...I decided mine were old enough to hear most of this (ages 7-12 at the time) but I did use discretion around my youngest. With my older two I used it as a jumping off point to discuss topic such as what reparations and reconciliation look like from a US perspective. Spoiler alert: I have no answers to these questions, but it is amazing to engage your older kids on these topics because they have some strong feelings about injustice! We wrapped up our unit with Peacemaker as our read-aloud which was perfect.

While this list is by no means exhaustive, I hope that this is a good start for anyone look to augment their learning on indigenous peoples’ identity, history and culture. May we move forward in a posture of humble learning.

-Natalie d’Aubermont Thompson, Living by the Page

The curriculum I used organized First Nations by region so I’ll do that here as well. And again, it was a Canadian curriculum so not as focused on US SE or SW First Nations. We personally added a Lakota/Sioux ‘deep dive’ since we had spent a week in South Dakota prior to school starting.

In the chapter book section, the ones listed are ones that we have either read aloud together or ones that my kids have read independently. The adult fiction/nonfiction are ones I have read and recommend. Again, I hope to add to this as we continue our learning!

Pacific NW and British Columbia

Zoe and the Fawn

Kamik: An Inuit Puppy Story

The Girl and the Wolf

Day with Yayah

The Polar Bear Son: An Inuit Tale

When I was Eight

Great Lakes up through Newfoundland

The First Blade of Sweetgrass

Birchbark Brigade: A Fur Trade History

Maple Moon

The Red Sash

Pocahontas: Princess of the New World

Life in a LongHouse Village

US Midwest/Plains

Awâsis and the world famous Bannock

Life in a Plains Camp

The Gift of the Sacred Dog

Mystic Horse

When We Were Alone

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses

Southeast

Crossing Bok Chitto

The First Strawberries

Lakota and Sioux

Tatanka and the Lakota People: A Creation Story

Buffalo Bird Girl

Tasunka: A Lakota Horse Legend

Gift Horse: A Lakota Story

Red Cloud: A Lakota Story of War and Surrendur

Sitting Bull: Lakota Warrior and Defender of His People

The Christmas Coat

The Ledgerbook of Thomas Blue Eagle

Thematic Picture Books

Nickommoh: A Thanksgiving Celebration

We Are Grateful

When We are Kind/Nihá’ádaahwiinít’íigo

Fry Bread

Stolen Words

You Hold Me Up

Shin-chi's Canoe

We Are Water Protectors

Berry Song

Longer Read Alouds/Chapter Books

Peacemaker

Birchbark House Series

Stone River Crossing

Kunu: Winnebago Boy Escapes

Takini: Lakota Boy Alerts Sitting Bull

Fatty Legs

Children of the Longhouse

Adult Fiction/Nonfiction

An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States

The Journey of Crazy Horse: A Lakota History

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America 1890 to the Present

The Sentence

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

Barkskins

There There

Best Series for ages 6-9

/

My newly minted 7 year old has been reading up a storm which is so heartening to see as she was our ‘late reader’! Just proof that whether they begin to read at age 4 or 7, they truly do take off! As my older ones are firmly into middle grade at this point, it was fun to revisit some of the early chapter book series and to discover new ones! I’m often asked what books are perfect for this age group (6-9) and here are our favorites:

Ellie May on April Fools' Day
By Homzie, Hillary
My Happy Life
By Lagercrantz, Rose
Juana and Lucas
By Medina, Juana
Katie Woo and Friends
By Manushkin, Fran
Rock Star #1 (Jada Jones)
By Lyons, Kelly Starling

Top Nonfiction Books for Kids

/

If you had told me a year and a half ago that I’d be writing a blog post about best bookish homeschool resources for families, I would have laughed! But here we are, and as we close out our homeschool year, I thought it would be fun to share the books that we turned to often, and that, shocker, we already owned! Background: when the writing was on the wall last summer that our local school would be virtual (at least for the fall), we as a family took a variety of things into account when deciding what to do: the ages of our children, how they learn best, my work schedule as well as my husband’s, etc. There are so many variables that factor into school choice, and this year, virtual was an unexpected twist. For reasons I won’t dwell on here (it’s all so personal for each family and I want to honor everyone’s choice), we landed on a homeschool year. I had 1st, 3rd and 5th graders and the beauty of these ages/stages are that there are some subjects you can do together (ie: history, read-alouds and natural sciences-we did the Oceans unit as well as the North American birds unit from Gather Round and later added on the Ideas and Inventions unit from them) and obviously things that need to be individual per their ability (math, language arts, music). We also wanted to prioritize as much as outdoor time as possible (ie: nature study/hikes) and our local county as well as Metroparks programs were amazing at providing hands-on naturalist programs for our homeschool pod.

But clearly we are here to chat books! It dawned on me in May as I reached for Nature Anatomy for the umpteenth time, that while yes, I had to purchase some specific curriculum, many of the books we used on a daily basis where ones that thankfully we already owned. With libraries operating a pretty limited capacity most of the year and my desire to be as screen-free as we could, I preferred the kids to do as much research using books. Here are some that I have collected over the year that basically become our extended curriculum. You may own one or two already, if not, I highly urge you to invest in them, homeschool or not! My kids have enjoyed them many times before this year, but they morphed into valuable resources as well if you are looking for supplemental resources, be it school inside or outside the home!

Amazing World Atlas by Lonely Planet Kids: It’s just good to know where one is right!? Whether we were discussing where historical events took place or current affairs, this is a fabulous atlas that works well for kids of all ages.

The 50 States: This is a trusted favorite of ours, aesthetically the fonts/graphics are amazing, but it’s also informative and very up to date so any kid will enjoy learning fun facts about their state, as well as others.

MAPS: I have a few geography lovers and this one combines informative facts with stellar art/graphics. Whether it’s a coffee table book, or you are using for formal geography, it’s one to own! We host quite a bit and it’s one that every adult has leafed through at some point when they’ve been with us!

Botanicum: I secretly bought this one for myself years ago but it came in handy this year as we joined a Flower of the Month club. And once your kids begin looking up one flower/plant, it’s hard to get this one away from them as they get immersed in all the other beautiful pages.

Animalium: Same as above, a visual feast of all animals. Our Bird and Ocean units had us looking up all manner of unique animals, be they up in the sky or down below!

Nature Anatomy, Farm Anatomy and Ocean Anatomy: The entire collection by Julia Rothman is amazing. We have used these over the years in so many ways, even before homeschool! We love them for nature sketching, for recipes, for pure browsing enjoyment. They are the perfect size for bigs and littles!

How Things Work: Our Ideas and Inventions unit had us turning to this one often! I had gifted it to my eldest years ago and it’s pretty dog eared at this point, but I myself was surprised to see how informative it was on all things physics and science. And who doesn’t love a good lift and flap!? Between that and David Macaulay’s The New Way Things Work, your resident scientist will be all set!

Timelines of World History: My husband and I both did our Master’s in Int’l Relations so history, anthropology and politics are our sweet spot! And so much of that is understanding context! This is a fabulous book that outlines major events from the Ancient World to the 20th century.

Sing a Song of Seasons: Dear friends gifted this one to us over Christmas and since January 1 we’ve started each day off with a poem. It’s a fabulous collection of well-known poets as well as new ones and the illustrations are gorgeous!

A note on several of these, I’ve used affiliate links here to Amazon (Prime Day is coming up so it’s a great chance to take advantage of these deals) but I’ve purchased them before at local bookstores, Costco (I saw recently that they have a Botanicum and Animalium paired deal), school book fairs and library used book sales (I’ve purchased all our Macaulay’s at these). And know that I didn’t purchase all of above myself, over the years when grandparents asked, I would mention ones we had our eyes on they were gifted for birthdays or holidays. So hope this list helps either add to your kids nonfiction shelf, or get it started!

IMG_3048.jpg

Reading in 2021

/

So last year I outlined 30 books I wanted to read in 2020….I was working my way through when, like many of you, COVID turned our lives upside down. While I ended up reading 91 books in 2020, only 14 of them were from that original TBR list! Some of it was library queue madness, either all holds came in at the same time and I had to return them before I got to them. Other times I got distracted by new releases or other books floating around the bookstagram ether. In looking back on my 2020 TBR, I nailed the Middle Grade/YA section and On the Lighter Side, did okay on the Fiction front and found myself woefully lagging in Nonfiction. I know this was due to the fact that for months on end I was consuming nonfiction in the form of news, articles, blog posts and my brain had zero free space to take in more facts. However, I’m not letting myself use that as an excuse for 2021. Less op-eds, more books! So you’ll see some of the below as repeats from my 2020 tbr, while others are new to the list. If you follow me on IG you’ll note that I’ve already begun or finished some of these but here’s to the next 11 months of reading! Let me know what’s on your 2021 list!

NONFICTION

An Indigenous People's History of the United States: I’ve wanted to read this one since it came out in 2015 and I started it in 2020 but had to give it back before I finished. 2021 will be the year!

Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents: This one seems destined to be required reading and I’m sad that is has to be so, but looking forward to digger deeper into institutional racism by this Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

Dare to Inspire: Sustain the Fire of Inspiration in Work and Life: My friend Allison Holzer is one of the co-authors and she’s been on the forefront of the positive psychology movement and for years has focused on inspiration as it relates to the personal and corporate world. I got halfway through it and then COVID hit and it’s time to tap back into our inspirational sources!

Saints and Scoundrels: The title alone has me intrigued, and thankful for abounding grace!

Switch On Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking and Health: I don’t love the sub-title but I am a big believer that we think about does affect us emotionally as well as physically. Looking forward to delving further into this topic.

The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal about Identity, Race, Wealth and Power: I only recently heard about this one but it seems to combine political science, history, geography and anthropology which has to be my favorite mix.

Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer's Path: It’s been a while since I’ve read a book on creativity, specifically as it relates to writing, so I’m particularly excited for this one.

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times: Well that title just says it all, wink.

FICTION

America for Beginners: A Novel: The US through the eyes of an Indian widow and her tour guide. I’ve heard it’s poignant and humorous at the same time which often makes for a stellar combination.

I’d GIve Anything: This is book 4 in the “Love Walked In” series and I love Marisa de Los Santos so am eager for this one.

Little Bee This is from my unread shelf which actually is rather sparse since most of my books come from the library! But a friend gave me this one in 2015 and it’s time to dust it off the shelf and just read it!

Middlemarch: Bookwork Baggins is hosting a buddy read for this classic…I’ve never read it, super intimidated but oddly excited. Join us?

The Bear and the Nightingale: Fantasy honestly isn’t my genre, but I’ve been hearing rave reviews about it and it seems like the perfect hygge winter read so here we go!

The Four Winds: Kristin Hannah has become an author that I’ll just automatically read her next one. Highly anticipating this one set during the Great Depression.

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue: Another one that doesn’t seem to be part of my typical genre but many trusted fellow bookworms have positively reviewed it so I’m willing to venture out of my comfort zone and give it a shot.

The Lost Letter: Inspired by actual resistance workers during WWII in Austria. I read it is a must-read if you loved Lilac Girls, which I did, so adding it the list.

The Lovely War: Just went you think you’ve read every angle of WWII, here comes the version with the Greek mythology twist. I’m intrigued.

The Water Dancer: About a 19th century slave with a mysterious power; I’ve heard it described as bold and ambitious with a touch of magical realism and now I’m eager to see for myself.

There There: Apparently this one follows 12 stories from various Native communities. Last year I made a conscious effort to read more indigenous ‘own voices’ and I’m really looking forward to this one.

This is Chance! The Shaking of an All-American City and the Voice that Held It Together: About a town in Alaska in the 1960s that is met by tragedy and the radio reporter that keeps it together.

Memoir

Between the World and Me: This is apparently based on letters that Ta-Nehisi Coates writes to his teenage son, it’s apparently very powerful and already a must-read.

Braving It! A Father, A Daughter and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild: It’s interesting to have two books about Alaska in my list but it shows the timeless pull that we have to the last great frontier.

Eat a Peach: I love food writing. I love David Chang. Cannot wait for this one.

Notes from a Young Black Chef: It takes some hubris to write a memoir at age 29 but it seems like Chef Onwuachi has already lived about 9 lives so I’m eager to learn more.

Places and Names: On War, Revolution and Returning: Author Elliot Ackerman was a fellow student at Tufts and a student in a class I taught (yes, one has the option to teach a course at Tufts Ex College as a junior or senior) on political oppression. He’s now a decorated war veteran and an amazing writer. If you haven’t read him yet, start with Waiting For Eden.

Middle Grade/YA

Just Like That: I’m at the point where I will read anything by Gary Schmidt. NOT looking forward to what I’m hearing about, the death of a beloved character from a previous novel. Seems like I may have to find out for myself. Sigh.

Save Me a Seat: Multicultural middle grade friendship. Eagerly previewing this one for my boys.

The Three Keys: The follow up to Yang’s ‘Front Desk’ which I loved. Plucky daughter of motel owners, Mia Tang, steals your heart! And now I hear a third is in the works. WOOT.

The Unadoptables: Describes as Hans Christian Andersen and Neil Gaiman. Yes please.

On the Lighter Side

Beach Read: A romance writer and a literary author battle it out on the pages, and in real life. This seems like a fun one that I’m tucking away for my next road trip.


Picture Book Advent (or Christmas Countdown!)

/
IMG_7177.jpg

If you’ve been here for a while, you’ll know that one of my favorite Advent traditions is a picture book countdown. It’s as simple as it sounds, you just wrap up 25 books (or a few more depending on when Advent begins-this year we’ll wrap 27) and they make a fun addition under the tree…and a special time to unwrap each book and read your way to Christmas! Our children are now ages 6-11 which is prime picture book territory if you ask me, but these can honestly be enjoyed at any age (illustrations go a long way, even with a 3 year old!). In sharing what we are reading this year for our Book Advent, my hope is that you are reminded of some old favorites or are excited to try a new one this year.  Each year there are some that I keep the same, others I rotate every other year or so. I have listed them alphabetically by author here as I don’t do them in a particular order-most years I’m bound by library return dates-you honestly don’t need to own 25+ holiday themed book-but I can see how people begin to collect them!

Happy Reading and Merry Christmas!

Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree

Written and illustrated by Robert Barry

First published in 1963, this one has a fabulous vintage and timeless feel. My crew loves the rhyming text and seeing the too-tall Christmas tree being ‘recycled’ around and around.  

Refuge: The Timeless Story of Christmas

Author: Anne Booth

Illustrator: Samuel Usher
A perfect read for a Sunday Advent afternoon...not your typical take on the Nativity...Jesus, Mary and Joseph as refugees finding peace and joy and refuge in the kindness of strangers in Egypt. Loved Anne Booth’s tender words and Sam Usher’s stark yet powerfully warm illustrations. A large portion of sales from this book went to the charity, War Child. With global migration continuing to be so harrowing, it’s a short but powerful read to remind us that Jesus also sought refuge. 

Snow Globe Wishes

Author: Erin Dealey

Illustrator: Claire Shorrock

Oh I just love the diverse illustrations depicting a wintry evening that starts off with cars and folks rushing home in a snowstorm, and ends with blanket forts, dinner by candlelight, hot cocoa and a new morning full of fresh snow. This is a great one to usher in the season and holiday spirit. Christmas isn’t mentioned per se although you do see trees decorated in the background so it would be great for inter-faith families or as ‘crossover’ holiday book.

Cranberry Christmas

Author: Wende Devlin

Illustrator: Harry Devlin

We love the Cranberry books and my kids are smitten by the antics of Mr. Whiskers. And doesn’t everyone want to live in Cranberryport, where cranberry bogs abound, as well as solving Christmas capers, and one has fresh clam chowder and hit spiced cider along with cranberry cookies for Christmas dinner. Sigh.  

 Finding Christmas

Author: Lezlie Evans

Illustrator: Yee Von Chan

We love this sweet forest friends read about Mouse, Hare and Squirrel who stop their busy holiday decorating to help a sick swallow found in the snow.  The perfect read to illustrate how ‘presence’ is often the best present.

The Wish Books (The Christmas Wish, Reindeer Wish, The Polar Bear Wish)

Author: Lori Evert

Photography: Per Breiehagen

The photographs by Lori Evert and husband Per Breiehagen of their daughter Anja frolicking around Norway with reindeer, polar bears and puppies are nothing short of stunning! They are timeless and perfect for adults too! 

The Lost Gift: A Christmas Story

Author: Kallie George

Illustrator: Stephanie Graegin

Bird, Rabbit, Deer and Squirrel unexpectedly end up delivering a present for Santa…and the vague note “for the baby at the farm” may not be the hint for your young listener as it is for you, so it makes for a sweet surprise at the end! This is a great preschool and early elementary read.

The Story of Holly and Ivy

Author: Rumer Godden

Illustrator: Barbara Cooney       

A sweet vintage Christmas read centered around a young orphaned girl and her wish for a doll, family and home. Slightly on the longer side, slightly heart-breaking, but tender and classic.

Little Red Sleigh

Author: Erin Guendelsberger

Illustrator: Elizaveta Tretyakova

This is a new-to-us one and I’m excited to surprise the kids with it! A plucky red sleigh determined to prove herself worthy of Santa’s Christmas Eve night ride, it has undertones of the Little Engine that Could and Polar Express as well. A sweet inspiration story with illustrations that evoke all the cozy winter feels, it’s a great picture book for the 5 and up crowd that are ready for a longer read.

Mistletoe: A Christmas Story

Written and illustration by Tad Hills

I love that Hills came out with another Christmas picture book as when my kids were tinies, the book Duck and Goose It’s Time for Christmas unleashed a Christmas fervor that had no bounds. I’m so glad that we’re back with this author/illustrator, with a heartwarming Christmas story about an unlikely friendship between a mouse and an elephant.

The Little Reindeer

Written and illustrated by Nicola Killen
A little girl named Ollie, a lost reindeer and sweetly soft illustrations rendered in grays, browns and reds? Swoon. I love picture books that don’t overdo it on the “Santa!” front and this one offers up the magic of Christmas, from the quiet of the woods on a wintry evening.

Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story

Author: Sally Lloyd-Jones

Illustrator: Alison Jay
"And high above a single star set in the highest heavens shone out brighter than all the others and poured down silver onto the little shed..." --Song of the Stars.  No one does Advent reading better than Sally Lloyd Jones. We bought this one when my second son, Rock, was born in 2011 and it remains a family favorite. The words are so meaningful and lyrical and the speckled egg illustrations by Alison Jay are a treat for any age. I’ve done this one both on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day morning.

The Christmas Promise

Author: Alison Mitchell

Illustrator: Catalina Echeverri

I love the entire Tales that Tell the Truth series…and this one is all about the faith based part of Christmas and the promise that is fulfilled at this time in the form of a very tiny king.

Little Mole’s Christmas Gift

Author: Glenys Nellist

Illustrator: Sally Garland

Little Mole is back and this time he’s on the search for the perfect Christmas gift for his mama. When he ends up sharing the most beautiful mushroom he’s ever found with friends in need along the way, he doesn’t have much left over for mama, but he learns that size need not matter, especially at Christmas.  A tender reminder for those at any age that generosity knows no bounds.

Twas the Evening of Christmas

Author: Glenys Nellist

Illustrator: Elena Selivanova

We love the classic ‘Night Before Christmas’ poem but this new twist based on the Nativity is also so sweet and perfect for Christmas Eve. For those in the 5 and under set, also check out Glenys Nellist’ book: Good News! It’s Christmas! 

Apple Tree Christmas

Written and illustrated by Trinka Hakes Noble
A sweet story that takes places in the 1880s about a family, the Ansterburgs, that love an old apple tree that has stood by their barn for years. When an ice storm takes down the tree just days before Christmas, one of the daughters, Katrina, struggles to be happy without her beloved tree. I won't give away the ending but it's a simple, sweet story...and the illustrations reminded me so much of our little village here in Michigan; I was delighted to see that the author grew up on a small farm in rural southern Michigan! 

The Nutcracker

Written by the NYC Ballet, illustrated by Valeria Docampo

Whether or not your kids have listened to the Nutcracker or not, this one is a lovely version.  There are so many versions on the market, but I do think that the illustrations by fellow Argentine Valeria Docampo are just exquisite in this one!

An Orange for Frankie

Written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco
This one is a seasonal favorite, it's a bit longer for a one day read aloud (I tend to break it up into two days), it's a heartwarming story that mine love revisiting. And I love that Patricia Polacco grew up in both California and Michigan. As the author and illustrator, she does such a wonderful job depicting the life of a family of 9 in Michigan during the Depression area. And this one is about Frankie, who was her grandmother's youngest brother who didn't live much past his childhood, so it's quite poignant on several levels. 

One Christmas Wish

Author: Katherine Rundell

Illustrator: Emily Sutton
I love a slightly longer picture book. They allow for more time snuggling on the couch and a deeper investment into the story. At around 60 pages (but many are full color spread illustrations), this was a magical story involving a boy’s Christmas Eve adventure with a rocking horse, an angel, a tin soldier and a robin. We read it in one sitting and my entire crew loved it!

Nativity

Written and illustrated by Cynthia Rylant
A perfect read for the first Advent Sunday. Cynthia Rylant is one of my favorite children’s authors, mainly due to her wonderful range. It’s not uncommon for my kids to say “she also wrote that?!”. ‘Nativity’ is one of her more simpler ones; the text is adapted from chapter five of Matthew and from chapters two and six of the book of Luke. All kids loved it and the illustrations are acrylic on water paint and are so innocently simple. It is the nativity story stripped down to its purest. 

I Got the Christmas Spirit

Author: Connie Schofield-Morrison

Illustrator: Frank Morrison

This is the sweetest book to get you into the Christmas spirit but also to remind you that the spirit of giving can last all year long. Perfect for ages 3-6. 

The Christmas Coat: Memories of my Sioux Childhood

Author: Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve

Illustrator: Ellen Beier
We love hearing Christmas stories that are outside of the traditional European/North American canon. While this one indeed takes place in the US, it focuses on members of the Sioux tribe, particularly a family growing up on a reservation in the Dakotas. Virginia is the daughter of the tribe's Episcopalian priest, and while her family is still quite poor, they are better off than others. Each Christmas children of their church await "Theast" boxes, boxes of used clothes and toys sent by churches in New England (i.e. 'The East'). Being that these are some of the only Christmas presents that the children will receive, they eagerly await them. What struck my kids most was that they were not just "wants" that the kids are looking forward to, but true "needs" (we talk a lot about 'wants' vs 'needs' in our house), such as boots and coats to help get through the cold Dakota winters. And the cultural anthropologist in me particularly loved the description of the live nativity that the church holds, where the three wise men are wearing headdresses that only the elders of the tribe get to wear. Author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve based this picture book on the events in her own childhood as she grew up on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation. The text is longer than most so I'd recommend for age 6 and up.

Dasher

Written and illustrated by Matt Tavares

I met the author/illustrator a few years ago at a writing conference and was so intrigued by his telling of the new picture book he had coming out, about a circus reindeer who longs for something more and becomes the cornerstone of Santa’s sleigh.  A great one about Christmas wishes coming true!

Home by Another Way

Author: Barbara Brown Taylor

Illustrator: Melanie Cataldo
I love Barbara Brown Taylor’s writing for adults so I was thrilled to see that she had a picture book out and this one about the Nativity told from the point or view of the wise men is exquisite! Great for ages 7 and up. 

Pick a Pine Tree

Author: Patricia Toht

Illustrator: Jarvis

Another one that is fabulous for ‘setting the stage’ for holiday traditions such as going to get your Christmas tree!  Love how the book focuses as much on the anticipation of getting a tree as the act itself.

The Legend of the Candy Cane

Author: Lori Walburg

Illustrator: Richard Cowdrey

A sweet faith-based interpretation of what the candy cane represents. And my kids love the Willy Wonka-ish appeal of Mr. Sonneman’s candy store.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

Author: Susan Wojciechowski

Illustrator: P.J. Lynch

This one starts off with an admittedly sad premise: a man, Jonathan Toomey, loses his wife and child at birth and moves to a new town where he quickly becomes the local hermit. Yet it is a spectacular read, somewhat of a slow burn, and I like it more each year.  Toomey is a woodcarver and he encounters a young boy who wants to be apprenticed by him only to find out that a special relationship develops; it's a fun one to pair with any sort of crèche/manger play if you have one out. And the ending is so lovely, you see Toomey's transformation by the Gospel unfold before your eyes...and the illustrations​ by P.J. Lynch​ are vivid and tender. It's a fabulous one for Christmas Eve or just before. I'd recommend it for ages 5 and up although several years ago my 3 year old sat rapt through the entire thing. 

Franklin and Winston: A Christmas That Changed the World

Author: Douglas Wood

Illustrator: Barry Moser

World War 2 isn’t normally a topic I’d bring up this time of year but my boys love it. It’s a picture book but is quite text-heavy, and of course, the content will lead to LOTS of questions so reader, take note. I’d recommend it for ages 6 & up. It focuses on Churchill’s visit to the White House in 1941, which also took place over Christmas. While Roosevelt and Churchill had developed a strong relationship over telegraph and telephone wires, it was this visit that truly cemented their friendship as well as their Allied alliance. My boys are at the age where they are fascinated by the “world wars” so while I had a bit of cognitive dissonance reading this one with Christmas music in the background, it was not lost on me that I wouldn’t have this freedom to do so if others hadn’t had the courage to go before and fight for this freedom. And what a Christmas gift indeed.

Longer Family Read-Alouds

(note: these are great for ages 5 and up, more mature themes but such timeless and poignant reads)

 A Certain Small Shepherd

Rebecca Caudill

This is a beautiful story about a little Appalachian boy, born mute, who speaks for the first time ever to some very special visitors.  It’s around 50 pages so you could do it in one sitting or over the course of a few days.

A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens (we used the version illustrated by Robert Ingpen)

Most of you know this timeless story and depending on the fear factor of your children, they may not be ready for the “ghosts” of Christmas past, present and future. We had seen the play twice in our local children’s theatre so I felt comfortable reading this but it didn’t keep the attention of our 4 year old at the time (the boys were 7 and 9 and slightly spooked at times, but they knew the storyline and how it ended so it was okay). I’ll probably wait a few more years before doing it again, but it is one of my husbands and I’s favorite so I’m glad we finally got a copy for our shelf!  

A Tree for Peter

Kate Seredy

This modern Christmas miracle story was a bit of a tear-jerker for us!  One of my son’s didn’t care for it given some of the stark sadness in it, but my other one was smitten.  I plan to do this one again in a few years when my daughter is a bit older.

Joy to the World: Christmas Stories from Around the Globe

Stories retold by Saviour Pirotta, illustrated by Sheila Moxley

Sometimes I think the trickiest part of Advent is conveying to the kids the global narrative of it all...that this isn't just a time for Christmas in Michigan, nor the USA although many of our traditions are indeed local. But that the narrative is global...that it goes back thousands of years and that the Nativity story has been folded into cultural tropes worldwide. So this is a fabulous read to learn more about other cultures celebrating the same religion.  This book includes five short stories: "The Brave Little Camel" (Syria), "Baby in the Bread" (Malta), "Flowers for Jesus" (Mexico), "The Gourd of Plenty" (Ghana), & "Babushka" (Russia). Each story is about 4/5 pages long so it’s a great to read over the course of a week. A great multicultural Christmas read.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Barbara Robinson

One of my own childhood favorites, it reminded me that it’s some of the most humorous, and most poignant, Christmas writing. We’ve read this one now twice in the past few years and both times it’s been a huge hit. And Hey! Unto YOU a child is born! 

The Family Under the Bridge

Natalie Savage Carlson, illustrated by Garth Williams

This won the Newbery and one can see why! Cranky homeless Armand lives on the streets of Paris and is doing just fine until a struggling mother and her three children come into his life.  It took a while for my kids to be okay with hearing about people who honestly don’t have a home, but once they got into the story, they were spell bound and didn’t want it to end!

The True Gift

Patricia MacLachlan and Brian Floca

This was a sweet story of brother and sister Lily and Liam who always spent the holidays at their grandparents first.  However, when an unexpected event occurs, they learn the meaning of a true gift. A short chapter book with a few pencil sketches that makes for a good beginner-type family read aloud.  

Family Devotionals 

These are for the families that celebrate the entire season of Advent as part of their faith tradition. We’ve done all of these in prior years, mostly in the evenings and are separate from chapter read alouds.

The Advent Book

Jack and Kathy Stockman

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift

Ann VosKamp

Jotham’s Journey

Arnold Ytreeide

Bartholomew’s Passage: A Family Story for Advent

Arnold Ytreeide

Tabitha’s Travels

Arnold Ytreeide

Please do tag @livingbythepagewithnatalie or use the hashtag #livingbythepage_christmas as I’d love a glimpse of your Book Advent as well!

Easter Basket Round Up

/

Time to talk baskets! Growing up our Easter baskets were heavy on the chocolate (Cadbury, yum) and jelly beans, and an accessory such as a hair bow or little purse but honestly not much else. Not that there is anything wrong with that but more sugar is one thing that my kids don’t need, wink, and since Easter is an important faith holiday for us, we like to focus on something that encourages them in their faith walk while also celebrating the new life that is reflected all around us during springtime (which sometimes looks like new art supplies, new poetry books, etc). And if you haven’t endured a Michigan winter you don’t know just how joyous that celebration is! Here I’ve rounded up some of my spring favorites. I try to focus on what we need to replenish (chalk, bubbles, paints) and sometimes I snag a little something at Target (they have such cute watering cans for kids as well as wooded painted birdhouses). And at the end of the day, you really just have the size of a basket to work with so while it’s easy to get overwhelmed with Christmas (and having to stem the tide of gifts from well-meaning family and friends), I find Easter much easier and simpler. And that’s probably the way it should be, no? Smile. Happy Easter all!

That Grand Easter Day!
By Jill Roman Lord
The Easter Egg
By Jan Brett
An Easter Gift for Me
By Crystal Bowman
The Action Bible
David C Cook
Amazon Block
Search for an Amazon product to display. Learn more

Be the Bridge Resources

/

I’m currently hosting a Be the Bridge group and we decided to create a shared document where we could compile resources (books, websites, movies, podcasts, etc) around diversity, racism, racial reconciliation, as they relate to our nation’s history, current cultural moment, and more. As I was adding my recommendations to the list I realized that mine mainly included, what else, books. So I figured I’d share it here as well as much is what I’ve read in recent years around these topics. And I included picture books here along with adult ones because I’ve learned SO much about Black History Month, and more, through children’s literature. Note that this list is a work in progress and not comprehensive at all! I have pulled much inspired over the years from HereWeeRead and HappilyEverElephants and hope you check them out and their booklists as well. In the meantime, I hope you find something for yourself, or your family crew, to grow and deepen your understanding of race relations and the socio-political history of our country. I’d love to hear some of your favorites as well!

Non-fiction/Memoir

I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness: Austin Channing Brown

The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border: Francisco Cantú

All You Can Ever Know: Nicole Chung

Tell Me How it Ends: Valeria Luiselli

Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation: LaTasha Morrison

A $500 Dollar House in Detroit: Rebuilding an Abandoned Home and an American City: Drew Philp

Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen: Jose Antonio Vargas

The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After, Clementine Wamariya

Fiction

Americanah: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chains/Forge/Ashes Trilogy, Laurie Halse Anderson

Elijah of Buxton, Christopher Paul Curtis

The Kitchen House: Kathleen Grissom

Glory Over Everything: Kathleen Grissom (sequel to The Kitchen House)

Homegoing: Yaa Gyasi

Someone Knows My Name: Laurence Hill

An American Marriage: Tayari Jones

America’s First Daughter: Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

The Invention of Wings: Sue Monk Kidd

The Help: Kathryn Stockett

The Hate U Give: Angie Thomas

The Underground Railroad: Coleson Whitehead

Picture Books

Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

Be a King: Dr. Martin Luther King’s Dream and You

The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist

A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin

Trailblazer: The Story of Ballerina Raven Wilkinson

Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World

Hidden Figures

Mae Among the Stars

Our Legendary Ladies: Harriet Tubman

The Blacker the Berry (poetry)

Steamboat School

Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness

Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe

So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom

The Story of Ruby Bridges

Ice Breaker: How Mabel Fairbanks Changed Figure Skating

We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song

Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story of the Underground Railroad

Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker

Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie: A Story about Edna Lewis

The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath 

Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13

Reading in 2020

/

I realize it’s February, and that yes, I’m already either through or in the midst of several of the below reads, but here is what I’m reading in 2020. I’m usually a firm believer in not setting a reading list for myself since I love the spontaneity that comes with happening upon a new read, but given my spiraling out of control #tbr coupled with a desire for more focused reading this year led me to do some pruning of what’s been lingering on my list for years, and to finally tackle those that I’ve been wanting to read. I’m usually at the mercy of library holds so I can’t get down to the exact order but here you go! And lately some of my fiction has been pretty intense (lots of fiction narratives around some rather painful parts of world history) but I believe those stories are valuable and need to be told (although I’ve learned to stay away from those that glorify trauma or abuse and balance them out with lighter reads) so you’ll see that I’ve broken up my fiction reads into two sections. And I’m a pretty fast reader so I anticipate that this won’t carry me through the entire year of 2020 but I purposely buffered in the space for the ‘must-reads’ that friends inevitably put into my hands. And summer reading? That’s another list entirely. Wink. Let me know what’s on your 2020 list and hope you find some literary inspiration here too!

NONFICTION

An Indigenous People's History of the United States: I’ve wanted to read this one since it came out in 2015 and finally making 2020 the year to learn more about this tragic part of our country’s history.

As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life: The power of memory as it relates to spiritual transformation. As we embark on a new decade, it’s worth musing over how our past affects our future growth.

Atomic Habits: An exploration on habit formation that also provides a framework on how to form effective ones.

Dare to Inspire: Sustain the Fire of Inspiration in Work and Life: My friend Allison Holzer is one of the co-authors and she’s been on the forefront of the positive psychology movement and for years has focused on inspiration as it relates to the personal and corporate world. I’m halfway through and already using it personally as well as with the clients that I coach.

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World: When the title says it all. Wink.

Disrupt Yourself: Master Relentless Change and Speed Up Your Learning Curve: I coach many individuals who are looking to change careers, industries, and often, themselves, so looking forward to learning more about effective ways to facilitate inner transformation.

How to Free Your Child from Negative Thinking: Powerful, Practical Strategies to Build a Lifetime of Resilience, Flexibility and Happiness: I picked this one up years back when I noticed the inner critics starting to emerge in my kids. Then it subsided so I put it away, now we’re back in that zone and I forgot how wonderful it is. Whether it’s a phase or your child’s actual emotional make-up, it’s worth reading to learn more how to harness their mental neuro-plasticity. Don’t we all wish we learned this earlier in life?

Switch On Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking and Health: I don’t love the subtitle but I am a big believer that we think about does effect us emotionally as well as physically. Looking forward to delving further into this topic.

The Entitlement Trap: How to Rescue Your Child with a New Family System of Choosing, Earning, and Ownership: My husband grew up with an allowance, as a first gen kid, I didn’t. Neither of us were passionate about either style, so this one about how to create a family economy that actually empowers children while stewarding financial resources is intriguing to us!

The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth: I had this one out from the library a few years back but had to return it before I read it and then it fell down the black hole that is the #tbr. Now that I’ve read The Road Back to You, it’s time to dig deeper into the Enneagram with this one.

Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer's Path: It’s been a while since I’ve read a book on creativity specifically as it relates to writing so I’m particularly excited for this one.

FICTION

America for Beginners: A Novel: The US through the eyes of an Indian widow and her tour guide. I’ve heard it’s poignant and humorous at the same time which often makes for a stellar combination.

An Antidote for Everything: Medical care as it relates to transgender patients. Curious to know more? I am too.

The Book of Unknown Americans: This one about a family of Mexican immigrants came out in 2015 and has been on my list since. 2020 is the year!

Little Bee This is from my unread shelf which actually is rather sparse since most of my books come from the library! But a friend gave me this one in 2015 and it’s time to dust it off the shelf and just read it!

The Far Field: From Bangalore to Kashir, a novel about family, love and politics.

The Lost Letter: Inspired by actual resistance workers during WWII in Austria. I read it is a must-read if you loved Lilac Girls, which I did, so adding it the list.

The Lost Vintage: A Novel: What starts off as a weekend in a vineyard in Burgundy leads to a family’s ties with WW2. Every time I think I’ve read everything in the WWII canon, there is a new twist on this part of history and I’m looking forward to this one.

The Overstory: Winner of the 2019 Pulitzer, I’ve read rave reviews about this one on creation, trees and our human interconnectedness and am excited to read it this year.

The Water Dancer: About a 19th century slave with a mysterious power; I’ve heard it described as bold and ambitious with a touch of magical realism and now I’m eager to see for myself.

This is Chance! The Shaking of an All-American City and the Voice that Held It Together: About a town in Alaska in the 1960s that is met by tragedy and the radio reporter that keeps it together.

Middle Grade/YA

A Very Large Expanse of Sea: A YA read about first love and prejudice in a post 9/11 world.

Broken Lucky Girl: Cuban-Jewish immigrant story for the 10-12 age set. A close friend set both of her kids, one boy, one girl, read it and raved about it which knowing her bookworms, was enough for me to add it to the list!

Coral: A story about depression/mental health using the original Little Mermaid as inspiration. I finished it a few weeks ago and am still thinking about it. Review coming soon.

The Fountains of Silence: So far I love everything that Ruta Sepetys has written. This one takes us to 1950s Franco-run Spain.

The Wednesday Wars: Well the cat is out on this one. I read it last week and laughed and cried and loved it so much that I’m hunting down the rest of Gary Schmidt’s books.

On the Lighter Side

American Royals: Teasing out what it’d look like if Washington had been given a crown.

The Curious Heart of Alisa Rae: I’m intrigued about this one regarding a young woman with a fatal heart condition yet who still hasn’t given up on love.

Meg & Jo: Wasn’t sure about a modern retelling of Little Women since I love the original so much but I’ve heard rave reviews so now am curious to see how it is!

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler: Single mom departs rural PA and takes on NYC one summer, it sounds like a great one to read in between some intense ones.

Mini Mother's Day Gift Guide

/

The other day my husband was asking what I wanted for Mother's Day and my answer was the same as it is every year: just time with you and the kids. And good, strong coffee. And brunch. LOL. But honesty, tangible gifts aren't my love language the way that quality time is, but he pointed out that he wants to teach us our kids how to love on their mama and my boys particularly had been asking for him to help them pick out a gift...SO since my arm was twisted, a book list was rapidly sent his way and they have plans to hit our local indie bookstore this weekend. All this made me think of how many of you perhaps are looking for a gift for your own mothers...or for sisters, friends, aunts, or yourselves! I am hesitant to call this an official gift guide since there are so many other bloggers out there that do a fabulous job of curating gifts (I see you, @dosaygive) but here a few unique ones for that woman in your life that loves to live by the page:

Books

A Book That Takes Its Time: An Unhurried Adventure in Creative Mindfulness (Flow)
By Irene Smit, Astrid van der Hulst, Editors of Flow magazine

Cookbooks

Links below to some of my favorites....even if you are working with more of a novice cook, cookbooks provide fabulous inspiration or even make lovely coffee table books too. Wink.

Dinner: Changing the Game
By Melissa Clark

Cloth + Paper

Because one can never have enough bags or paper goods, right!? Special Living by the Page coupon codes included below!!!

from the library haul to the farmer’s market one can never have too many canvas bags! USE CODE MOM15 FOR 15% OFF! ORDER BY MAY 7 TO ENSURE DELIVERY FOR MOTHER’S DAY!

from the library haul to the farmer’s market one can never have too many canvas bags! USE CODE MOM15 FOR 15% OFF! ORDER BY MAY 7 TO ENSURE DELIVERY FOR MOTHER’S DAY!

this parent/child journals make amazing gifts that she’ll not only use, but will treasure forever! USE CODE LOOM15 FOR 15% OFF! ORDER BY MAY 5 TO ENSURE DELIVERY FOR MOTHER’S DAY!

this parent/child journals make amazing gifts that she’ll not only use, but will treasure forever! USE CODE LOOM15 FOR 15% OFF! ORDER BY MAY 5 TO ENSURE DELIVERY FOR MOTHER’S DAY!

What woman doesn’t love stationary?! we love everything from joycreativeshop! use code mom15 to ensure delivery by mother’s day!

What woman doesn’t love stationary?! we love everything from joycreativeshop! use code mom15 to ensure delivery by mother’s day!

a personal journal makes a fabulous gift and these ones are perfect for upcoming summer travel or to record those special moments in a unique list format. head here to order and shipping is free if you order by may 7!

a personal journal makes a fabulous gift and these ones are perfect for upcoming summer travel or to record those special moments in a unique list format. head here to order and shipping is free if you order by may 7!

Flourish Motherhood Magazine is graciously offering a FREE digital download for either Issue 01—4. I’ve written several times for Flourish and I’m always encouraged, challenging and uplifted by this magazine as well! Use code MOTHERSDAY19 now throug…

Flourish Motherhood Magazine is graciously offering a FREE digital download for either Issue 01—4. I’ve written several times for Flourish and I’m always encouraged, challenging and uplifted by this magazine as well! Use code MOTHERSDAY19 now through June 1!!

2018 Booklist

/

It’s no secret that I love to read, a LOT. I don’t use any sort of fancy tracking for my booklist except a Word document that I’ve been updating since 2010. I know many people who set reading goals each year but I’ve never had the compulsion to do that. For me, I consider healthy reading to be akin to healthy eating: essentially doing so intuitively works the best for me. Sure, there are some books that I seek out more aggressively than others, but most times I’m at the mercy of the library hold list. Wink. I also pay attention to book recommendations from fellow bookworms and I love the booklists that our local independent bookstores put out. I’ve also recognized that some seasons I am able to read more than others (when toddlers were afoot, not much!). All that to say is that I’m not hung up on the actual number; I don’t numerate as I track as I’ve always felt then it would begin to seem like work to me, I just tally them up at the end of the year. This year I did read the most I have since I begun keeping track in 2010: a total of 88 books (last year it was 79). Note that this does include middle grade and young adult fiction, books that I’m able to get through quite quickly. I did not include family read-alouds in that total but I’ve included those, as well as audiobooks that we listened to as a family below. As I work from home I don’t have a commute so the audiobooks that we enjoy on road trips tend to be those that we do as a family. I do note trends in my reading though! Two years ago it was year of non-fiction. Last year it was historical fiction. This year was clearly the year of the memoir. I am realizing I read the least non-fiction this year than any other years but I believe this to be due to the fact that memoirs can toggle the line between non-fiction/autobiography. However, there are some topics I look forward to delving into deeper this year. I will look forward to seeing what 2019 brings!

For years I have done my own literary superlatives, I’ve listed those first but the list in its entirety is below as well. I didn’t include middle grade/YA in the superlatives as I don’t read as many in that genre and the ones that I did read were ALL fabulous. Please comment if you see a favorite or a book you’d like to read. Happy Reading!

2018 Booklist Superlatives

Best All Around

Where the Crawdads Sing

Best Fiction

Americanah

The Cactus

Best Historical Fiction

Lilli De Jong

Best Non-Fiction

Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life

Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions

Most Helpful (in my season of life)

Going Public: Your Child Can Thrive in Public School

Most Unique

The Monk of Mokha

Most Poignant

The Line Becomes a River

Before We Were Yours

Most Humorous

Dear Mrs. Bird

Best Memoir

The Soul of An Octopus

Becoming

2018 Living by the Page Booklist

FICTION

Americanah Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

In Bloom: Trading Restless Insecurity for Abiding Confidence Kayla Aimee

That Kind of Mother Rumaan Alam

Us Against You Fredrik Backman

Lilli De Jong Janet Benton

How to Walk Away Katherine Center

The Great Alone Kristin Hannah

The Cactus Sarah Haywood

Small Country: A Novel Gaël Faye

The Atlas of Love Laurie Frankel

Last Christmas in Paris Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

Every Note Played Lisa Genova

An American Marriage Tayari Jones

The Queen of Hearts Kimmery Martin

Happy People Read and Drink Coffee Agnes Martin-Lugand

Still Me JoJo Moyes

Little Fires Everywhere Celeste Ng

This Must Be the Place Maggie O’Farrell

Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens

Dear Mrs. Bird AJ Pearce

A Spark of Light Jodi Picoult

The Optimist’s Guide to Letting Go Amy Reichert

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane Lisa See

Mr. Dickens and His Carol Samantha Silva

Sourdough Robin Sloan

By the Book Julia Sonneborn

The Good Thief Hannah Tinti

The Space Between Us Thrity Umrigar

The Book of Essie Meghan MacLean Weir

My Oxford Year Julia Whelan

Before We Were Yours Lisa Wingate

Something Like Happy Eva Woods

The Map of Salt and Stars Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry Gabrielle Zevin

MEMOIR

Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman’s Awakening Manal Al-Sharif

The Line Becomes a River Francisco Cantú

Between the Dark and the Daylight: Embracing the Contradictions of Life Joan Chittister

The Middle Place Kelly Corrigan

Tell Me More: Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say Kelly Corrigan

The Monk of Mokha Dave Eggers

 Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People Bob Goff

At Home in This Life: Finding Peace at the Crossroad of Unraveled Dreams and Beautiful Surprises Jerusalem Jackson Greer

Of Mess and Moxie: Wrangling Delight Out of this Wild and Glorious Life Jen Hatmaker

10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help that Actually Works-A True Story Dan Harris

Girl, Wash Your Face Rachel Hollis

Imperfect Courage: Live a Life of Purpose by Leaving Comfort and Going Scared Jessica Honegger

To Shake the Sleeping Self: A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest for a Life with No Regrets Jedidiah Jenkins

The Joy of Doing Nothing Rachel Jonat

From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel Christine Hoover

Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry Katrina Kenison

 The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother’s Memoir Katrina Kenison

The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food and Love Kristin Kimball

A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living Emily Ley

Daring to Hope: Finding God’s Goodness in the Broken and the Beautiful Katie Davis Major

Falling Free: Rescued from the Life I Always Wanted Shannan Martin

Come & Eat: A Celebration of Love and Grace Around the Everyday Table Bri McKoy 

Boys Should Be Boys: 7 Secrets to Raising Healthy Sons Dr. Meg Meeker

Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion Sara Miles

The Soul of An Octopus Sy Montgomery

The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood Sy Montgomery

How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals Sy Montgomery

Becoming Michelle Obama

Beauty in the Broken Places: A Memoir of Love, Faith and Resilience Allison Pataki

Going Public: Your Child Can Thrive in Public School David and Kelli Pritchard

A Thousand Hills to Heaven: Love, Hope, and a Restaurant in Rwanda Josh Ruxin

Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith Barbara Brown Taylor

It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way Lysa TerKeurst

Educated: A Memoir Tara Westover

First, We Make the Beast Beautiful Sarah Wilson

NON-FICTION

Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior Jonah Berger

Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life Bill Burnett & Dave Evans 

Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions Valeria Luiselli

The Artisan Soul: Crafting Your Life Into a Work of Art Erwin Raphael McManus

YOUNG ADULT AND MIDDLE GRADE

Where the Watermelons Grow Cindy Baldwin

The Wild Robot Peter Brown

The Wild Robot Escapes Peter Brown     

The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming J. Anderson Coats

Finding Esme Suzanne Crowley

The Great Hibernation Tara Dairman 

The Lifters Dave Eggers

Fortunately, the Milk Neil Gaiman

Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel Kimberly Willis Holt

Bob Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead

The Flourishing of Floralie Laurel Fiadhnait Moser

The Book of Boy Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Eleanor & Park Rainbow Rowell

Front Desk Kelly Yang

POETRY

Devotions Mary Oliver

Audiobooks[1]

·      Mary Poppins

·      The Penderwicks in Spring

·      The Penderwicks at Last

·      Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package

·      The War That Saved My Life

·      The War I Finally Won

·      Who Was? Scientists and Inventors

 Family Read Alouds:

[1] Note that the Audiobooks and Family Read Alouds are in the order that we read/listened to them. This doesn’t include the copious amount of picture books we read this year, please visit my the ‘Book Review’ section on this site or visit my IG @livingbythepagewithnatalie to see those titles and reviews.

08092017_NatalieThompson_101.jpg