August reading wrap-up

I am still prioritizing middle grade reads but I did read plenty of grown-up reads this month. I just didn't quite finish most of them! I am close enough to the end in all of them that early September made for an explosion of finished books. Fine by me :)

GROWN-UP READS
📖 Bible study: Isaiah. Philippians. 
📖 This Beautiful Truth (Christian,  nonfiction)... I always love Clarkson books. In this one, Sarah got very vulnerable and shared mental illness details that must have been so scary to experience and so scary to share publicly! I was very moved by this book.

📚 Plus applicable sections of The No-Cry Nap Solution // What to Expect: The First Year // The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding // The Wonder Weeks

YA & MIDDLE GRADE READS
📖 Andi Unexpected (Christian,  middle grade, fiction)... This was such a fun mystery, set in modern times while solving a mystery from the past. My younger self would have loved this one!
📖 Beyond Mulberry Glen (secular,  middle grade, fiction)... This was such a cozy read! I suspected my son would like it okay and that my girls would love it. I suspected right :)

📖  A Game Most Foul (secular, fiction, YA)... This was such a fun Sherlock revisiting! Parents should know that Sherlock's drug use is addressed (though painted in a negative light).
📖  Leaping Llama (secular,  middle grade, nonfiction)... Some of my kids adore these nonfiction animal books. This one is about a Llama, a crow, and a dog.
📖 Lizzie and the Redcoat (Christian, middle grade, historical fiction)... My kids and I listened to this one on our drives to and from swim lessons. They all enjoy the Revolutionary War time period (Thanks, Liberty Kids!) and all enjoyed this story.
📖 Magic Portal: River of Lights (Christian,  middle grade, fantasy)... This was a short, fun read I know my daughter is going to love.
📖 The Puppets of Spelhorst (Secular, middle grade)... This book was quirky and strange, and one I'm curious about. I suspect it'll get mixed reviews with my children but we'll see!
📖  The Sapphire Sword (Christian, middle grade, fantasy)... Big hit around here. Does contain two quick mentions of a child having flatulence/gas if that's a hard pass for you.
📖 The Shadow and the Promise (Christian, middle grade, Biblical fiction)... This was so fun, Biblical fiction told from the perspective of an animal who was there! Will read book 2.

PICTURE BOOKS WE LOVED: The Doll People's Christmas // If You Spent a Day With Thoreau at Walden Pond // Island Boy // Me and You and the Red Canoe // Meet the Bears // Our Friendly Farmhouse 

All Things Narnia

I read The Chronicles of Narnia when I was about 11 years old and immediately fell in love. I wrote my own version and forever carried a fondness for all things Narnia! Now my children love Narnia, too. We've discovered all kinds of fun Narnia books over the years so I thought I'd finally share them here.

First, of course, the seven-book series itself. There are so many lovely editions but this is the kind I had as a kid. We think this, this, and this set are beautiful.

Board book of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe... We recently received this for our youngest. This is what gave me the idea to finally share this post!

Picture book of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe... I have so many fond memories of this one! It was so very, very long, but delighted each of my older children to no end. I do hope to get another copy someday.

Now, for the books we love outside of the series itself!

CS Lewis: Master Storyteller  (middle grade... I have enjoyed several of these Benge biographies and really enjoyed this one all about CS Lewis' life, faith, and of course work.

Finding Narnia: The Story of CS Lewis and His Brother (picture book)... This one covered plenty but especially focused on the author's relationship with his brother.

Through the Wardrobe: How CS Lewis Created Narnia (picture book)... Some of my children are budding fantasy writers who very much enjoyed this one.

The Mythmakers (YA, graphic novel)... John Hendrix does it again! This gorgeous graphic novel explores a lot but especially CS Lewis's time in the war and his friendship with JRR Tolkien.

Once Upon a Wardrobe (adult, Christian fiction,  great for teens)... I really enjoyed this fiction story, about a young college girl taking a class from CS Lewis and her chronically ill little brother who loves Narnia. I'll definitely pass this one onto my teens.

Painting Wonder (picture book)... we loved this picture book biography about the woman who illustrated the original Narnia books!


Extra Narnia fun- Cookbook // so many awesome offerings from A Fine Quotation and Carrot Top Paper Shop // this print // this mug // Narnia wardrobe reading nook // You can actually enter the children's section through a wardrobe at Fabled Books in Waco, Texas. 

Bookish Links- September 2025

September new releases I'm excited about: The Women of Oak Ridge 

15 September picture books 

Fall-themed morning basket 

Fall books Toni Shiloh loves 

5 Charlotte Mason tips 

Two cookbooks that look so fun this autumn- Purely Pumpkin and The Pumpkin Cookbook 

Love this bulletin board idea for teachers! 

Christian cozy mysteries 

Lovely library murals in Alaska // Arizona // Idaho // Iowa // Illinois // Mississippi // Nebraska 

Little Free Library tour of the Sunshine Coast, British Columbia! 

This is such a cute Berenstain Bears backpack! 

Which Baxter family daughter are you? 

I've been obsessed with home decor diys lately and found a fun mod podge blog full of fun crafts! A few bookish delights: baseball bookends // book safe // fabric bookcase backing // faux leather journal // cute book crate 

Did you know there was a Boxcar Children Cookbook? 

65 clean YA fantasy books 

DIY hanging fabric book display 

On that note- cute bookish fabrics... Sweet Bookish Dreams // flowery books and tea // childhood classics // fall book club // Hundred Acre Wood // classic books and tea 

Kindle readers, are you using the X-ray function? 

This author sent me the book trailer for her memoir and it sounds so powerful and inspiring! 

Love these cozy cottage vibe shorts! 🥰 Brambly Hedge kitchen // finding comfort in tea + books // Hobbit tea party 

Have you ever heard of Peter Rabbit Barbie? I had not, but she's adorable! 1997 // 100 Year Celebration 

Um, there's a Nintendo Switch game where you design and run a mobile bookstore! Tiny Bookshop! Hobbit fans might also be interested in Tales of the Shire. 

One simple trick for reading more 

Clean romance books for Christian girls 

9 ways to not have a reading slump 

Christy Award finalists will be revealed September 19th! 

Janssen released another adorable reading log! 

Most anticipated Christian fiction books this fall 

This is the coolest story, about a storybook theme park in Oregon!  

Such a cute puzzle! 

Dollhouse miniature fun... home library // reading nook 

I'm still enjoying YouTube shorts as a fun creative pursuit. I've realized recently that comparison / awareness that other people are more skilled or talented has held me back for years but in reality I'm a very creative person who is constantly inspired to make things... art, stories, poetry, scrapbooks, clothes, home decor, now videos. If you struggle too, just go for it! Create! 

Christian fiction set in a college/university

I thought some of you might be in the mood for some collegiate reads as we move into the back-to-school season. We've got students and professors here so hopefully you'll find something just right for you!

The Baxters series... Many of these family drama books take place in a college setting as Luke Baxter starts out as a student and we later follow family friends Bailey Flanigan and Andi Ellis into their dorm and classes.

The Bridge... This Christmas romance takes place primarily in a bookstore but there is plenty of college talk since that's where our protagonists meet. This one has also been made into a Christmas movie I hope to watch this year.

Dear Mr Knightley... This epistolary novel is a modern-day retelling of My Daddy Longlegs. A journalism major gets a scholarship which requires frequent letters to her anonymous benefactor to update her progress... so much fun!

I'll Be Seeing You...  This family drama timeslip is kicked off by a college student interviewing her grandmother as a class project.

Lost Loves series... This is a romance duology centered around a college student finding her biological parents. We explore her parents ' teenage relationship in the first and her own young relationship in the second. These stories include some intense military scenes (plus very conservative military views) that may not work for everyone. I'm a sensitive reader and I made it through but I did feel very upset at times.

The Lost Manuscript... This second chance romance is such a cozy read! I'd like to sum it up in sentence fragments- Missing historian grandma. Professor spouses divorcing but still in love. English castle. Tea. Riddles and clues. *I do want you to know that our female protagonist suffered an off-page miscarriage before the story began and it comes up many times.

Once Upon a Wardrobe... This historical fiction focuses on the student of Professor CS Lewis and her dying little brother's obsession with Narnia. This one was also very cozy in feel.

Someday Home... Ah, something different- in this one our college student is in her 50s and starting a new chapter in her life.

When Twilight Breaks... This WWII story follows Peter, a linguistics grad student in Germany, and a female American correspondent. 

Into the Uncut Grass

I recently read and teared up at Into the Uncut Grass. I found it so delightful I promptly made my children read it. 

None of them loved it as much as I did but someday they'll have children of their own and it'll mean much more to them.