When we did our cozy home remodel, we changed our learning room into a library. In my dream home, I would have a large library filled with built-in bookshelves from floor to ceiling. Instead, we have several places where we keep our books including what you see below.

Because our book space is limited, we’ve had to be ruthless in keeping our book total to reasonable levels.

We’ve weeded through our books continuously over the years so what is left is the best of the best.

Here’s a look at what we have in our library. Since the majority of the books are mine, my interests clearly shine through.

(Click for larger image.)

Here is the overflow in the dining area. Not shown in these photos are the books in the office, Caroline’s room, or the bookscases in the basement. We have lots of books still, but there is no way to get them all in the actual library area. Our office has most of my simple living books, homeschooling books, and more theology books. Caroline has many books in her room. We have four large bookcases in the basement with theology, crafts, history, more children’s books, DIY, and all my Grace Livingston Hill paperbacks.

Here is how these shelves are organized.

I thought it would be fun to share some favorites from each section. You’ll notice I’m neither a trendy reader nor an intellectual out to impress anyone with my reading list. I tend to gravitate toward topics that deeply interest me. I rarely read things for “everyone should read this” type reasons.

Please note: In some cases, I have written an entire post about a series of books or type of book. In that case, I will link to the post rather than Amazon. In my website header, the drop down menu choice of “Books” will lead you to many of the book posts I have written.

Disclaimer: The inclusion of a book or author is not an endorsement of all the content and/or his/her entire body of work.

Art and History

• History of Delta Delta Delta 1888 – 1988
• Bound By a Mighty Vow: Sisterhood and Women’s Fraternities, 1870-1920
• Kings and Queens of Britain’s Golden Age: The glorious monarchs of the golden age of Britain
• Queen Victoria’s Highland Journals

History and Geography

• Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge
• Historic Hillsdale College
• The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
• Theodore Rex
• Colonel Roosevelt
• Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt
• John Adams
• Anatomy of the Lighthouse
• Portraits of the Presidents – The National Portrait Gallery
• Of Plymouth Plantation

History and Geography

• The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy – What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America’s Next Rendezvous with Destiny
• How the Scots Invented the Modern World
• The World of Jane Austen 
• When March Went Mad: The Game That Transformed Basketball
• The Man Who Changed How Boys and Toys Were Made: The Life and Times of A. C. Gilbert, the Man Who Saved Christmas
• L.L. Bean: The Making of an American Icon
• The Quotable Calvin Coolidge: Sensible Words for a New Century
• Arrogance and Scheming in the Big Ten: Michigan State’s Quest for Membership and Michigan’s Powerful Opposition

Christmas

• Skipping Christmas
• Seasons Greetings from the White House
• Unplug the Christmas Machine
• Christmas in My Heart: A Timeless Treasury of Heartwarming Stories
• Christmas in My Heart A Second Treasury: More Heartwarming Tales of Holiday Joy
• Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas
• It’s a Wonderful Christmas: The Best of the Holidays 1940-1965

Music and German

• This is where I keep hymnals, piano music, and my college German books and German Bible

Theology Reference

• The Message of Romans: God’s Good News for the World
• The Eternal Generation of the Son: Maintaining Orthodoxy in Trinitarian Theology
• Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible
• The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
• The Message of Galatians (Bible Speaks Today)

Theology

• The Church (Contours of Christian Theology)
• Under the Influence: How Christianity Transformed Civilization
• Women in the Maze: Questions & Answers on Biblical Equality
• What’s with Paul and Women?
• I Suffer Not a Woman: Rethinking I Timothy 2:11-15 in Light of Ancient Evidence
• Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry

Practical Christian Living

• A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society
• Common Sense Christian Living
• Knowing God
• My Utmost for His Highest: Classic Language
• The Screwtape Letters
• Hinds Feet on High Places
• Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God
• The Myth of Certainty: The Reflective Christian & the Risk of Commitment
• All God’s Children and Blue Suede Shoes: Christians and Popular Culture

Practical Christian Living and Parenting

• Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Its Cure
• Embracing God
• The Optimism Factor: Outrageous Faith Against the Odds
• The Yes Anxiety: Taming the Fear of Commitment in Relationships, Career, Spiritual Life and Daily Decisions
• The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When The World Overwhelms Them
• Strong-Willed Child or Dreamer?
• Raising Your Spirited Child: A Guide for Parents Whose Child Is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, and Energetic
• Twice-Exceptional Gifted Children: Understanding, Teaching, and Counseling Gifted Students

Scrapbooks

• From when I had the time to do scrapbooking…

Miscellaneous Sallie Favorites

• Pride and Prejudice
• Sense and Sensibility
• Christy
• A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23
• Politically Correct Bedtime Stories
• Gifts from the Sea
• The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation
• Redeeming Love
• The Art of Creative Living: Making Every Day a Radiant Masterpiece
• Lightposts for Living: The Art of Choosing a Joyful Life

Favorite Series and Antique Books

• When Calls the Heart
• Beauty for Ashes
• The Prodigal Girl
• The Substitute Guest
• FourSquare
• The Twenty-fourth of June
• Under the Country Sky

Picture Book Series

• Winnie the Pooh series
• Curious George series
• Clifford the Big Red Dog series
• Harry the Dirty Dog series
• Frances series
• Little House Picture Books
• Ladybug Girl series
• Fancy Nancy series
• Biscuit series
• Sam books
• Little Golden Books

Children’s Bibles, Bible Storybooks, and Reference

• Children’s Bibles
• Puberty Books
• The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories
• The American Heritage Dictionary
• Webster’s Thesaurus

Seasonal Picture Books, Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Winter

• I’ve written extensively about these throughout my site. Check the drop down menu of “Seasonal Learning” for links to many of the posts. Also see the menu item “Books.”

Children’s Series

• Little House on the Prairie Series
• Little House on the Prairie Prequels
• Betsy Tacy series
• The Little Women Treasury
• The Anne of Green Gables Treasury
• The Chronicles of Narnia series

Children’s Novels, Oversized Picture Books, and Anthologies

• Caddie Woodlawn
• All-of-a-Kind Family 
• Understood Betsy
• Strawberry Girl
• Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (Iza Trapani’s Extended Nursery Rhymes)
• Anna Growing Up on the Farm
• Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever (Giant Golden Book)
• Richard Scarry’s Best Mother Goose Ever (Giant Golden Book)
• Leaves From A Child’s Garden of Verses, Donna Green illustrator

Picture Books

• When Jessie Came Across the Sea
• The Very Special Valentine
• Potato: A Tale From The Great Depression
• Miss Suzy
• Somebody and the Three Blairs
• Bunny Bungalow
• The Empty Pot
• The Little House
• Antler, Bear, Canoe: A Northwoods Alphabet
• Gathering: A Northwoods Counting Book

Children’s History and Geography

• Lincoln: A Photobiography
• Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel Adventures with Exceptional Americans
• Meet Rebecca (American Girl Collection)
• Meet Kit: An American Girl 1934 (The American Girls Collection, Book 1)
• Meet Caroline: An American Girl (American Girl: Caroline’s Stories)

Children’s Science

• National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds: Eastern Region
• National Audubon Society Field Guide to Weather: North America
• The Snowflake: Winter’s Secret Beauty