Here are some excellent books for gifting

Teen

For the young person in your life, in her beautifully written, award-winning novel Like Moonlight at Low Tide, Nicole Quigley tenderly wraps hope around the hard realities of life in an American high school, including being the outsider, bullying and suicide. (It brought back strong feelings from many years ago.) This is a wonderful book for those who are suffering in those tough teen years, as well as for those who might be dishing out the pain, and need to understand the consequences.

Adult Nonfiction

Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are has influenced my life in a huge way. Even though I have a stack of books at least 18″ tall waiting for me, I’ve read this one three times, using a different color marker each time. I believe this is the book that I have gifted more than any other.

From Ann Voskamp’s blog I learned of Emily Freeman’s book, A Million Little Ways; Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live, and just finished it. This book is not just for those designated as artistic. Emily asserts that since we are created in the image of God, the Creator, we only truly find meaning in life when we, too, create, though in ways not limited to “the arts.” Like Ann, her writing goes beyond thoughts and facts. The writing is lyrical — living poetry that invites you into the dance.

Adult Fiction

I have a bunch of likes, but the one that stands out from those published recently is Jewel of Persia by Rosanna M White. Creating a fictional cousin to Esther and Mordecai, Rosanna masterfully wove multiple story lines and character development, and kept me up reading all night. Going deep, her story challenged me spiritually in a way nonfiction cannot.

The Younger set

One of my daughters recently discovered Chris Colfer’s The Land of Stories. They are listed for 8+, but she is reading them aloud with her 6 and 8 year-olds, and they’re having wonderful discussions concerning the power of evil and how to respond when we encounter it.

Want to share your recommendations?