Below are some of the books I’ve been reading this month; note that the following may contain spoilers:

Awaking Wonder: Opening Your Child’s Heart to the Beauty of Learning, by Sally Clarkson – This book, written by one of the authors of The Life Giving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming, is full of anecdotes, stories, and encouragement. The focus is on reviewing the practices the Clarkson family had as a family that helped create an environment where their children could be imaginative, playful, and thoughtful. It offers ideas to implement in daily life to help children grow holistically and is a very enjoyable read.

Calm My Anxious Heart, by Linda Dillow – A gentle read, this book with twelve-week study questions included is full of anecdotes, Scripture, and quotes from people within Church history. The reader is encouraged to memorise Scripture passages and change their focus from their circumstances to God, His Sovereignty and Word.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J. K. Rowling – The fifth novel of the Harry Potter series offers much insight into the characters and plot that has been building through the previous books and makes the reader excited for more. Introducing new characters like Dolores Umbridge, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Kreacher, the reader is thrust into a world of politics, rebellion, betrayal, and death. This is a great read aloud.