The Best Book Series for Kids Ages 9–15 | Perfect for Kids Who Love to Get Lost in a Series

The Best Book Series for Kids Ages 9–15 | Perfect for Kids Who Love to Get Lost in a Series

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My kids are voracious readers. It can be difficult for me to keep up with getting enough books for them to read, which is why I love finding a book series. Luckily there are plenty of amazing book series out there with more coming out all the time. I wanted to compile my very favorite book series to inspire others. So if you have a super reader or just need some book series to get your kids interested in reading, this is the list for you!

If you want to find all of these books in one place you can check out my Series Book List on my Amazon Storefront.

This six book series is top tier in our household. I found this series years ago and accidentally picked up the third book of the series first to read aloud. It was a great story, but I felt like some of the background and characters could have been expanded upon a little bit more. Lucky for me when I finished the book I realized I had started on the third book and could get the backstory I so craved by just reading the first two books. My husband and daughter started reading the first book together at bedtime, and they both absolutely loved it. I believe the series is complete at this point and all I've heard is rave reviews from my husband who loved reading it to my daughter and my daughter who has read through the series multiple times at this point.  She loves that it is a very imaginative story and would love to be a book wanderer and travel through stories.


This book is a great cast of unique characters who use their interesting talents and knowledge to get through sticky situations. This is a great book if your kids like puzzles and using logic to move through the mysteries these characters encounter. My daughter especially loves the characters and how they worked together.


The Neverfear just came out and my daughter finished it in one day. She loves the witty characters and the magical and mythical creatures they encounter. She says the books are filled with humor and adventure. It must be a good series because she loves to talk about it and share the books with her friends who love it as well!

The Prophecy Begins (First Series) ||| The New Prophecy (Second Series) 
The Power of Three (Third Series) ||| Omen of the Stars (Fourth Series) 
A Vision of Shadows (Fifth Series) ||| The Broken Code (Sixth Series) ||| A Starless Clan (Seventh Series) Changing Skies (Eighth Series 4 of 6 books with two more to come) ||| The Warrior Cats Ultimate Guide

I didn't know about The Warrior Cats so I didn't know how our lives would change when I got my daughter her first book in the very expansive series. Since that day we have had 2 Warrior Cat themed birthday parties and she was invited to someone else's Warrior Cat themed birthday. We have a Warrior den outside the kids love to play in. We have warrior cat stuffs, and warrior cat toys. Both of my girls love it and it has helped them create such imaginative play together. My daughter says it is a great book for people who love cats as it takes you on an adventure through the different clans and lives of the Warrior Cats.


My husband and daughter read this series together and they both enjoyed it. My daughter says it has a really good storyline and it is really long so there is a lot of great character development. This book was made into a series by AppleTV so if you enjoy the book you can see it brought to life, or vice versa you could watch the series first and then check out the books.

The City of Ember series feels like a hidden gem series to me. The book follows two kids who live in an underground city, but when the electricity starts to fail and the lights flicker out, they must discover where they are, why they are there in the first place and a way out. It is a mystery and adventure books and honestly a book I would love to see make a comeback and get the recognition it deserves.

Wings of Fire is an 18 Book Series with potential for more to come. It follows dragons who come from different tribes. My daughter loves all of different dragons and says the characters are easy to relate to and she loves to imagine herself as one of the characters in this mythical land. This book feels immersive in the same way many great series do. When you read it you like to wonder which dragon tribe you would fit into the best. There are heroes and villains. There are impossible tasks to accomplish. And there is always more of the world to discover and immerse yourself into.

The Land of stories follows twins who happen upon a magical world separate from their own ordinary lives. In this magical place they come upon characters they know from fairy tales, but the characters are different in one way or another. In this foreign world they must complete various tasks across the magical land to complete their quest. I have great memories of listening to the audiobook with my kids while we worked on a puzzle over the course of a few days and honestly we were all enchanted and immersed into the stories. My daughter went on to read all the books in the series and enjoyed them as well!

My daughter loves the Percy Jackson series because she really enjoys the mythology you learn from it and loves being immersed in a big adventure. As a bonus it has also recently been turned into a Disney+ series that seems to be well done.

I loved reading the first book with my daughter and she has enjoyed the sequels as well. This book follow a robot who is washed up on an island and how it integrates into the wild world. My daughter loves that it is an emotional book that teaches you about relationships, working together, and needing each other. It has also recently been made into a movie which I also enjoyed.

The Sherlock Society by James Ponti
I read the Sherlock Society along with nine 5th graders for a local library challenge and I think we all really liked the book. It was definitely one of the favorite books I read and many of the kids were anxious to get the second book to read. The third book just came out but we have high hopes it's just as good. It follows four kids and their enabling grandfather as they try to solve mysteries. Like most mysteries the mystery they are trying to solve leads to even more mysteries. It a good book about working as a team and doing the right thing, even when it is difficult.

Framed! A Crime Fighting Collection by James Ponti  
Framed! ||| Vanished! ||| Trapped!
After reading the Sherlock Society my daughter wanted to read more books by James Ponti, so when we found this other series we had no doubt it would be great. My daughter says it's another great mystery with funny characters. She pointed out that she enjoys the way James Ponti books start from the end, with the dilemma or problem and then you go back in time to find out how they got into the mess they are in before the book resolves.

 Max in the House of Spies ||| Max in the Land of Lies
This book is a historical fiction book set during WWII. It follows Max who is a Jewish boy living in Germany who is sent away from home during WWII through the Kindertransport. He lives with relatives who are engaged in a spy network that Max gets to be a part of. It is a well written book and keeps you engaged in the story. My daughter especially loved the character Berg and Stein who bring some cometic relief to this story set in time and place that can feel a bit heavy.

The FunJungle Series by Stuart Gibbs
Belly Up ||| Poached ||| Big Game ||| Panda-monium ||| Lion Down ||| Tyrannosaurus Wrecks ||| Bear Bottom ||| Whale Done ||| All Ears ||| Ape Escape
The FunJungle series is a favorite of my daughters and whenever a new book comes out she is anxious to read them. They are mystery books but also contain lots of humor and fun. In the books you can explore different animals and the places they might come from. The books also teach about endangered animals. Overall it education wrapped up in a fun fictional story kids will love.

Spy School Series by Stuart Gibbs
Spy School ||| Spy Camp ||| Evil Spy School ||| Spy Ski School ||| Spy School Secret Service ||| Spy School Goes South ||| Spy School British Invasion ||| Spy School Revolution ||| Spy School at Sea ||| Spy School Project X ||| Spy School Goes North ||| Spy School Goes Wild ||| Spy School Blackout  ||| Spy School Goes East (To Be Released October 2026)
Spy school is very popular in our house and my daughter likes it because she gets to pretend to be a spy as she immerses herself in each story. With 14 spy stories in a variety of locations and with different themes, your kids will be entertained for a long time.

Do you have any book series your kids love? We are always looking for something new!

This post contain amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them- at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog and our love of reading.

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Mallory Hazel
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The Best Valentine Books for Kids | Love Filled Stories For All Ages

The Best Valentine Books for Kids | Love Filled Stories For All Ages

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Valentine's Day is coming soon, so it's time to pull out our favorite Valentine's Books to read! Lot's of these books are great all year round, we can always read about love, but here are a few of my favorite books to focus on especially around Valentine's Day. Share your favorites in the comments below!


The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond - This is my all time favorite Valentine's Day book. A girl collects hearts from a unusual rainstorm and makes her friends unique valentines. The whimsical idea of it raining hearts, the creation of thoughtful valentines, and the joy of delivery, this is a perfect valentines book and my ultimate recommendation.


Love Monster by Rachel Bright - This is such a cute board book that reminds me that everyone wants to feel loved. A monster feels quite different in his land of cute, fluffy things, so he goes on a search to find someone who might love him. The search took him many places, and he was about to give up, but in the end he finds that love was there all along. I have loved reading this sweet story with my daughters since they were young.

Otter's Heart Family by Kelly Oriard - The Slumberkins collection is all about teaching your children different concepts to build an emotionally strong foundation. This particular book is about the connections we make as families. It is also about accepting love always. I think it's a really beautiful book and enjoy the whole Slumberkins collection. 


Little Blue Truck's Valentine by Alice Schertle - Little Blue truck is just always so fun and it's nice to have familiar characters. It's a story of little blue truck delivering unique valentines to all of his farm friends. Our copy does have a unique illustration mishap. The cow on one page is missing it's body. Have they fixed it since? 


I Love You So Mush! by Danielle McLean - This is a cute book all about a mushroom who tells all her mushroom friends all about how "mush" she loves them. Each mushroom is unique and has a special reason to be loved. It's a good reminder that our differences add something special to our community.


Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar - This is such a cute read aloud. It makes me feel so happy to share how much I love my little ones in a cute and silly way. This book is a great way to get the giggles going!


Love by Emma Dodd - This is a great book to showcase how we show all the different ways we can show our love to each other. From simply talking with each other to sharing a smile. It's also a great book to remind our kids that we love them always. I also love the bunnies.


Love from Bluey - A cute book from our favorite characters from Bluey. It's teaches the different ways love shows up in our daily living. It's got a great message and shares it the "Bluey" way by being silly and fun along the way!

Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse by Laura Nueroff - Mouse makes Valentines for all of his friends in a way that tells them how much he loves each of them uniquely. It's another great book that reminds us to look for appreciate what makes us and others unique, with another familiar friend.


 Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney - I had to include a classic and what is more classic than Guess How Much I Love You. The illustrations are so beautiful and the message always hits. We have so much love to hold and give and this book is a great way to share that with your babies.

I hope you have the happiest Valentine's Day and that you get to enjoy some of these books with your little ones!

This post contain amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them- at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog and our love of story time.

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Mallory Hazel
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How to Fold a Tiny Book from a Single Piece of Paper

How to Fold a Tiny Book from a Single Piece of Paper

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In the sixth grade my teacher taught us how to make these mini books out of a single piece of paper. The other day I was thinking about them and thought it could be a fun and simple activity to do with my kids, and they have loved them. They get to color and decorate however they want. They are so quick for me to make and entertain my kids for a good amount of time. It's a great way to get a peek into their imagination as well. They are super simple to make and here is how you do it!

1. Take a single sheet of white paper.
2. Fold it in half hamburger style.
3. Fold it in half again so you have four equal sections.
4. Fold it in half from top to bottom. This will create 8 equal sections in the paper.
5. Unfold the paper twice so your paper is just folded in half.
6. Cut the paper as shown along the middle fold half way. Make sure you start the cut on the folded side.
7. When you open the paper there will be a straight cut in the middle of the page.
8. Fold the paper in half hot dog style so the cut part is at the top.
9. Push the two end together.
10. Fold the paper over to make a book! It will kind of just fold magically the right way.


That's it. You can make multiple books at a time and keep them somewhere so they are easily accessible for when inspiration strikes!
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Mallory Hazel
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The Ultimate Crochet Resources List

The Ultimate Crochet Resources List

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I've been crocheting for over 5 years now. It started one day when I checked out this book from the library, found an old crochet hook and a ball of yarn that I had left over from another project and made a crochet octopus. The rest is history, I was hooked. It was October of that year and by Christmas I had made 5 crocheted dolls as presents for nieces and nephews. I was actively searching for my next best project. And over the course of five years I have come to learn a few things. Today I have decided to compile them all in one place for the ultimate list of crochet resources.

TOOLS

You don't need a whole lot to start crocheting, but there are a few helpful tools to get you started.

Crochet Hooks - I regularly use sizes 3.75mm, 4mm, & 5mm. I would say having those hook sizes is a great start for being able to work up a lot of patterns. It is also nice to get a good crochet hook set that comes with a variety of sizes so you can size up or down depending on your gauge and how you personally work with yarn. It also ends up being less expensive to get a full set than collect hooks one by one.

Yarn - I love spending time in the yarn aisle finding my favorite colors and feeling the yarn to get the softest and coziest ones. I get a lot of acrylic yarn because it comes it so many colors. It is good for making toys for my kids. I love Lion Brand Heartland Yarn because it is so soft and pretty. I love Scheepjes Catona 50g yarn for making dolls. 

Yarn Needles - They are necessary for weaving in ends.

Hook Markers - Really help when you are working in a round or if you want to mark your first and last stitch in any sort of project. 

Safety Eyes - When I was first making stuffed animals and dolls I realized that there are special eyes to get that make it so they stay on nice and tight through your crochet stitches. You can find a wide variety of sizes and kinds on amazon which is nice because in-store the selection is often pretty minimal.

WEBSITES AND BOOKS


The first book I ever got was Whimsical Stitches which was a book I used to make some simple Amigurumi. It was fun to make an Octopus, Pig, Narwhal, Turtle, Cupcakes, and Cactus plants for my kids and husband. I learned that the author of this books has a website called A Menagerie of Stitches and I have enjoyed going on to her website to get more patterns. I especially loved making some of her seasonal bunnies as decoration for our home for various holidays.


I absolutely adore Green Frog Crochet Patterns. I have made about 15 of her princess doll patterns and they all worked up so well. I also love her Harry Potter Dolls. I loved making a collection for my girls and have enjoyed making them for my girls to give as gifts to friends. She also has so many patterns I would love to make in the future and is constantly coming out with new patterns.


If you are interested in making the most unique beautiful Granny Squares you've ever seen, The Ultimate Granny Square Sourcebook is amazing. I truly am in awe at how people have figured out how to create stitches that make such a beautiful and detailed result. It's very cool and there are so many ways you can use granny squares to make bigger projects like blankets, cardigans, bags etc.


This Crochet Stitch Dictionary as well as Bella Coco's Crochet Stitch Library are both great resources if you want to learn a huge variety of fun and interesting stitches. I used them to make a beautiful blanket for my daughter with the stitch I most loved. It is really cool if you are wanting to try your hand at making your own creations.


 My daughter loves Harry Potter and was planning a Harry Potter themed Birthday for when she turned 11. I found this Crochet Wizardry book and decided to make the sorting hat for her as a present and it turned out so amazing. There were a couple of other patterns that looked really fun to make as well and I'll probably give them a try for future gifts. 


Most recently I found Briana K Designs and she created what she calls the Wheat Stitch and uses it to make all sorts of things. I think it is an absolutely gorgeous stitch and so easy to work up. I have been making hats for everyone as gifts this last year because they are so quick to make and look so professional and beautiful. She has patterns on her blog and often on YouTube as well, so if you learn better by watching videos she is a great teacher.

Well I think that's a great starting point. I'll be sure to come back to this post in the future and update it as I find more amazing things to craft. Until then let me know in the comments some of your favorite crochet resources!

This post contains amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them - at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog and my family.
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Mallory Hazel
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Family Games That Bring Everyone to the Table

Family Games That Bring Everyone to the Table

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When you have younger kids, or kids with a wider age gap, finding the perfect game to play as a family can be a little bit challenging. But it's possible! Today I am going to share with you the best family games to play with kids of all ages. These games we've played with my daughter when she was as young as three or four (with a few modifications). By the times she was five/six/seven she was able to join in as a regular player that could pretty much play the whole game as an individual. I also love these games because they are fun to play as an adult too. I'll start with my very favorite games, but know that if my child picked any of these games for a family game night, I'd be happy with their selection.


Silly Street | This game is one of my favorites to play as a family and is truly perfect for all ages. To play you puzzle together a large game board. The objective is to move your piece across the game board to the end. You do this by choosing cards that will give you a silly task to complete, things like "sing twinkle twinkle little star in a very high voice," "tell a silly story about a giraffe with a balloon," or "find an object in the room that you can wear as a hat." There are also nice challenges like having everyone go around in the circle as say something they like about the person to their right. At the end of the game the winner gets to choose a song and everyone dances to it together. Overall it's a super high vibe experience and a game that always contains a lot of laughter and silliness.


Sequence | I love playing this game as an adult and I think it is pretty easy to let kids play it too. To play you have five cards in your hand and a board with all the cards pictured on it. On your turn you play a card from your hand and put your colored tile on the same card on the board. There are two options for each card. The objective is to get 5 tiles in a row, twice. Once you get five in a row you have a sequence. This game is fun as an adult because you are trying to strategize which cards to play where to get the best chance at a sequence. This game works for kids because they can simply choose any card and play it anywhere and still win in the end. I'm not kidding my three year old won the game the first time we let her play with us. Maybe with younger kids you would want to shorten the game to one sequence, but if they have a good attention span, this is a great game to let them be a part of. 
*There is also a specific Sequence board game for kids if that seems like a better fit for your family.


Cranium | I loved playing cranium as a kid and so when we got it for our family I had high hopes even though I didn't exactly remember how to play. Well my hopes were realized and it has been so fun to play as a family. I believe the idea is to play in teams which we sometimes do, but we have also played as a family. To play the game one person rolls a colored dice and then draws a card. They have to accomplish the activity on the card that matches the color of their roll. It can be a trivia question, acting something out, drawing a picture with your eyes closed, making something out of clay, etc. You work as a team or with the whole family to complete the activity. If you can do it in the right amount of time, you get to move on a board. First one to the finish wins. It is a game that fosters a lot of creativity and is very fun because you are pretty much constantly doing new activities. It get's you working together and I would say that with a bit of flexibility or some slight modifications, your youngest could find a way to participate as well.


Gnoming Around | We got this game for Christmas one year and then promptly spent the month of January playing it almost every night. It is so fun and even our youngest daughter would join in for a round or two when she was 4-5. Basically you have nine cards face down and you spend the game flipping them over. You want to get the least amount of points (negative points) like in golf. Some cards give you negative points but you can also get negative points by getting three of the same cards in a row. It's a pretty simple game which makes it perfect for family, but also takes some strategy and forward thinking. And sometimes you get really lucky as well. We talked our youngest through the strategy of the game the first few times she played and now she can handle a full on game on her own (she only needs help tallying up her score). Anyways we are big fans of this game over here so I would definitely recommend.


Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and Moose Match Mayhem | Made by the same creators, our family loves both of these card games. They are super simple to play and have some silly twists that keep everyone laughing. Both games have been easily picked up by our younger kids and seem easy enough for them to play along. We also recently just got the game Bing Bang Boom from the same creators and it is also a hit in our family. If your looking for a quick card game, these are good options. We also love them cause they are easy to pack along for family vacations or camping trips.


Dixit Disney Edition | We love playing the original Dixit game but I think we love the Disney edition even more. This game is more fun with the full six players but we love playing it as a family of four as well. Basically everyone has cards in their hand that have really detailed and intricate pictures on them. One person chooses a card and tries to give a pretty general one word or short phrase clue about their card. Everyone else tries to pick a card that would match that word. They are secretly shuffled and then laid out and everyone votes on what card they think is the original card. If you are the original clue giver you want some people to choose your card but not everyone. Everyone else gets more points if people choose their card. Overall it's a very fun game that sparks creativity and requires some thoughtful imagination.



Hues and Cues | I'm super biased because I love this game so much. It's a big board with a lot of colors. Each round someone gets a color from the board and then they gives a one word clue to try to get players to put their pieces on or close to that color. Then they get a two word clue. Everyone can get points if they can get their guesses close enough to the right color. It's challenging to think of the right words, but a very simple game to pick up. It can be really exciting when everyone is on the same wavelength and kind of funny when people are not.


Clue Junior | I really love solving a mystery games, and this one is just better for kids. Much like the original game you are trying to solve who, what, and where but this time for kids. The big question is who set off the volcano with what ingredients when they were suppose to be in which class? My kids have liked playing as well. As a bonus on the other side of the game board is a cooperative mystery game where you are trying to figure out who took something from the playground and what they took. It's a fun game for even younger kids.


Ticket to Ride First Journey | The original Ticket to Ride game is so fun to play, but can be pretty long and get kind of intense. This kids version has the same fun made much easier and shorter, so you can play with kids. Like ticket to ride you are trying to connect cities by train and you get points for all the connections you can make. It's a great game to play to kind of have or gain some foundational board game savvy.


Eye Found It Disney Hidden Picture Game | This is a fun cooperative game where everyone is trying to make it to the end of the game board before the clock strikes midnight. You can move when you spin and get a certain number, or you might land on a red or blue space. If you do that you pick a card and everyone tries to find as many of that cards items on the board. For example you might pick an Apple Card, then everyone gets to search the board for a minute. If you find 8 apples everyone gets to move 8 spaces. It's a really great game to play together and it's kind of fun to have a game where you win if everyone wins.

There you go, 11 games I think are perfect for families with young kids and older kids as well. Games that can truly bring everyone to the table and allow everyone to participate. Below I'll give a few quick honorable mentions for games that are more geared towards a younger audience, but let me know in the comments if there are any board or card games you love to play with your family!

Outfoxed | A Cooperative Whodunnit Mystery Game

Enchanted Cupcake Party | Who doesn't want to create princess inspired cupcakes!

Connect 4 | Classic, Simple, Fun, Quick

Don't Break the Ice | Memorable Childhood Game

Pengoloo | A cute and simple matching game.

This post contains amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them - at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog and my family.

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Mallory Hazel
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How to Start a Book Club | Plus 8 Book Recommendations

How to Start a Book Club | Plus 8 Book Recommendations

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Have you ever wanted to start a book club. While it might feel like a big ask, starting a book club can be super simple and work out quite naturally with the right group. Six years ago I got the book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and began reading it. Within the first few chapters I thought of a few family members that I thought would really enjoy the book as well. I texted a picture of the cover of the book and simply asked "would anyone want to read this book with me?" The response was positive and we started scheduling dates we could meet via FaceTime and the chapters we wanted to read by each date.

We didn't know this was the beginning of a book club that has lasted six years, or that we would read 50+ books and counting, we just started reading one book together. We enjoyed gathering together and our discussions so much, it was natural for us to want to read and discuss another book once we finished our first one. And so our book club was formed.

I'll be honest with you, most of the time an idea like creating a book club wouldn't pan out for me, because it feels like a big task. Finding the right people, being able to meet consistently, choosing books everyone would enjoy, creating a space people want to come back to... well that feels completely overwhelming and just the thought of trying to do all of that is enough to stop me before I even give it a whirl. But texting a few people I am close to and asking if they want to read one book with me? Well that's doable, casual, easy even. And it's all I had to do to create a book club that has been really meaningful.

And maybe sending the text doesn't pan out into a full fledged bi weekly book club that lasts years, but maybe you find a few friends to read a good book with and deepen your connection points. That's a win too. 

Like I said, our book club began with reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, and while I think it is a perfect book to read and discuss, here are 8 books I have especially enjoyed reading with my book club, and I think they would each be a perfect book to text to a friend or a few and ask "would anyone want to read this book with me?"


Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer - Yes I have to start with this book. First it is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. Her writing is absolutely gorgeous and feels so cozy and loving. The topics she discusses as an Indigenous Woman and botanist are incredibly interesting, insightful, and make a lot of space for reflection. It is the perfect book to read with others because the discussion that can be created from this book is just so rich. I would suggest taking it slow, just a few chapters at a time. In my opinion this book is perfect for a book club and everyone should read it.


How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis - This books was interesting because we invited our significant others to read the book with us and join in the discussion. I've read a lot of books over the years that give tips and tricks and plans of how to make your life function better, but this book was truly the best I have ever read. It is super concise, gets right to the point, and the tips are not things like make your bed first thing in the morning, they are more centered on finding ways to accomplish the tasks you need to accomplish in ways that actually work for you. It's not about creating a perfect, aesthetically pleasing system, it's about creating a system that functions in your life. And it has a lot of creative and thoughtful ways you can do that. Honestly it was a great book that made a difference in my life and how I do things but also the way I think about the things I do. On top of that it was a really good book to discuss and see what others took away from their reading.


Fire Keepers Daughter by Angeline Boulley - I'll be honest it's been a minute since I read this book, but I remember really enjoying it. This fiction book was simply a fun read with a bit of a love story and a bit of a mystery. It integrated some indigenous practices from the perspective of the main character into the story, and I felt like I learned a lot from simply witnessing how the main character moved through the world. Honestly this was just a really good book and I would recommend it if you are looking for a good story to discuss.


The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower - Maybe it's because I am a little nosy, but I love reading a book that is journal entries or pages from a diary. Reading a journal can feel like getting a real look into someones truest thoughts and experiences. Everyone really loved reading this first volume of the journal entries for Emma M. Lion, and I believe it has also become quite the hit in the wider world. It's a fun quick read and lovely discussion and as a bonus there are more volumes for continued reading if you especially enjoyed it.


Phoebe's Diary by Phoebe Wahl - Another diary this time following a more modern girl as she navigates high school. I absolutely loved reading this book, it felt very nostalgic to me and brought up a lot of my own high school memories (for better or for worse). I always love a book that really resonates with my own human experience, it's always nice to know that the things you go through in life end up being pretty universal experiences and not something that you solely went through alone because you're a weird person who just hasn't figured out how to do life right. This was a fun discussion book as people shared some of their own high school stories. It also felt like a good book to get to know each other in a new and different way as people were willing to share which parts of the book resonated with them.


The Serviceberry - Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer - Another book by Robin Wall Kimmerer, but believe me this one is worth reading as well. This book is a lot shorter than Braiding Sweetgrass so it could be a good book to introduce you to her words and writing style to see if you resonate with her. Robin is so good at discussing complex human problems and better ways to do things and make it feel achievable while recognizing the greater forces and systems that we are required to live in and do the work in. She gives hope while acknowledging reality. It's a great read and a great discussion.


The Women by Kristin Hannah - This was a great historical fiction novel that followed a woman who served as a medic during the Vietnam war. It really brought to life the horrors of the war and living with those experiences in the aftermath. I felt like this book painted such a vivid portrait about the realities of war and the people who went through it as well as considering what it was like coming home and living among people who had no idea how to even conceptualize what they just went through. It was a super interesting book that was a great read and great discussion. 


 Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel - This was another truly fascinating, well-written book that had me captivated the whole way through. Kaikeyi is a character from the Ramayana and was simply a retelling of her story from a new perspective. This book allowed me to participate in a story and mythology I likely wouldn't have happened upon on my own, and it was just really interesting to read. I definitely recommend this book, and reading it with others is a great way to learn something new and gain new perspectives and knowledge about a topic that might be new to you.

There you go. Those 8 books were universally loved by my book group and I think any of them would be a great first book to read if you want to start a book group of your own. Here are a few more honorable mentions of books I really enjoyed reading and would maybe be interesting for you to read as well.

James by Percival Everett - Thought Provoking, Historical

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell - The Power of a Woman




The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth - Plot Twist and a Little Spooky


The Library Book by Susan Orlean - Arson at a Public Library

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Mallory Hazel
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