For the love of the library..

Going to the library, is like for me, what coffee is to others. In fact, truth be told, I think its more. (Cause I have never been able to truly enjoy a coffee out that compares to the Nescafe Vanilla Latte sachets you make at home). And if Im going to have a drink out, its got to be something decent.. like Turkish Apple Tea, or a Feijoa smoothie, or something that hits the right notes.

Moving on.

Pop in my hands a decent book and a decent drink, and Im happy.

Here's some of my favourite reading:

Cookbooks -
Jaime Oliver, Nigella Lawson, Annabelle Langbein, Barefoot Contessa etc. Although I do love to eat a nice dessert, I actually love to cook mains and I really love a cookbook that tells a story, such as this beautiful one, 28 Days in Provence by Shannon Bennett.

The humour of travelling with kids, interwoven with using fresh market food and ingredients that are real. And the photography.. Id quite like to buy the book and rip it up and frame the images. It might make you want to move to the Provence region. Or plant a vegetable garden. Or visit the local market with new eyes.

Biographies -
I dont enjoy 'teaching' books. I know, there are some great ones and I have them on my shelves. Biographies however, I never tire of. An amazing story of someones life and their testimony sticks with me and encourages my soul.
Here's some of my favs;
Through Gates of Splendour by Elisabeth Elliot
The Heavenly Man
The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson
Hudson Taylor
Vanya
His Perfect Faithfulness by Eric and Leslie Ludy
One of these, however, I have read over and over.. its impact far reaching in my life: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. This story is impacting beginning to end. Her simple family life in their humble abode in Holland, and the security of a gentle Fatherly presence, interrupted by the divine orchestration of her secret work during the Holocaust of World War 2, which had her, and her sister, sent to Ravensbruck. Ive been gripped with suspense everytime Ive read it and cried everytime too. And Ive read it about 5 times, maybe more.. it never gets boring.

Parenting books -
Seriously, we own at least 20 at first count: Ian Grant, Celia Lashlie, Steve Biddulph, Michael Pearl, Tedd Tripp.. Its not hard to pin a favourite as I have two. The first is about food and eating, Ive written about it before, "French Kids Eat Everything" by Karen Le Billon. I love it because its truly changed how we eat, and made our table a joy. But I return over and over to a book I bought in my teenage years, before said hubby and family were even on the scene: The Shaping of a Christian Family by Elisabeth Elliot. Its not a book of formula's but of the story of her childhood. There are so many beautiful ideas in there.

Family Reading -
Sam and I read to the children a lot. Sam has a whole library of Childrens Bibles and loves to go through them with the kids. I read to them the chapter novels.
Some hits in our home have been; The Barn Chronicles by Rosie Boom, Stuart Little by E.B White, Charlottes Web also by E.B White, YWAM Christian Heroes stories, The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis. Our favourite books this year have been Tumtum and Nutmeg adventures by Emily Bearn
These are just the sweetest little stories about some little mice and the fight against good and bad. The endings are always so endearing. I loved reading them, as much as the kids enjoyed hearing them. This book inspired many a miniature mouse room being built by the kids out of our recycling. It was so fun! NB: You will however, feel guilty about ever killing a little mouse again ;)