‘Tis the season of holiday decor, long lines and road rage. Sort of joking.
Every year, I vow to ease into the holiday season by breaking tradition – Secret Santa gift exchanges, giving my kids experiences instead of gifts and forgiving myself for Christmas cards gone bad. {A few years ago during a particularly chaotic Christmas, I ordered Christmas cards without changing the template so we were the Jones’ one year. And another, I forgot to add a photo to one of the boxes so friends thought I was sending a cryptic message that we were expecting another family member. We were not.}
But as the holiday season falls upon us in record speed – we’re starting straight after Halloween this year it seems, we are almost required as bloggers to create a holiday gift list right?
Well this is my short list of books, from picture books to self-help for adults. Perfect for anyone who is searching for more than fluff whether this is for your son or best-friend.
As a highly sensitive, INFJ, Enneagram 4 who is all about meaning and compassion, and less about superficial stuff, this is the list I would want to send Santa. I read some AMAZING books this year and I’m excited to share it with you.
Feel free to order these through your local book store, ThriftBooks.com or if you enjoy my posts and want to support me, I make a small nominal fee if you purchase any of these books by clicking the link. Thank you!
Books for Kids You’ll Want to Read Over and Over Again
I know that’s a tall order. I know because as a mom of two young kids, it can get tiring to read and then reread the same book every night. But these have multiple meanings, plus their illustrations are so beautiful that I almost want to frame them.
You can go here to get it.
I would be biased to say I loved this book solely because I love the author Andrea Wang, who was my PBChat mentor in 2020. But I wouldn’t be honest if I said it was just because of that. I remember when Andrea told me she was working on this book. Never in a million years could I have dreamed up such a lovely story with so many layers, with every word perfectly chosen, and with heart bursting on each page. This is a book that can be read over and over again because you will find so much meaning every time you read the book.
Another new favorite, The Midnight Children is a middle grade that I’ve grown quite fond of. Besides the beautiful language in this story, there is an underlying theme of belonging that I think children and even adults will relate to. Beyond that it is a captivating read that will leave readers at the edge of their seat. I had a hard time not reading this book to the very end. IT was that engaging, action-packed and moved me to tears. A definite keeper that I will be returning to again.
I fell in love with A Place to Hang the Moon. It gave me such compassion for the families who were trying to normalize their lives while living through a war. This book shares one story of children who were displaced during the war and thankfully has a happy ending.
Books for Grown Ups
I love almost any book from Matt Haig. Novels like Midnight Library and nonfiction books like The Comfort Book, were equally engaging, meaningful and life changing. He is a brilliant writer whose breadth of work is impressive to say the least.
The Happiest Man on Earth made me the happiest reader. I was a little worried to tell you the truth, because I know reading about the Holocaust isn’t going to be a G-rated story. But I was able to get through a few potentially triggering scenarios (something to skip over if you’re sensitive like me) because Eddie Jaku, who recently passed away, is so inspiring. I am a self-proclaimed scaredy-cat, but reading Eddie’s story reminds me that the human spirit is stronger than we give it credit for. An inspiring gift to give a friend who might be struggling or just needing motivation during a challenging time.
I’ve been reading Iyanla Vanzant’s books since I was in high school. That’s how I think I got through those difficult years. Trust is so good that it’s taken me almost the whole year to read it. I’m pausing on every page, enjoying the way she tells stories, and learning to trust life, god, others and myself.
Have you read any good books lately? I’m always excited to learn about amazing books.