Books for the Whole Year

The new year is a great time to begin something fresh, whether it is a new Bible-reading plan or a commitment to read a book a week. Here are a few suggestions you won’t want to miss, all of which would make great Christmas gifts. Bonus: each of these will last long beyond the short Christmas break and offer food for thought for days and weeks to come!

Bible Study Resources

• Guided Bible Study Journal and Sticker Set by Heart and Hive for teens and moms 
• Exploring the Bible: A Bible Reading Plan for Kids by David Murray. (Ages 9-12) See our review here
• Hope for Each Day: 365 Devotions for Kids by Billy Graham. (ages 8-12) Excerpted from a devotional Billy Graham wrote for adults (same title), these offer succinct meditations on God’s Word that stay away from being too contextualized (i.e. true Christian thought, not merely applications related to texting, peer pressure, or other situational concerns).

General Interest:

• Around the World in 80 Puzzles by Aleksandra Artymowska. 80 intricately illustrated puzzles offer mazes, “where’s Waldo” type seek-and-find puzzles, and a few spot-the-difference puzzles for kids (and grown-ups) who enjoy puzzles of all kinds. This is a large format, hardback book that would make a great gift!
• The Complete Laugh-out-Loud Jokes for Kids: A 4-in-1 Collection by Rob Elliott. Oh, the giggles this one has brought us… Be prepared to listen to your kids ask you knock-knock jokes while you’re making dinner, spring animal-themed riddles on you during car trips, and more.
• Sing a Song of Seasons. A poem a day will keep the beauty of nature before your eyes. See our starred review here. (as of this posting, 11/28/17, the book is on significant sale from its MSRP)
• A Child’s Treasury of Nursery Rhymes compiled and illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. An outstanding collection of nursery rhymes, delightfully illustrated with children from different ethnic backgrounds and humorous animals. Nursery rhymes are a must for preschoolers!
• The Christian History Devotional by J. Stephen Lang.
  Throughout history, God has worked in so many lives. On every page you will learn about something significant that happened to well-known Christians on that day in history. (We’ll have to wait until heaven to hear what God did for His glory in the rest of our seemingly ordinary lives.)
• 100 Extraordinary Stories for Courageous Girls: Unforgettable Tales of Women of Faith by Jean Fischer. An alphabetical “encyclopedia” of sorts: 100 1-page stories, each accompanied by a cartoon-style “portrait.” An excellent selection includes biblical women (both those named, such as Abigail, and those unnamed, such as “the woman at the well”) and others throughout church history (everyone from Sarah Edwards, Saint Blandina, Corrie Ten Boom, Sojourner Truth, Elisabeth Elliott, and more!). Note: stories tend towards the moralistic side: “how can you be generous like so-and-so?”

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What resources would YOU recommend that offer staying power beyond Christmas Day?