2024 Reading List
As my reading list in 2024 grew, so did my delight as I lost myself in the pages of these delightful books. See what my teens and I read in 2024, and share your favorite books in the comments.
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Art
- Art Matters: Because Your Imagination Can Change the World Because Your Imagination Can Change the World by Neil Gaiman. A creative invitation to let your creativity shine. This is a quick, but inspiring read, filled with fun illustrations.
- The Illuminated Book of Days by Kay & Marshall Lee and illustrations by Kate Greenaway and Eugene Grasset. A delightful book filled with colorful illustrations, historical events, holidays, and poetry. The book is pleasurable to both the eye and the soul.
Autobiography
- Driven: An Autobiography by Larry H Miller and Doug Robinson: Hands-down one of the best autobiographies I have ever read. It is a page-turner; very entertaining. I was pleasantly surprised to find it filled with important principles and life lessons. Perfect reading for adults and teens.
- Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington: An inspiring account of his life; filled with stories of resilience and courage. A remarkable book for both adults and teens.
Biography
- A Disciple’s Life: A Biography of Neal A. Maxwell by Bruce C. Hafen. The life of this man of God will inspire within you a desire to strengthen your discipleship in the everyday aspects of your life.
- Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain: A moving, and almost unbelievable, account of Joan of Arc. I highly recommend this book! It is transformative.
- Martin Luther by Eric Metaxas: Author Eric Metaxas brings to life the experiences of Martin Luther in this epic biography. It was one of my favorite reads of the year! I always enjoy the books written by Eric Metaxas, including: Letter to the American Church, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, Seven Men: And the Secret of Their Greatness, and Seven Women: And the Secret of Their Greatness.
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Business
- The Proximity Principle by Ken Coleman: Making genuine connections can improve the quality of both our professional and personal lives. A book filled with foundational principles and calls to action. Worth the read!
Character and Life Skills
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey: Valuable life skills for teens
- Way to Be!: 9 ways to be happy and make something of your life by Gordon B. Hinckley: Timeless wisdom for teens and adults
Children’s
- A Coconut Named Bob by Austin Weaver. Written by a young man with autism, this colorful book shows that all things are possible.
- Diana’s White House Garden by Elisa Carbone: I grabbed this book from a sale bin, but would gladly have paid full price for it. Learning about this true account from history was a true delight!
- Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall: The whimsical and colorful artwork in this book is a unique form of collage. The story is written in one long, entertaining line. This book is truly one-of-a-kind. BONUS: See the related art project at the bottom of this post.
- Henry Builds a Cabin by D.B. Johnson: Get to know Henry David Thoreau in the first of a series of books about his life.
- Hondo and Fabian by Peter McCarty: A Caldecott Honor Book, this playful book will have you giggling by the end.
- If You Go Down to the Woods Today: A Search and Find Adventure by Rachel Piercey and Freya Hartas. The whimsical forest creature and charming poetic verses make this book a favorite read-aloud.
- Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. A classic for a reason, this timeless book will continue to entertain children for generations to come.
- Slow Down by Rachel Williams and Freya Hartas: Nature lessons surrounded by cheery and colorful illustrations. It just doesn’t get any better than this!
- The Mitten by Jim Aylesworth and Barbara McClintock. Most people are familiar with the version of this story by Jan Brett, but this version by Jim Ayelsworth is our family’s favorite. It’s a holiday favorite!
Culture
- How to Be Unlucky: Reflections on the Pursuit of Virtue by Joshua Gibbs: With compelling insights into Boethius’ classic work, this book will have you rethinking the ways in which you pursue virtue. What an incredible book!
- Love What Lasts: How to Save Your Soul from Mediocrity by Joshua Gibbs: A bold invitation by the author to seek out the arts that are good and beautiful. This author has become a fast favorite of mine.
Nature
- Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. The author has a gift for describing ordinary things in nature–bringing them to life, and applying beautiful and profound life lessons to them. This is a great book for a book discussion group. Or keep it on your nightstand to read bit by bit, taking time to internalize the beauty of each chapter.
- My Wild Garden: Notes from a Writer’s Eden Notes from a Writer’s Eden by Meir Shalev. A delightful book of personal experiences surrounding his wild, but beautiful garden in Israel. Life lessons are easily drawn from his narrative. His sense of humor makes this book a page turner.
- The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood by Kathryn Aalto. The illustrations and photos in this book really bring to life the story behind Winnie-the-pooh. The author has a beautiful way of narrating the events that took place behind the scenes. This was a delight to read!
- Nature Study compiled by Marlene Peterson: A perfectly lovely compilation of writings from various authors.
Family-Friendly Historical Booklist
Browse the Historical Booklist to find books for all ages
Relationships
- If I Live To Be 100: Lessons from the Centenarians by Neenah Ellis. Insights into the lives and wisdom of Centenarians; a fascinating read.
- Wild at Heart Expanded Edition: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul by John Eldredge. Learn what drives the masculine heart. This book was eye-opening!
- Romanced to Death (The Sexual Seduction of American Culture) by Paul deParrie. A shocking, but accurate, look at our sexualized culture. This book will change the way you view love and relationships. Every adult should read this book.
Religious
- Increase In Learning: Spiritual patterns for obtaining your own answers by David A. Bednar: An interactive book that increases one’s ability to learn
- Leisure: The Basis of Culture The Basis of Culture by Josef Piper: This book changed my life. Really. It helped me step it up a notch as a Christian–to turn from worldly idolatry towards Divine worship.
- Meek and Lowly by Neal A. Maxwell
- The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ From Nephi to Moroni, the prophets in this book testify of the reality of Jesus Christ, and the peace that comes from following His teachings. If you love the Bible and are seeking further light and knowledge about Jesus Christ, I can’t recommend this book enough. It has the power to change your life for the better, filling it with peace, joy, and purpose.
- The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath by Senator Joe Lieberman. Truly one of the most impactful books I’ve read about the covenant we make with God to rest on the seventh day, and the profound blessings that come when we keep our end of the covenant.
Farmhouse Art Project
Have you, too, fallen in love with the children’s book, Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall? I love that it is based on a true story and retold in one long entertaining sentence.
The best part may be the history behind the delightful, brightly-colored illustrations, the details of which are found in the page-long Author’s Note at the end of the book.
The creative process that went into creating this book is so inspiring! So much so, that I had my young students use the author’s method of layering different items to create a fun page of their own.
It was such a fun activity that I can happily recommend doing the project with your children or students.
Activity Instructions:
1. Read the Farmhouse book
2. Read the Author’s Note at the end of the book to gain an appreciation of the story and illustrations
3. Create your own illustrated page based on a personal memory
Recommended Supplies:
Of course, you can also use whatever else you have on hand: crayons, markers, scrap paper, etc.
The book also inspires a love for family history research, which can be done for free at www.familysearch.org.
Enjoy!
