For the kids: As the parents of small children, my husband and I spend a lot of time reading to them. One of their favorites is also one of ours: An Awesome Book of Thanks! Dallas Clayton’s illustrations and prose playfully teach children about gratitude for things large and small. High levels of gratitude explain more about psychological well-being than 30 of the most commonly studied personality traits. Even our adult friends love this book.
For the adults: The New Haven Review’s new book-publishing side gives us a tongue-in-cheek guide to seducing women by Rudolph Delson and a sci-fi essay by Gregory Feeley. But I’m most excited by Blue for Oceans, a book of poetry about family and growing older by Charles Douthat. If he writes as well as his son Ross, it promises to be great. All three are available here.
For the curious: If you’re a lifelong Lutheran looking for a refresher or simply curious about what Lutherans believe, Lutheranism 101 is the best guide out there. It’s very easy to read, with short articles, humorous lists, and illustrations. And yet it’s also a solid presentation of Lutheran beliefs and heritage.
— Mollie Ziegler Hemingway writes for GetReligion.org.