Top 10 Books of 2024

 Hello everyone, and happy New Year! I hope that 2024 was good to you, but if not, I pray that you look for hope in 2025. Though I took a break last year from posting, I wanted to come back this year and share my top 10 books of the year. This is the fourth year now that I have completed reading 100 books in a year, and please remember that I also count audio books and picture books (especially because I am a teacher). It is always so fun to see at the end of the year the variety of genres and to remember what I was experiencing while I read.

1. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Caused an Epidemic of Mental Illness

Not only would I recommend this book, I think it is essential for every parent, teacher, grandparent, youth worker, extended family etc. who have children within their lives--so basically all adults. This was also voted as Goodread's top book in nonfiction this year where over 6,200,000 people voted. This is such a powerful book about how the digital age has greatly impacted our children. In an earlier blog post, I talked about the book Dear Reader Come Home and how the digital age was impacting our brains as readers. This books discusses how it has impacted our entire society especially focusing on children. 

As more and more children have access to phones and social media, they are increasingly less regulated online than in the real world. Children need to have unstructured time to play outside, but yet, this free play is increasingly regulated as people are anxious about children getting hurt. One school that I am familiar with (not my own) has rules about playing soccer where if someone trips, the children cannot play it. While this rule seems silly in a game like soccer where there is a constant tangle of feet to get to one ball, it is an increasing frustration for the children. The book also cites schools that have rules about tag and other rules that are an effort to make the adults feel better about the children's safety. 

Meanwhile, the online world is less regulated, and that is where more dangers lie. While the minimum age for social media is 13, there is very little if any verification about this. Jonathan Haidt also discussed the impact on both girls and boys of online usage. For girls, social media would often promote beauty standards and weight trends, and for boys, the video game world would show easy socialization without the real world need to put forth effort. 

The author suggested to help counter this, that children should not have a smart phone or social media until about 16 (this doesn't include phones that just call or text as this would allow children more independence to grow and do things on their own like walking to a neighbor's house or the local grocery store by themselves). He also suggested allowing children to have free play with little if any adult regulations. Let children be children, and enjoy their childhood. As a fifth grade teacher, I fully agreed with what he said as I have often seen how the use of technology (ex: group chats) can lead to drama, misunderstanding, and behavior that would not normally be exhibited in the real world. Again, I think it is so important for people to read this book and understand that the real danger is not outside on the playground, but inside on the phones and tablets. 

2. Unashamed: Drop the Baggage, Pick up Your Freedom, Fulfill Your Destiny

I read this book in January, and it has resonated with me throughout this year. In fact, I loved it so much, that I read it twice. Throughout the year, I have reminded myself of the lessons within this book both for myself and those who are close to me. This is an excellent book for ladies who feel less than, unworthy, or unloved even over little things, and it focuses us back on Christ and whom He says that we are. Chris Caine shares some of her story growing up in a Greek family (maybe that's why I liked reading it so much because she too is Greek!), and she shares her story of feeling ashamed because she was interested in learning rather than what her family expected. She also shares others' stories both big and small areas of shame, but she always pointed the reader back to Christ. This book is filled with Scripture as it tackles how our minds are often the forefront of our struggles. One powerful example that she gives about our thoughts is through her getting on a wrong train. When she gets off the train, she looks around and says, "Ugh! How did I get here?" and the conductor simply explains, "You got on the wrong train." Often our feelings of guilt and shame stem from one single thought that we continue to ride, and at the end of the day feeling discouraged and disheartened, we wonder how we got there. We got there because we allowed ourselves to ride the wrong train of thought for a long time instead of immediately giving the thought over to God. As someone who struggles with overthinking, I thought this book was spot on as a reminder of the value that I have in Christ and who He has called me to be. 

3. The Wishing Game 

This was such a fun book and an easy read. This was a combination of puzzles, children's literature in a book for adults, hints of romance, and an adventure. Lucy is a teaching assistant in an elementary school (I know I often gravitate toward books that have a protagonist in elementary education), and she wants to be able to adopt a boy in foster care who is at her school. Unfortunately, she is not able to afford it. While she saves up, they bond over children's literature: The Clock Island books. Lucy then gets the opportunity to compete at Clock Island where the author Jack Masterson lives. Through a series of puzzles, she must compete to gain the copy of Jack's latest books that would surely give her the money needed to adopt the boy. This book reminded me of the Lemoncello book series that are for children where it has puzzles throughout, but The Wishing Game is written for an adult audience. 

4. Candle in the Darkness

My mom and I read this book as an audiobooks as we were traveling somewhere together. We both loved it! My mom even went on to read the entire trilogy that she highly recommends. Over the past few years, I have discovered Lynn Austin, and every book of hers captures the historic moment and includes heart within her stories. This book takes place in the South during the Civil War. Austin plays with time as the main character who narrates the story is writing what happened from a later time within the book. Though it takes place in Virginia, Caroline, a wealthy merchant's daughter, checks her own beliefs about slavery and begins the fight for abolition. We see through her eyes the tragic outcome of war upon one's city and one's heart. This brilliantly crafted book had several unexpected outcomes but ended with hope. Another book that I read by Lynn Austin this year was called Return to Me about people during Bible days returning to Israel after the Babylon captivity. Probably one of my favorites by Austin though is The Proper Pursuit  where a lady in Chicago is trying to figure out which suitor will be the man she marries. It has fun twists and turns including a visit to the World Fair that was both whimsical and thoughtful.

5. The Donner Dinner Party

I love history, and I love when I find books that are both historically accurate and capture children's fascination. This book is both. Nathan Hale has several books like this out, and each one is a journey through history in an easy-to-understand way. They are all graphic novels, and they are one of the reasons that I argue that graphic novels can make you think. This book details the westward journey of the Donner Party and some of the choices that they met with along the way (SPOILER: including cannibalism --to which all the kids respond with "EW Gross!" but keep reading). Even the scenes that are tragic and violent are done in a way to share hard history with children while not over doing it but also keeping them engaged. And when I return from break, my students will get to learn about the Donner Party (at least those who have not yet read this book--which I know of quite a few who already have and who did recommend it to their friends).

6. Counting by 7s

Counting by 7s was a book recommended by one of my students, and I agree that it was really good. Willow Chance is a gifted young lady who enjoys researching and learning anything that is available. In fact, she enjoys numbers and math so much that to calm herself down, she begins to count by 7s (I know for me, I try to avoid using 7s in math whenever possible). Without really trying, she is able to get a perfect score on a standardized test that the school administration accuse of her cheating on. This lands her in a counselor's office who has very clear categories for every child that he sees. Not only does Willow have to deal with her extraordinary genius, but during the book, she experiences a great loss. With the help of the people around her, she is able to use her gifts and talents to find family. 

7. All Creatures Great and Small 

I don't know about you, but I thoroughly enjoy the PBS series All Creatures Great and Small. It is a charming series about a Scottish doctor who ends up in the English countryside. When I found out that it was based on a book, I was thrilled, and I knew I had to check it out. As James Herriot (pen name for James Alfred Wight) describes his adventures as a vet, he brings life and humor to the stories that he shares. These are based on his real experiences as a vet, but because he was afraid how people would receive them, he chose to use a pen name. People loved it though. There were moments when I was laughing out loud at some of the antics that he had to deal with (one involved a difficult client and a mixup of medicine and feces--a story that I am sure my nephews would adore). Also, as a bonus, I was reading this book while I was in Scotland. Though the book takes place in England, it was very easy to imagine the countryside as I gazed around me in Scotland. Here is one image from that trip. 

8. Faker

I was so excited to read this book. Another author that I have truly enjoyed is Gordan Korman. Every book of his that I have read, I have highly reviewed. He also writes in such a way that he could easily capture young male readers too since often the protagonist is a boy about their age. This book is about a boy whose dad is a con artist. Every few months or so, Trey and his family must upend their life, destroy their identities, and restart (ironically one of my favorite books by Korman is Restart) in a new spot where his dad sets up a new scheme to get people's money. I will admit that when I first read the synopsis, I was a bit skeptical. However, Korman writes in such a way that challenges one to think about truth and integrity. It would lead to deep discussions if a parent read this alongside of their child as they are molding the child's character. This may be a book that I use as a read aloud in my class one day. I enjoyed it, and I know children and adults would too.

9. The Other Bennet Sister

Surprise! I am a huge Jane Austen fan. I mean I took a Jane Austen class in college, I learned how to dance as Jane Austen would have danced, I am currently co-hosting a Jane Austen book club, and I have read all of her books at least twice. So I don't take this lightly, but I really enjoyed this adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Normally, I stay far away from fan-fiction, but this one intrigued me. It is from the perspective of Mary, the sister that is scorned at the piano, makes comments about reading, and is generally shunned. This book brought her perspective to light as this nerdy person who loves to read (someone I can very much relate to 🤓). Janice Hadlow also introduces the idea that Mary was much better suited to Mr. Collins than to Lizzy Bennet that he ends up proposing to but marries Charlotte. This book takes Mary on a transformational journey that allows her to be a true Jane Austen heroine, and the story was charming but not predictable. If you are a Jane Austen fan, you will also enjoy this book.

10. Swim Team

Swim Team is another book recommended by one of my students. This is also a graphic novel. It talks about how one girl cannot swim, but she ends up taking swim class because of a scheduling error. I loved this book because it was able to put into pictures what it feels like to struggle with anxious thoughts. Yet, Bree is able to overcome her overthinking brain to end up being on and competing on a swim team. This is an inspirational book about how we can achieve things when we set our mind to it. 

So that is my list for 2024! Did you read any of these books or now want to read? What books would you recommend? I hope that you all have a very happy 2025 full of joy, love, and hope!