MY Bookshelf: Favorite Books

Books I Read While I Was Pregnant

A Few books on my shelf:

• Baby Wise by Robert Bucknam, MD (These suggestions should be taken according to your own parenting style, however many concepts of boundaries and marriage are essential to parenting a newborn.)
• What to Expect When you are Expecting (This book was fascinating to me the whole time I was pregnant! It was my encyclopedia for almost everything.)
• Teaching Your Children Values by Linda and Richard Eyre (This book will broaden your mind on concepts to base your parenting on. Topics include work before play, delayed gratification, money management, honesty, bedtimes, and more.)
• Baby Massage: The Calming Power of Touch by Dr Heath and Nicki Bainbridge
• The Mozart Effect for Newborns by Don Campbell (Confession: I didn’t really read this book. I read its counterpart, but I wish I had. Uplifting music blesses every aspect of childhood and family life.)

My Favorite Non-Fiction:

A Few books on my shelf:

• Act of Marriage by Tim and Beverly LaHaye (Duncan and I read this book separately while we were engaged. It laid a good foundation for an important part of marriage. I have often been grateful for this book over the last 28 years.)
• Believing Christ by Stephen E. Robinson (The marvelous news of The Gospel of Jesus Christ effects everything I do as a woman and parent. Increasing your knowledge of Jesus Christ is my #1 recommendation.)
• Hold Me Tight by Dr. Sue Johnson (Creating loving relationships includes communication, healing, and respect. This book shows the way to enduring bonds between parents and their children.)
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (This book helps build relationships in families too.)
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey (Life planning applies to family goals. These concepts should be exemplified by parents and taught to children.)
• The Book of Mormon (Another testament of Jesus Christ recorded by ancient inhabitants of the Americas. This divine record has brought me closer to God. I am a better parent because of this book.)
• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown (In my opinion Brene Brown offers social change that is deeply significant to families.)
• The Holy Bible (This is the history of God’s dealings with mankind as recorded by prophets of God from Adam and Eve through the life of Jesus Christ and his ancient apostles and disciples. I have learned more about parenting from studying the way God treats us, than by any other way.)

My Favorite Fiction:

• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (I read this book in high school and proclaimed it my favorite of all time. Truly a classic.)
• Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling (Who doesn’t absolutely love these books?)
• Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (Yes. I am one of those.)
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
• Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple (Such a funny, personal book! I love this one!)

What I am Reading Right Now:

• Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman (This is a Cookbook to drool over.)
• The Priesthood Power and Women by Barbara Morgan Gardner
• Visions of Glory by John Pontius (Do you study the second coming and near death experiences? Only read this if you are ready.)
• Boundaries in Marriage by Henry Cloud and John Townsend (My sister lent this to me, knowing I need it. Thank you, Carol!)
• The Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (Curt is reading this right now in his honors literature class. I never read it, so I am joining in.)

Favorite Children’s Books:

• Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (Teaches many lessons in a classic story about a mama duck.)
• Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes (This one hits my funny bone every time.)
• Go Dog Go! by P. D. Eastman (It’ll grow on you. Read it to a child a couple of times with lots of expression and your will see what I mean.)

Recent Bookclub Books:

• Whistling Past the Graveyard, by Susan Crandall 
• The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, by Maxwell King
• Becoming, by Michelle Obama 
• We Were the Lucky Ones, by Georgia Hunter
• Refugee, by Alan Gratz
• Evvie Drake Starts Over
• The Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris
• The Orphan Island, by Laurel Snyder
• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
• Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
• The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
• Inheritance by Dani Shapiro
• Insights from a Prophet’s Life by Sheri Dew
• The Color of Rain by Michael and Gina Spehn
• The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp
• Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall, Denver Moore and Lynn Vincent
• Leadership and Self Deception by The Arbinger Institute
• River of Doubts by Candice Millard
• The Lost Photographs by Richard Carroll
• Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
• Vienna Prelude by Bodie Thoene
• The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates
• Dragonfly by Leila Meacham
• 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
• Open by Andre Agassi
• The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefterri
• Love and Capital by Mary Gabriel
• Shout, Sister Shout! by Gayle Wald
• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
• Being Mortal:Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
• Diamond Head by Cecily Wong
• The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
• The Class: A Life-Changing Teacher, His World-Changing Kids, and the Most Inventive Classroom in America by Heather Won Tesoriero
• The Traveling Cat Chronicles translated by Hiro Arikawa, Philip Gabriel
• Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
• Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death by Caitlin Doughty
• Anatomy of Murder (Crowther and Westerman, #2) by Imogen Robertson
• Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE by Phil Knight