"Thankful" by Eileen Spinelli and Illustrated by Archie Preston

This adorable book is all about gratitude.  From firefighters to gardeners to dancers to artists, all chip in to say what they are grateful for.  However, there are not real firemen and gardeners and so forth depicted.  Rather, the brother-sister protagonist duo pretends to be most other people person.  This hardcover book is well made with nice glossy pages.  The illustrations really make this book what it is.  They are clever and cute and oh-so hilarious.  From the little boy running for mayor with a sign about abolishing bedtimes to the father rolling his eyes as he presents high-tea desserts to the little girl queen, this story is sure to have you giggling.  The book is not overtly religious.  There is a church with a steeple in the background of an image, plus a pastor who is grateful for God's Word included.  However, no one religion feels pushed on the reader.  This book is just a fun read for people of all ages to remind them to be more thankful for the blessings they have.

"The Plans I Have For You" by Amy Parker and Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

This adorable book takes Jeremiah 29:11 and brings it to life.  Children are depicted in magnificent full-color images of them following their dreams.  Some are doctors, some work at zoos, some are scientists, some are pilots, and so forth.  It is emphasized that each child is unique and special and that no path is superior to any other.  So, a doctor is just as loved as a store clerk in God's eyes.  What's nice is that there are kids of all ethnicity shown.  Stereotypes are broken as readers see that anyone can be whatever God as in store for them.  This hardcover book is a treasure for children and adults alike that should be read over and over.

"Wild in the Hollow" by Amber C. Haines

Starting at her own childhood and ending at the childhood of her sons, this book follows one woman's life journey.  The text reads like a memoir with its brutal honesty and poetic license.  Amber tells of her shameful past she regrets of chasing after men.  Readers then follow her as she converts to Christianity and eventually marries her holy-roller husband.  The struggles of marriage, affairs, and such are described.  When kids finally enter the picture, Amber is honest with her insecurities and anxieties of postpartum depression as her own baby holds on for dear life in the hospital.  This is a religious book in that it talks about Christianity and the church.  Due to the sensitive nature of this book in describing the author's sexual encounters, I would not recommend it for young readers.  The book is not graphic, but it does allude to mature matters.  There is no swearing in the book.