Family, friends, thankfulness, comfort – these are the words that come to mind when I think of November. Lots of baking, lots of cups of hot coffee, lots of reading filled with a sense of calm (because it’s really autumn!) and excitement (because the holidays are upon us!). Below are recommendations (which may include spoilers) of some of the books I’ve been reading this month:

An Acceptable Time, by Madeline L’Engle – In the fifth book of the Wrinkle in Time Quintet the reader meets Polly O’Keefe, Meg and Calvin’s firstborn. Building upon the idea of tesseract, the theme of love, and the stories from A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Polly is caught in a back and forth between her present and the present of approximately three thousand years before. There is a sense of anticipation that permeates the book because the reader is never sure when the tesseract will happen, as well as the question of what it truly means to be a friend to someone. There is also more discussion of Christ and His blood sacrifice (the theme of blood sacrifice is integral to the story) and of His existing outside of time. This is a great read aloud, and though not as dark as A Swiftly Tilting Planet I would still suggest reading it alone first to make sure the themes are appropriate for those to whom you are reading the story.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J. K. Rowling – In this fourth book of the Harry Potter series, the reader meets numerous characters such as Victor Krum, Bartemius Crouch Sr., and Alistor Moody. Harry is suddenly tasked with taking part in the TriWizard Tournament and the reader is aware that Lord Voldemort has returned. The question is, will Harry face him again? Darker than the previous three books, it nevertheless is a good read aloud, though I would suggest reading it first to make sure the themes are appropriate, as well as the language (there are a few swear words dotted throughout).

The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration, Tom Fettke (Senior Editor) – I received this hymnal as a gift when I was a child and I am so grateful for it. Not only does it include hymns, it also includes choruses, some of the Creeds, responsive readings, select Psalms, and short services. It is an excellent addition to daily quiet time.

The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis – This fictional musing follows the letters of an older demon to a younger demon regarding the younger demon’s human charge. Much like The Great Divorce, one should not form theological ideas from this book, but the letters do make for good discussion and help the reader think about why he or she does certain things or acts in certain ways.