Reading aloud to my children continues to be one of the best parts of motherhood for me. There’s just something so peaceful, so connected, so all-is-right-with-the-world about snuggling up together — everyone freshly pajama-ed, all quarrels postponed, lamplight low — to read another chapter.
In the midst of a full life, I have found that the very best way to make time for reading together is to choose books that we can’t wait to return to each night — books that make us start dinner prep on time, work together to clear the table, bathe efficiently, and eagerly bounce onto whatever bed we’re gathering on. To help with this, I put in some effort each year to plan out of titles for the months ahead. (Just like with my own reading list!) We’ll almost certainly deviate from this plan, but it’s a good place to start. In case it inspires your own year of reading…
Quarter 1 | January, February, and March
The first three months of the year tend to be some of our best for readalouds: our schedule is quieter, and we’re (I’m) fired up from yearly planning. Knowing that June would want to start the fourth Harry Potter as soon as she received it for her early-January birthday, I wedged in a shorter-but-beloved favorite from my childhood right at the beginning. (Both kids loved it.) I’m currently deep into the fourth HP while John reads Prince Caspian to Shep (he hadn’t joined readaloud when John and June read it the first time). From there, John will read the final Narnia book and then I’ll crack open the first in the Wingfeather Saga, which June has been desperate to read. (All her friends have read it, apparently, which delights me no end.)
Next we’ll return to another beloved series we’re making our way through. Shep hasn’t read the first three, but they’re easy to pick up midway. From there, we’ll read one of my favorite books of all time, with attendant nerves that they’ll enjoy it as much as I do. We’ll round things out with a classic and the second book in the Wingfeather series. This quarter is a little “girl heavy,” but Shep continuously surprises me by how much he loves even books I’m unsure about. (For example, he loved Anne of Green Gables last year.)
When June heads to summer camp, Shep and I will dig into Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. (I don’t know what we’ll do when Shep goes to camp, too, but right now June’s two-week absence aligns well with his birthday!) John will read them the third Wingfeather before Annie joins read aloud upon her entrance into kindergarten (!). With the newest member of our crew, we’ll circle back around to where we started our readaloud journey: with the first book in the Little House series (it’s been four years since June read them) and with Charlotte’s Web, a book I think every child should have read to them at least once.
Between travel, holidays, and activities, these months are notoriously slow for readalouds around here. Realistically, I’m hoping to fit in just three: a beloved classic from my childhood, the next Little House, and the final Wingfeather installment. (Not sure what I’m going to do about the fact that Annie will have only joined for number four, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Maybe she’ll sit that one out and she and I will catch up on something else?)
We are also reading Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and Island of the Blue Dolphins with June’s school book club! For Shep’s, I plan to start with Mr. Popper’s Penguins and The Mouse and the Motorcycle in the fall.
This year’s list skews heavily classic, and there are so many more books I wish we could squeeze in! First up if we have more time, or for next year: Number the Stars, A Place to Hang the Moon, All Thirteen, and Because of Winn Dixie.
Friends, I’d love to hear: What books have you enjoyed reading with your kids recently? What books would you be most excited to introduce your kids to?
Very happy to share my 2026 reading list! If you’re newer here, this is the very lowest-key of book clubs: I consider it a delightful exercise in thoughtfully planning my reading a year at a time (12 fiction, 12 non-fiction), and though I always read more than this, and I’m often at the whim of my library holds, it’s helpful to know where to turn when I’m ready for a new book!
Without further ado…
January: Little Women | A classic I’ve been meaning to read for years! It was on last year’s list and I didn’t get to it, so I’m putting it first this year :) June has already read the abridged version and is eager to watch the movie together once I finish. Meet Me in the Middle | I listened to the mother-daughter author pair on a podcast episode and enjoyed what they had to say. Thinking this might provide some good fodder for our upcoming tenth birthday getaway.
February: Beartown | Backman’s book about a small town and its hockey team has been recommended to me for years and years. February seems like the right (chilly!) month to dive in. The Art of Spending Money | So happy to have a new Morgan Housel book to enjoy! John and I are planning to read this together for a little two-person book club :)
March: Theo of Golden | There are two books that were read by almost everyone in Articles Club last year, and this is one of them. Must hop on the bandwagon! Parenting Ahead | This is a very under-the-radar parenting book, but it’s speaking my language: helping parents of younger children build a foundation for their family — based on Biblical principles — for the teen years to come. I’m also intrigued to read it for professional reasons, as it sounds similar to what I try to do at The Connected Family (just with a tech focus).
April: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Volume I | I’m curious how much traction this series is getting in the wider world, because in my bubble, seemingly everyone is reading it. The way people describe it reminds me a bit of the Mitford series; I’m looking forward to a cozy, literary read! The Screwtape Letters | A clever and illuminating C.S. Lewis classic, a series of letters to a young devil and back again. I read it several years ago but am ready for a re-read.
May: The Correspondent | Continuing the epistolary theme, this is the second book that has been making the rounds of Articles Club. I absolutely love the story of this book’s rise to prominence – slow and steady word of mouth that just caught fire – and the author’s story, too. (A fellow NC gal!) The Unthinkable | While this might be a depressing read, there’s also the potential for it to be fascinating and practical: “Amanda Ripley, an award-winning journalist who has covered some of the most devastating disasters of our age, set out to discover what lies beyond fear and speculation. In this magnificent work of investigative journalism, Ripley retraces the human response to some of history’s epic disasters” and emerges with practical advice as well as unforgettable stories. Reading along with Janssen’s book club.
June: Isola | A December release that came highly recommended by Whitney. I am so grateful for all her kid book picks and feel sure I’ll love this one, too. “An orphaned heiress is abandoned on a small island. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she’d never before needed. Inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine, Isola is the timeless story of a woman fighting for survival.” I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen | I preordered this one to support Kate but haven’t read it yet!
July: Covenant of Water | This one has been on my TBR list for quite some time but Laura Wifler’s review pushed me over the edge: “On the cover there is an endorsement that says this book is, ‘a pleasure to read,’ and honestly, that about sums it up. It’s incredible. The whole time I keep thinking—I can’t believe this is a real book. Not because it was such. a. page. turner. (though it often was) but because it was so well built and thought out. It’s hard to describe, but if you want a book that moves you in all the best ways, read this.” Will do! Writing Creativity and Soul | I think Sue Monk Kidd is a terrifically talented writer and I am excited to read her new book “on the mysteries, frustrations, and triumphs of being a writer – an instructive guide to awakening the soul.”
August: The Will of the Many| My sister recommended this new fantasy series, comparing it to Red Rising. Say no more! Hunting the Falcon | I gifted my Dad this “exhilarating feat of research and analysis” into the life of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn a few years ago. It’s hefty, but he quickly dispatched it and put it back on my shelf, thinking I would enjoy it, too. This time period has fascinated me since I read Philippa Gregory as a teenager (bet I’m not the only one!); I’m looking forward to finally picking it up and reading it myself.
September: The Glassmaker | In putting together this year’s list I tried to get real with my TBR Note. There are books that have literally been on there for a decade and I just haven’t reached for them – maybe time to let them go? I tried to delete with abandon but this one, a Tracy Chevalier historical novel from last year, made the cut. Hold Me Tight | I always try to read a marriage book in the month of our wedding anniversary. This one came highly recommended by Janssen.
October: The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell | I believe this was recommended by one of you on a past post! I revisited it in my TBR purge and am intrigued enough to add it to the list :) Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult | “Bruce Handy revisits the classics of American childhood, from fairy tales to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and explores the backstories of their creators, using context and biography to understand how some of the most insightful, creative, and witty authors and illustrators of their times created their often deeply personal masterpieces.” Here for it.
November: The Postcard | This was one of Claire’s favorite reads from 2025 and her description was intriguing enough to get it on my list: “This novel, like, changed my brain chemistry. It’s actually a fictionalized version of a real event, when Berest received a postcard with nothing written on it but the names of four family members who had died in a concentration camp. As she tries to find out who sent the postcard (real), you’re also taken up with her family’s story of being French Jews in World War 2 (fictionalized). Without a doubt my favorite historical fiction read this year, and that’s a long list as it’s my preferred genre.” Small Things Like These | “A deeply affecting story of hope, quiet heroism, and empathy from one of our most critically lauded and iconic writers.” It is, indeed, a small book, ideal for a busy month.
December: Still Life | I have many friends who love the Inspector Gamache series, and I’m excited to join them in their enthusiasm! The Library Book | “Weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into an investigation of a disastrous LA Public Library fire that consumed more than 400,000 books, award-winning reporter Susan Orlean delivers a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before.”
I’d love to hear: Have you read any of these books? Would you like to read any alongside me in 2026? Let’s chat! (And our 2026 readaloud plan is up next!)
Our children have been gifted with incredible teachers at every level of education. From infant daycare, to Montessori preschool, to public elementary school, we have found wise, talented teachers happy to partner with us in educating our kids. Each has shaped their lives in ways that are already visible, but whose full impact we might not know for years. Grateful, grateful, grateful.
Naturally, I wanted to find a way to keep these teachers close over the years, and that’s how we found our way to the graduation book tradition. You’re probably already familiar with it – parents choose a picture book and ask their children’s teachers to write a note in it each year, kind of like a yearbook. As a words gal, I love the idea of capturing memories and hopes for the future from these dear ones. June’s book now has several years of notes penned inside, and Shep’s has been broken in by his beloved preschool director. They’re both already on the short list of items I’d save in a fire.
While this tradition isn’t a new idea, it’s become a beloved one in our family, and so I thought I’d share a bit about it today!
How to organize a teacher picture book signing tradition
Though this tradition requires a bit of sustained effort over many years (your child’s entire K-12 education!), it’s really an easy lift: once you’ve chosen a book (see below!), you simply have to produce it at the right time each year for the teacher to sign – and, perhaps more challenging, keep it safe all the months in between. (We keep ours in our children’s memory boxes.)
Here’s the email I send to our kids’ teachers in late May:
Hi [teacher name]!
I hope you’re enjoying these last few days with your students! I will be sending in a picture book soon that I’m hoping you (and [assistant’s name], if she’d like!) would be willing to sign for our girl! I’m sure you’re very familiar with the tradition, but the idea is that you’d both choose any page and write her an encouraging note (no need to return it the same day – anytime before the end of the year!). We’ll then pass the book on to her teachers next year and beyond. (We do plan to let her read it along the way instead of waiting until graduation!)
She has enjoyed being with you both so, so much this year, and I know it will mean the world! Thank you in advance!!
Emily
Once receiving confirmation, I tuck the book in her backpack inside a manilla envelope. We keep it close until the end of the school year, then let the kids read the notes at our end-of-school-year/beginning-of-summer celebration. (I know some parents keep the tradition a secret until senior year, but I think it’s meaningful to be buoyed by these special teacher’s words along the way!)
14 Great Graduation Book Ideas
When looking for a graduation picture book, the key is to combine a meaningful message with illustrations that leave enough white space for writing notes. This is surprisingly tricky to find! Here are the two books we’ve used for our older kids, and a few others that are worth a look:
— The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be by Joanna Gaines | This is June’s book! I wouldn’t say it’s the absolute best story, but it’s sweet, the illustrations are lovely, and it has plenty of room for writing.
— What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada | Shep’s book! The black-and-white illustrations work wonderfully for adding colorfully-penned notes, and the message is timeless.
— Miss Rumphius | In terms of messaging, this would be my hands-down choice – but alas, I didn’t think it had enough room for notes. Worth considering, though!
— Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss | A classic! The sales of this one must be bananas in May.
— A World Wonder by Laura Wifler | Though I haven’t chosen a book yet for Annie, this is on my short list! We love this story of a girl with big dreams on a journey to discover what makes life truly meaningful.
— Journey by Aaron Becker | This is a visually-stunning wordless picture book – perfect for adding your own words of wisdom over the years!
— The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Martin | This seems to be a very popular option for graduation book gifts. I don’t care for her illustration style as much as some of these others, but this is a great pick with plenty of white space on the page.
— All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon | This simple, profound Caldecott Honor book follows a circle of family and friends over the course of a day. The breathy, windswept illustrations leave plenty of margin for notes!
— Because by Mo Williams | We have and love this picture book about the chain reaction one decision can make, which begins and ends (and begins?) with a life-changing musical performance. Check it out in person, though – the (beautiful!) illustrations take up a lot of the space on each page.
— The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson | The vibrant illustrations in this one are a marvel, but I don’t know that they leave quite enough room on the page for notes! Either way, the message is lovely and this is a book my kids enjoyed reading.
— Wherever You Go by Pat Zietlow Miller | This one seems a bit calculated to be an alternative to the almost-trite Oh the Places You’ll Go, but I think it succeeds! The verse is easy, the illustrations are whimsical and packed with detail, and it has plenty of “off you go into the world!” verve.
— The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein | Sob. This unforgettable story of love and empathy is a timeless pick. Shel’s spare, black-and-white illustrations leave plenty of room for colorful penned notes.
— Why Not?by Kobi Yamada | Honestly, this one seems designed to be used as a graduation book rather than as an actual picture book for preschoolers, so let’s give it its moment! :) The beautiful illustrations and encouraging text are an invitation to embrace big possibilities.
— The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth | “When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?” These questions are asked and answered in this picture book based on a fable by Leo Tolstoy. Simple and direct text paired with whimsical watercolors make for a satisfying package.
I’d love to hear: does your family do the graduation book tradition? If so, what books do you use? I’d love to hear!
After a very successful 2023 list (20/24, by far the closest I’ve come to completing one), I faltered a bit in 2024, finishing 16 of 24. Part of that was due to the library holds system – The Power of Moments just arrived, and I’ve been waiting weeks for Delicious! and The Measure to be delivered – but I suspect I also fell victim to a defect I noticed in 2022: placing books on the list that I wasn’t absolutely chomping at the bit to read.
That’s the bar I’m using this year (absolutely chomping at the bit to read), and I’m also making one other change: I’m putting some of the books I’m most eager to tear into in the last quarter. If I get to them sooner? That’s quite alright. I’m guessing I’ll just be grateful to have read them at all :)
(If you’re new, this is the very lowest-key of book clubs: I consider it a delightful exercise in thoughtfully planning my reading a year at a time (12 fiction, 12 non-fiction), and though I’m often at the whim of my library holds (ahem, see above), it’s helpful to always know where to turn when I’m ready for a new book!)
Without further ado…
January: The Unmaking of June Farrow| I love a well-done time travel escapade and this 2024 NYT bestseller, set in North Carolina and recommended by Janssen, has all the makings of a hit: “a woman risks everything to end her family’s centuries-old curse, solve her mother’s disappearance, and find love.” Well-Lived | This is Sally Clarkson’s newest book, undoubtedly filled with her wisdom on family, hospitality, discipleship, and cultivating joy – and this time, accented by her time living in Oxford with her daughter’s family.
February: Gilead | This Pulitzer Prize winner has come recommended from many different sources over the years, and not always ones that I’d guess would appreciate a book about a pastor in the 1950’s. Adorning the Dark | As I’ve struggled with a crisis of confidence in my writing this past year, this book has been recommended a few times – most recently by my boss. I’m looking forward to reading my first offering from Andrew Peterson.
March: The Wedding People | This one has been making the rounds of Articles Club to glowing reviews (Steph named it one of her top 8 books of 2024!). Although I can’t keep up with every buzzy novel, this one will scratch that itch – and I always love when a wedding is mixed up in a plot. The Writing Life | Another book on craft recommended by someone I trust! It has been years (decades?) since I read a book on writing – likely since college! – and I’m looking forward to dipping a toe back in.
April: A Prayer for Owen Meany | This was the favorite book of my high school best friend. At the time, I remember being intrigued by the vaguely religious and old-fashioned title, and surprised that he confessed it as his favorite — but never made time to read it in the midst of lab reports and term papers. Two decades later, I’m excited to read it and then discuss it with him at our reunion :) Never Enough | This book is mentioned so often in podcasts and articles I come across in my work with TCF. While I wouldn’t say toxic achievement culture has its hooks in our family, I think it’s important for me to understand it a bit more as I continue to preach against it.
May: Table for Two | Let’s add a short story collection to the list! And one by the author of one of my 2023 favorites, The Lincoln Highway, to boot. I’ve heard nothing but good things. Sea Biscuit | Just in time for the Kentucky Derby. I think this 2002 novel will hit the same note as one of my favorite non-fiction picks from 2024, The Boys in the Boat.
June: Run | “A crazy story with a plot that doesn’t stop and characters that are rich enough to make me care. I want to read it again right now,” says the Lazy Genius. I fear this one is going to keep me up too late at night. Confronting Christianity | I’ve read another of Rebecca McLaughlin’s book and always appreciate her perspective – especially when it comes to questions my kids might ask me one day.
July: Real Americans| The plot summary for this one practically has me salivating – I hope it lives up to its promise! Romney: A Reckoning | Another fitting read for the month of our country’s birth. McCay Coppins is a writer for The Atlantic and so I’ve seen bits and pieces of this excerpted there already.
August: Peace Like a River | It’s been over a decade since I read this extraordinary debut novel—a heroic quest, a tragedy, a love story, and a haunting meditation on the possibility of magic in the everyday world—but I’ve been thinking about it lately and am adding it here to ensure I dust it off our shelf. The Self-Driven Child | Another re-read! When I gushed about this one three years ago, I wrote that I expected to return to it as our children grew. The children have grown, so here we are. I also promised to write a book review for it – perhaps I can follow through this time!
September: American Wife | Curtis Sittenfeld’s novels can be a mixed bag for me – some land near the top of my favorites list, while others disappoint – but reader Katherine’s enthusiastic endorsement of this one landed it on this year’s list! The Day the World Came to Town | “When 38 jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land at Gander International Airport on September 11, the population of a small town on Newfoundland Island swelled from 10,300 to nearly 17,000. The citizens of Gander met the stranded passengers with an overwhelming display of friendship and goodwill, leading to friendships they expect will last a lifetime.” Seems only appropriate to read this in September.
October: Code Name Helene | As soon as I finished The Frozen River (one of my favorite fiction reads of 2024) this novel by the same author shot to the top of my TBR list, where it had been languishing for years. The Many Lives of Mama Love | I mean, the description is certainly compelling: suburban mom turned opioid addict turned jailhouse shot caller turned celebrated ghostwriter. While I don’t expect it to stand up to Bryan Stevensons’ Just Mercy, I hope it will similarly open my eyes to a different life experience than mine.
November: Little Women | A classic I’ve been meaning to read for years! Many of you have recommended reading it in a cozy winter month, so here we are. Happier Hour | With a tagline of “how to beat distraction, expand your time, and focus on what matters most,” this book seems like required reading for my work at Cultivate. I’m sure it will spark ideas for life at home, too.
December: Christmas with the Queen | A final pick I’ll read along with the Everyday Reading book club! Liturgy of the Ordinary | Though it predates it, this one feels like it will hit many of the same notes as Habits of the Household, a book I cherish and that still encourages me to find the sacred in the ordinary.
Honorable mentions I’m hoping to squeeze in, as well:Small Things Like These; Belgravia; The Paris Agent; The Historian; The Name of the Wind; The Glassmaker; and Nora Goes Off Script.
I’d love to hear: Have you read any of these books? Would you like to read any alongside me in 2025? Let’s chat!
