Hi there! This morning I was reading an e-mail requesting books for a list this person was composing of summer reading recommendations for children. Since then I have been thinking of books I would recommend to somone to take along on a vacation or to have by their bedside/favorite chair. These are some of the books that have come to feel like old friends to me. I hope you can relate to some of them, and feel free to add your favorites in the comments section!
Fiction:
Redemption series by Karen Kingsbury & Gary Smalley (I had the joy of meeting Karen through our MOMS book club at church ~ she recommended this series to me after hearing a bit of my story and I have not been disappointed. So far I have read the first three books of the series.)
Glenbrooke series by Robin Jones Gunn ~ I had bought these as the complete set when they were mismarked at our Christian Bookstore in Redding for $5.97! (seven books) This is a great series for simply getting lost in the relationships of people. I love how she weaves everyone's tales together.
Trixie Belden series byKathryn Kenney ~ yes, you read it right! Trixie Belden Girl Detective the series from the 60's! I grew up on Trixie Belden and I have recently re-discovered her books since they're currently being re-published. I have a whole new insight into my crazy mind and love for all things detective after having gone back and read the series again.
Life Challenging:
Love Beyond Reason by John Ortberg ~ given to me by his father when I worked in LA, this is by far my favorite book. If you've ever realized (or maybe not realized yet, but wondered) about your view of the unfailing love of Jesus this book will become one of your favorites, too. John has such a conversational and humorous way of writing that he makes the words come to life and touch the reader in amazing ways. I highly recommend his other books, too...The Life You've Always Wanted and If You Want to Walk on Water...You've Got to Get Out of the Boat.
The Journey of Desire by John Eldredge ~ I have this thing about truly living the life we've been given to live if you haven't noticed that already. This book is a great book to encourage you to really figure out what your desires are and to seek God's desire for your life...because when you seek Him he will give you the desires of your heart. John makes such a clear statement of truth in saying that when you seek God, really SEEK Him, you want to know more of Him (unlike most of us and regular people...it seems the more you know the more you wish you didn't know) and when you seek Him and know Him and seek HIS desire for your life you find your own desires changing. So, if you've ever wondered how to leave your mark on this life, read this book.
Intimacy With the Almighty by Chuck Swindoll ~ I read this book when Caleb was a baby and it changed my life. We are made, literally created, for relationship. The greatest relationships are those where we allow ourselves to become intimately involved (not sexual intimacy...BIG difference!) in the lives of others. And the most intimate and fulfilling relationship we can ever have is with The One who created us and knows us better than we can ever know ourselves...God. Get the tape series to go along with it and spend the time developing a relationship with eternal rewards.
NON-Fiction:
Bringing Up Boys by Dr. James Dobson ~ as a woman who is raising two males and married to another male I feel incredibly ill-equipped at times. This book has helped me understand how God has made my boys to be. (another one that is great for this is Wild at Heart by John Eldredge) It covers it all...if you've got boys I suggest this book HIGHLY!
The Five Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman ~ read it, apply it, live it. You'll understand why after you do.
Why You Act the Way You Do by Tim Lahaye ~ the earliest memory I have of this book is long before I was married and Mom bought it at some store on a Saturday afternoon. We got in the car (Dad, Mom & me) and she started reading about the Sanguine personality...tell me if you can figure out who she was talking about when she read, "the sanguine has all the tools and toys they need to get the job done. They'll wake up nice and early on a Saturday to mow the lawn and they'll get all their tools/toys lined up and ready to go ~ blades sharpened, gas in the gas tanks ~ and three hours later they're still standing at the fence talking to the neighbor about anything and everything." We laughed REAL hard that day! (Even Dad ~ you gotta love someone who can laugh at themselves!)
Children's Books:
Jared and the Odinary, Handy-Dandy, Excellent, Extraordinary, Plain Brown String by Dana Webb ~ I love this book that tells the story about a boy who was given a plain brown string and how he used it to touch the lives of so many.
Christian's Journey by Karl Schaller, Lee Hough, and Liz Duckworth ~ this is the classic, Pilgrim's Progress retold for children. It's fun to read to and with your kids.
The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury ~ this book is actually 44 different books in one and if you only buy one book for your children this summer, buy this one. I love the selection...it includes Where the Wild Things Are, Amelia Bedelia, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, and The Stinky Cheese Man. And those are only a few. This is a great collection of great books I remember from my own childhood.
So there it is. I hope you try some of them on for size. If you do, let me know what you think ~ I love to discuss books with people!
Don't forget to leave your list of favorites in the comments section, too!
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