Silent Night

 

The book Silent Night by Lara Hawthorne is a beautifully illustrated book containing one of Christianity's most beloved Christmas songs, "Silent Night! Holy Night!" by Joseph Mohr. The illustrations alone convey this miraculous birth story. There is a lot of detail in the illustrations, and they are bright and colorful. A fascinating account of how the story of "Silent Night" came to be written in 1818 is included at the end of the book. It will be fun for children to find the mouse in the storybook. The complete Christmas carol is written at the back of the book.

Head Full Of Clouds

 

A Head Full of Clouds by Joanne Schwartz is a whimsical story about a young girl and her incredible park adventures. Follow along as she experiences...

Puddles everywhere that look like miniature oceans.

Birds come to the bird feeder, pecking, pecking, pecking.

Hopping over the sidewalk lines.

Seeing pigeons sitting perched in a row atop a building rooftop.

Listening to the park sounds.

The joy of watching a child play with his dog.

Giggles rise like bubbles inside you as you cartwheel down the hill.

A row of ants march back and forth.

The best part is having your friend meet you in the park.

The book's illustrations are the perfect complement to the story. They are colorful and bright. As you read the story, you feel happy and wish you were in a park experiencing all the excitement yourself.

Springtime Storks: A Migration Love Story

 

Carol Joy Munro's Springtime Storks: A Migration Love Story tells the story of two storks, Luka and Katerina, who are flying with a flock of storks when Katerina is struck by a bullet. She falls from the sky to the ground. A grandfather and a child run towards the stork. The bullet wasn't meant to hit the stork, but rather another bird in the air. Katerina is carried into their home and treated for her injuries. In the middle of the night, Luka and the other storks gazed into the window to see if Katerina was alright. She cannot continue on with the migration with the rest of the birds and remains in human care. She is well taken care of by them. As spring approaches, they help her build a nest atop their house. In hopes that Luka will come back and find her, Katerina sits in a nest. She spies a stork in the distance one day and it turns out to be Luka. That season, Katerina gives birth to five baby storks. Although she is too injured to join Luka and the rest of the storks on their migration, Luka always returns for her every year.

Disclaimer - I received this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. 
As an Amazon affiliate I may earn commission if you click the link. 

History of the World: From the Stone Age to the Tech Revolution

 

Anyone interested in the major highlights of world's history from 8000BC to the present will enjoy reading History of the World: From the Stone Age to the Tech Revolution. This book is like walking through a museum of history and viewing paintings, artifacts, and statues of history throughout time, except your feet won't get tired. More than 500 illustrations and photographs of objects, artworks, and primary documents are included in this book. After reading this book, you will have a more thorough understanding of history in an easy-to-follow sequential timeline format.

A Bit of Earth: A Year In The Garden With God

Andrea G. Burke's A Bit Of Earth is an absolute gem. In fact, I loved the book so much that I purchased a copy on Amazon. Although I am not a gardener, the words within the pages of this book spoke to me on a very personal level and I knew I needed a physical copy to take notes in and highlight. It is divided into four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Seasons speak not only to what grows within the garden, but also to what is gradually coming to an end. God's goodness is evident at all times, even in the midst of heartbreak. Throughout the book, Burke shares many personal stories to illustrate God's goodness, faithfulness, and steadfastness. All of this is woven into the seasons and gardening. Burke's writings reveal her passion for outdoor living and gardening and a great deal of knowledge about the subject. My original intention was to use this book as a devotional, but I found myself reading it all the way through. I plan to read it again slowly and meditate more on the prayers and scriptures throughout. I encourage anyone to get this book and spend a year in the garden with God.   

 

The Remarkables

 

In The Remarkables: The Most Incredible Children I've Met - So Far!, the author shares all of the incredible children she has met while traveling. Every child is unique and remarkable. In this book, the author learns about each of the unique children's quirks, superpowers, challenges, and everything else that makes them special and unique. The HAIRY child has so much hair that she does not need clothes. It is important for the SPRINGY child to hold on tight to his chair. If he lets go, he will launch into the air like a rocket. A SCRIBBLY child has knotty hair, hands that love to create, and lots of wacky ideas. The CLOUD child always has her head in the air, wandering thoughts, and a shape-shifting body. A ROOTED child has very close bonds to his parents and always feels safe when they are nearby. A CRYSTAL child is delicate, fragile, and frail. Because I am transparent, you can read what I am thinking. My parents are very careful with me. In every way, the FOLDAWAY child is practical. You can fold me into a perfect bundle with the instructions I come with. You will meet many children during your journey through The Remarkables.

Disclaimer - I received this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. 
As an Amazon affiliate I may earn commission if you click the link. 

The Booklover's Library

Madeline Martin's book, The Booklover's Library, is a must-read! It takes place during WWII in Nottingham, England. In the beginning of the book, Emma is a widowed, single mother raising her seven-year-old daughter Olivia. Despite the survivors benefits from her late husband's death, Emma barely makes ends meet.

Slowly, Emma is forced to sell possessions she holds dear. As a child, Emma never had the opportunity to know her mother, as she died when she was a baby. As a result of an unfortunate fire in their bookshop, Emma's father died.

A unique opportunity unfolds when Emma is utterly distraught, unsure of how else she will provide for herself and Olivia. Despite the marriage bar that extended to widows with children, Emma is secretly allowed to obtain employment at the Booklover's Lending Library. Every aspect of life will be changed by this change encounter and opportunity. It will be a challenge to keep Olivia safe while her mother is away at work because she is so young.

The Nazis have invaded London. As a result of the war threat in England, Olivia is evacuated to the countryside. On three separate occasions, Olivia would be sent away. Emma soon established close relationships with those in her tenement house, as well as co-workers and library patrons due to being separated from her daughter. When Emma was without Olivia during these months, she remained busy making recommendations to patrons at the lending library. Emma also enrolled in the WVS (Woman's Volunteer Service) to further the war effort at home.

This book is filled with love, loss, twists, turns, and happy endings.