The Christmas Story


Jane Werner Watson - 1952
    This simple but poetic text brings to life the story of Jesus' birth in a stable in Bethlehem. First published in 1952, this Little Golden Book adaption of the Christmas story was illustrated by beloved artist Eloise Wilkin. This classic picture book retelling of the Christmas story is a perfect gift for the holidays.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers


Fred Rogers - 2019
    Through songs, puppets, and frank conversations, Mister Rogers instilled the values of kindness, patience, and self-esteem in his viewers, and most of all, taught children how loved they were, just by being themselves. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood reimagines the songs from the show as poetry, ranging from the iconic "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" to the forgotten gems. The poems deal with topics such as difficult feelings, new siblings, everyday routines, imagination, and more.

The Watcher


Nikki Grimes - 2017
    But Tanya has worries of her own, no matter how much she tries to ignore them. It seems impossible that Jordan and Tanya could be anything other than enemies, but the Lord is watching over them, guiding each of them along a path that might just help them to understand one another. Nikki Grimes takes the words of a Psalm 121 and masterfully transforms them into a golden shovel poem of compassion, friendship, and faith. Coupled with powerful artwork from Bryan Collier, this heartfelt story is one that readers will treasure.

Life's Little Fable


Patricia Cornwell - 1999
    In a compelling fable, she explores the temptations and pitfalls that accompany freedom and choice in all our lives.Jarrod lives far away in a land where children climb trees and soar without fear of falling, and sunlight keeps out dark shadows.As happy as Jarrod is living with his mother and his sister, he is also curious and daring. He wonders about the mysterious pond, the one place his mother wants him to stay away from. How deep is it? Why can't he go into the water? Why is his mother so afraid for him?

Jesus of Nazareth


Truman G. Madsen - 1994
    Madsen shares his insights on the life and ministry of the Savior, available for the first time on CD. The same stimulating scholar and speaker who gave us the popular Joseph Smith the Prophet series, Brother Madsen draws on his experience as a former director of the BYU Jerusalem Center and leader of countless tours to the Holy Land to bring new illumination to many aspects of Christ’s unique mission. Topics include Jesus as the Shepherd and the Lamb, His baptism and temptation, and the Sermon on the Mount. The last four addresses deal with the Savior’s final week of mortality. These engrossing talks are sure to bring hours of fascinating listening to all students of the gospel and deepen testimonies of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear Pope Francis: The Pope Answers Letters from Children Around the World


Pope Francis - 2016
    All too often, the big spiritual questions from children are ignored or written off as quaint, but Pope Francis helps every child feel God’s love and know that their voices are valued and heard. With each question charmingly illustrated by the child, Dear Pope Francis lets the Pope respond directly to each child with inspiring, meaningful answers. Pope Francis's joyful warmth and wisdom shine through for parents, grandparents, teachers and, of course, children.

The Pajama Elves


Hayden Edwards - 2012
    Medallion Honoree * From the Midwest Book Review: "The Pajama Elves" is a delightful, creatively presented holiday tale that shares a family tradition of giving children magic pajamas secretly tailored by Santa's sewing elves, so they can sleep snug in their beds on Christmas Eve. Hayden Edwards is a special pseudonym for author/illustrator Julie Szabo, combining the names of her two sons and husband. Told in verse narrative and creatively illustrated with combination photos/prints in color, "The Pajama Elves" is all about keeping the magic of Christmas alive for young children. The author describes it as follows: "'The Pajama Elves' allows people to adopt and personalize the tradition in many ways, and it can be shared with family members who live far apart from one another." Sensitively done, "The Pajama Elves" is an ideal contemporary response to unique challenges faced by parents of young children today.

Coat of Many Colors


Dolly Parton - 1994
    The little girl wears it to school proudly, and when the other children laugh, she gives them a quick lesson about what it means to be rich. Judith Sutton's beautiful paintings bring one of Dolly Parton's best-loved songs to life. "The heartfelt verses are imbued with the same genuine, infectiously likeable spirit Parton herself projects." Publishers Weekly

Tough Guys and Drama Queens: How Not to Get Blindsided by Your Child's Teen Years


Mark Gregston - 2012
    Are you ready for your child's teen years?If you've ever lain awake at night wondering what might be around the corner of your child's adolescence, this book is for you! After more than thirty-eight years of working with more than 2,500 years, Mark Gregston, founder of heartlight, a Christian residential counseling center, introduces Tough Guys and Drama Queens — a must-read "how-to" book for parents of pre-teens and teens with time-tested, biblical techniques to guide you  through these unavoidably challenging years.Mark helps parents realize that some natural parenting approaches are actually counter-productive and therefore totally ineffective.In place of those, he offers tried and true wisdom on the vital importance of relationship, forgiveness, and explains how conflict is actually the precursor to change.Everyday your child is bombarded by highly sexualized culture and over-exposed to words and images that can influence them beyond your reach.your connection to them during these years is critical as is your response to tough issues such as appearance, performance, authority and respect, boundaries, and many more.

Love Is Patient, But I'm Not: Confessions of a Recovering Perfectionist


Christopher West - 2017
    . . but not like this.In this revealing book, renowned speaker and author Christopher West discusses the topic of love and relationships, but he does it through the lens of his own powerful and personal experience. If you've ever wondered what to do with that deep cry of your heart to love and be loved, read on.Love Is Patient, but I'm Not offers West's reflections on Pope Francis book The Joy of Love. It focuses on the heart of the pope's meditations on the famous love is patient and kind passage from 1 Corinthians 13. Its short chapters will take you line by line through the passage, and will also let you in on some intimate aspects of West's faith journey—his wound of perfectionism, his consequent challenges as a husband and father, and the ups and downs he experiences as he struggles to work it all out. As it turns out, we aren't the only ones who find it hard to live out the love St. Paul describes for us.Interspersed throughout the book are short prayers and questions for reflection designed to help you open your heart to God and experience his unconditional, merciful love more fully. Read this book for a dose of spiritual encouragement and for a real-life look at what it means to live the joy of love.

When Shovels Break


Michael J. Shank - 2013
    Struggles, discouragement, and John's improper expectations of what God was "supposed" to do for his life caused John to leave his faith and the Lord's body, the church. John went back into every form of sin imaginable: alcoholism, drug abuse, adultery, and pornography - just as a dog returns to its vomit. John's shame and guilt, his failure to provide for his family, and the loss of all hope that God could ever forgive him brings John to a terrifying moment... holding a shotgun to his chin. He starts to pull the trigger. Can God forgive this wretch of a man? Is it possible for John to be restored and to be able to return to Jesus Christ? This raw, gritty, true story grabs the reader from beginning to end. It is a story about the real life of a discouraged Christian, and it is a story of hope, love, and the redemption found through the grace of God!

31 Days to a Happy Husband: What a Man Needs Most from His Wife


Arlene Pellicane - 2012
    Based on their answers, Pellicane identified five keys that will give wives a new appreciation and understanding of how to love and care for their mates.Domestic tranquility—A husband needs a peaceful haven.Respect—A husband needs to be honored in his home.Eros—A husband needs a fulfilling sex life.Attraction—A husband needs to be attracted to his wife.Mutual activities—A husband needs to have fun with his wife.Along with identifying a husband’s needs, Pellicane provides practical instruction to motivate and equip wives to show their husbands the care and affection they long for. Every day a wife is either building her husband up or tearing him down. This book offers wives a 31-day, no holding back, life-changing building program for their marriages.

Give Thanks to the Lord: Celebrating Psalm 92


Karma Wilson - 2007
    Told from the point of view of one young member of an extended family, Give Thanks to the Lord celebrates all the joys of the autumn holiday, from the arrival of distant relatives to a cozy house filled with noisy good cheer to apple cider and the delicious smells of roasting turkey and baking pies. And just when mouths are watering, the family sits down, holds hands, and says a prayer of thanks to God for 'food and fun and family, all the wonderful things we see.' Young readers will delight in each tender rhyme as they learn to appreciate their own many blessings in this full-color picture book for kids. KARMA WILSON Her first poem was published at the tender age of six. The poem was ironically titled, 'I Don't Wanna Write a Poem!' Growing up, she had no desire to write. But Providence had different plans, and now Karma writes poems for a living when she's not busy being a wife and raising threekids. In her spare hours Karma spends time in the wilderness, lifts weights, cooks, and kickboxes. And she loves writing. Karma lives in Fione, MT.AMY JUNE BATES has illustrated dozens of children's books. She lives in Ann Arbor, MI, with her husband and their son, Evan.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels All Around: 101 Inspirational Stories of Miracles, Divine Intervention, and Answered Prayers


Amy Newmark - 2019
    And angels are all around if we are open to seeing them and accepting their help. You’ll be inspired, awed and comforted by these 101 stories from ordinary people who’ve had extraordinary experiences, including: The young family caught in a snowstorm who were rescued by a man named David and hosted in his cabin—who learned afterwards that David and his family had died three years earlier on the same highway they were stuck on The widow who had been making snow angels with her husband for decades and then found two perfect ones in the fresh snow by his memorial bench one wintry morning—with no footprints leading to them The daughter whose dying mother promised to send flowers, who returned from the funeral to find her mom’s almost dead Christmas cacti had blossomed, covering an entire room with flowers The mother who saw her husband hoisting their little girl by one arm from a lake she’d fallen into, but didn’t see the man her husband says was holding the girl’s other arm The notoriously grumpy old man in a nursing home who spent a whole day happily saying goodbye to everyone and thanking them because an angel told him, correctly, it would be his last day on earth The teenager working in a hotel kitchen who was pushed away by an invisible force while standing in a group of people, and just missed being hit by a large piece of equipment that fell right where she’d been standing

Book of Mormon Stories


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - 1978
    Each picture within the stories includes a caption with corresponding scripture reference. The book also includes glossaries of important words, people, and places, maps, a timeline, and a full index.