What’s a thoughtful gift that you can open over and over again? Well, it’s a book of course!

Corny riddles aside, books truly do make thoughtful gifts. Personally, I love everything about books, and what’s not to love? Books can enlighten, entertain and educate. They can take us beyond what we know and what we’ve experienced – providing us with a deeper level of knowledge and appreciation, no matter what the subject.

That’s why I enjoy giving and receiving books as gifts. I truly believe that books can be one of the most thoughtful gifts because a well-selected book perfectly matched to the interests of the reader reveals such a sweet intimate sentiment.

I remember when my Dad gave me one of the largest books I’ve ever owned, it’s a collection of short stories by one of my favorite authors. It really touched my heart that he knew me so well, and I still have that book to this day. And my husband and children have each given me books throughout the years that have been treasured gifts as much for the thought behind them, as for the enlightenment they provide.

As I think about thoughtful gifts to give at Christmastime or any time, I can’t help but think about books, which is why I can easily lose track of time as I search for that special book for that special someone.

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A Few Favorites

  
There are so many amazing books out there, I can’t possible cover them all. But there are a few really outstanding ones that I thought I’d share for those of you who may be looking for some thoughtful and affordable gift ideas. (Or for you bookworms out there who may be looking for ideas to add to your “personal wish list” to help those who may be wishing to bless you with a special gift).

Brace yourself, this is definitely one of the longest posts I’ve written. To give you a heads-up as to what my “few favorites” list is all about, below you’ll find my favorite books in the following categories: Cookbooks, Christian Books, Book Bundles and last, but certainly not least – Children’s Books.

So without further ado, let’s get started …

Favorite Cookbooks

Of course, leave it to me to start with cookbooks … but seriously, for those who love to cook, what could be more exciting than a beautiful and practical cookbook – unless of course it’s some type of amazing cooking utensil or device, but I digress.

What I love most about giving a cookbook is that it really can be a very thoughtful and personal gift. That’s because there are cookbooks available on virtually every food group, cooking technique and diet. All you really need to know is what tickles your favorite cook’s fancy and then seek out a cookbook that matches his or her passion. Below are a few favorites perfect for gluten-free/grain-free real foodies.

Against All Grain
If you’re familiar with Danielle’s blog, then you know what a gifted food stylist and photographer she is, as well as a talented home chef. Against All Grain showcases Danielle’s many talents and is truly the best all-around grain-free cookbook of the year. (In fact, it’s a New York Times best seller.) Each meal of the day is covered with delicious grain-free, dairy-free alternatives to classic favorites. You can find it via the major online bookstores, as well as at Costco in select areas. The book generally sells for around $20, which is an amazing deal considering it contains more than 100 grain-free, dairy-free recipes.

Everyday Grain-Free Gourmet
When I made the decision two years ago to switch to a GF diet in the hopes of further improving my health, this was one of the first cookbooks I purchased. It still remains (in my opinion) the best one I’ve read on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet – a grain-free diet that has helped many with chronic illnesses such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS and celiac disease to achieve improved health and symptom relief. What makes Everyday Grain-Free Gourmet so helpful is that it not only provides very easy and basic grain-free recipes, but it also provides an excellent overview on the SCD for those just getting started.

The Best Homemade Kids’ Lunches on the Planet
When my dear friend Laura of MOMables asked me to help edit a new cookbook she was working on, I was thrilled to help. I love Laura and her passion for helping parents and children create easy and healthy homemade lunches. Her new book “The Best Homemade Kids’ Lunches on the Planet” just became available for pre-sale, so I had to include it. This helpful book is a heartfelt collection of more than 200 of  her best-of-the-best recipes from MOMables, as well as many never-before-published recipes from Laura’s own personal family files. And my favorite part is that she kindly includes many options for those with allergies to gluten, dairy and nuts.

Real Food: What to Eat & Why
Although this neither qualifies as a cookbook or a grain-free diet book, it is one of the most helpful books I discovered when I first started my journey toward the real food lifestyle. Real Food: What to Eat & Why provides a thoroughly researched rebuttal to the dietary fads of our day, calling us back to common sense in eating the traditional, wholesome, unprocessed foods of our forefathers. This book along with Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions cookbook were cornerstones in helping me and my family make the transition to a real food lifestyle founded on enjoying God-made foods instead of processed man-made foods.

Favorite Christian Books

If you’ve been following this site for awhile, you know how much I enjoy sharing some of my favorite, life-changing Christian books from time to time. And truly, what could be a better gift than sharing with your loved ones books that can provide further enlightenment and empowerment to live out our lives more fully as those being conformed into the image of His Son!

The Wall Around Your Heart
Recently, I posted a review of this wonderful new book by Mary DeMuth and shared my support for Mary and this beautiful book as one of the many Christian bloggers who served on her book launch team.The Wall Around Your Heartexplores the Lord’s Prayer as a roadmap to guide us in how we can achieve wholeness and healing in the aftermath of painful relationships and begin to dismantle the walls in our heart to fully love and serve others to the glory of God.

Women Living Well: Find Your Joy in God, Your Man, Your Kids, and Your Home
Probably one of my favorite reads this year is this book by my friend Courtney Joseph. I was honored to be part of her book launch in September by writing a review of the book. And just as I mentioned in my review, I cannot recommend this life-changing book enough. Women Living Well is far more than just an encouraging read, it is an empowering resource to truly help women live well in the power and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

5 Books the Lord Has Used to Change My Life
In addition, I wrote a post last year about 5 Books the Lord Has Used to Change My Life. In this post, I share some of the books that have made the most significant impact in my life through the years. Each of these books have challenged me and have practically ministered to me as I’ve read, meditated and prayed over the truths and wisdom they exposit from God’s Word. I highly recommend these to anyone seeking to grow in their knowledge, love and obedience to the Lord.

Favorite Books for Children

Ever since my boys were tiny tots, we’ve given them books at various gift-giving occasions throughout the years. And of course, we’ve done the same for all our nieces and nephews and friend’s children as well.

As with books for grown-ups, there are so many wonderful choices. However, since Christmas is just around the corner, I thought it appropriate to share just a few of our all-time holiday favorites that help children (and adults) focus on the true meaning of CHRISTmas.

The Story of Christmas
Such a sweet book for infants, toddlers and young preschoolers, The Story of Christmas still remains in our collection of Christmastime favorites even though my boys are now preteens. Chronicling the angels’ announcement, Jesus’s birth, the angels’ appearance to the shepherds, and the journey of the wise men, the truth of Christmas is presented in easy-to-understand text and beautiful illustrations you and your children will enjoy.

The Crippled Lamb
Grab a tissue or two – this book is so moving I can’t help but tear-up each time we read it. The Crippled Lamb recounts the birth of Christ from a small crippled lamb’s perspective who ultimately realizes that God had a very special purpose for him. It’s such a beautiful story and I wish I could share more about why this book touches us all so deeply, but I don’t want to give away any details of this very special story by the very talented Max Lucado. Just trust me when I tell you it will be a treasured favorite of yours as well.

Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend
Was Saint Nicholas a real person? Yes, he most certainly was. This beautiful story reveals the True Legend of St. Nick and how his generous spirit and love for the Lord led to him becoming known throughout the world for his kind generosity. Through beautiful illustrations and an easy-to-understand stortyline, this book clearly articulates how God showered His love upon us through Christ and helps children see that our own gift-giving is a grateful response to the sacrificial gift of God’s Son.

Blessings to you and your family!

If you’ve stuck with me here to the end, I just want to thank you for the opportunity to share with you some of my personal favorite books. To me, a thoughtfully selected book is such a special treasure. It really is a thoughtful gift that you can open again and again with much delight and appreciation.

With special blessings to you and your family, Kelly

*Disclosure: If you opt to purchase using the affiliate links in this post, a small portion of the sale goes to support The Nourishing Home at no additional cost to you. There is no obligation to purchase, but if you do, you are helping to support the free resources, meal plans and recipes here at The Nourishing Home. Thank you!