Overbooked: November Book Recommendations

November is all things Autumn and Gratitude right?

Overbooked: November Book Recommendations

What better way to celebrate the changing “seasons” than to Fall into some great books together – here in Southern California we will just have to pretend to have seasons!

Find November Events in our 2022 Guide to November Family Events in Ventura County!

FOR THE KIDS: Chapter Book

Junie B., First Grader: Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff)

Written by Barbara Post & Illustrated by Denise Brunkus

 What starts out as a story of seemingly ungrateful first graders decidedly unenthusiastic as the prospect of winning Pecan Pie for the class, ends up being a great story of gratitude and acceptance.  Not only do the children in Junie’s class discover their love of Pecan Pit, but Junie and her “nemesis” also learn that they do have things in common despite their numerous differences.  The story draws parallels to the Pilgrims and Native Americans dining together despite obvious differences, so if you are a History Purist you may want to steer clear of this one.  That said, if your young reader needs some encouragement to find common ground with classmates and friends, this would be a great opportunity for them to connect with the characters!

FOR THE FAMILY: 

 Balloons Over Broadway

Written by Melissa Sweet

If you are anything like me, you don’t let Thanksgiving go by without at least one viewing of Macy’s epic parade.  Without diving heavily into the history of Thanksgiving itself, the beautiful illustrations and photographs throughout this title paint a lovely portrait of the genesis of one of my favorite American traditions.  You won’t be disappointed to see the colors and figures come to life with this one!

FOR MOM: 

The Happiness Project

Written by Gretchen Rubin

One woman’s mission to explore Happiness can be just what you need this season!  Gretchen Rubin’s witty insight and honest pursuit of Happiness is a breath of fresh air, and serves as encouragement for those of us striving for balance and contentment.  She set out on a year-long journey to discover what Happiness looks like for her, and found honesty in learning that some things don’t have to be true for her just because they are true for others.  Rubin quickly became one of my favorite authors after tearing through The Happiness Project (which basically means I read all of her books inside a month).  If you become hooked like me, you’ll want to check out the Podcast she puts out with her sister too!

Let’s Get Reading This November

We hope you find at least one good book from the above list to enjoy this November.  If you have a great book recommendation for November, let us know in the comments.  Happy Reading!