Question of the Day: If you are in a book club, what are you reading right now?

"Life is always a tightrope or a feather bed. Give me the tightrope." -Edith Wharton, born this day, 1862.

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Cambridge-based Peruvian illustrator Fatima Ordinola from her picturebook Our Dreams. A cosy bedtime book about sleeping animals. The images, such as these pandas made with chalk pastels, ink & watercolour, induce relaxation. Post Wave 29 Jan @postwavebooks.bsky.social

The Weekly Wrap: January 18-24 The next C.S. Lewis, Winter reads, Mark Carney, Book bans and teens, progressive ed, and athlete-writers.

"If music goes out of language, then you are in bad trouble." -Derek Walcott, born this day, 1930

Featured Book. Lohfink argues that Enlightenment goes back far before the 1600's to Israel. He argues for a faith both rational and open to mystery, deepened by Jesus and the church. I've read 3 Lohfink books and deeply appreciate his thoughtful devotion. Glad to get this from @litpress.bsky.social

#NewIllustrationoftheDay by Olga Shtonda from Nicola Davies's picturebook The Map of Me, about locating yourself in a new place, and about the past and the future. A collage effect composition with fascinating detail, in a beautiful, reassuring book. Templar Books 29 Jan. @templarbooks.bsky.social

Review: The Emperor of All Maladies A biography of the disease, our understanding of its nature, and approaches to treating it.

Question of the Day: Where is your favorite place to read other than your own residence?

"The great art of life is sensation, to feel that we exist, even in pain." -Lord Byron, born this day, 1788.

Featured Book: This looks like a great Bible reading resource for Lent. @brazospress.bsky.social

Review: The Search for a Rational Faith Anglo-American efforts to make a reasoned defense of Christian faith amid the rise of Enlightenment reason.

Question of the Day: What is the longest book you finished last year? #booksky

"What, should we get rid of our ignorance, the very substance of our lives, merely in order to understand one another?" -Richard P. Blackmur, BTD, 1904

#NewIllustrationoftheDay by Magdalena Edwards from the inside back cover of Tales From the Dell. Hand-made, splashy use of ink and watercolour in an expressive and well-caught image of a fox apparently enjoying the sun. With poems by Paul Taylor. Troubador Publishing 28 Jan.

In “Nothing Random,” her rousing biography of Bennett Cerf, Gayle Feldman conjures an era when a glamorous publishing figure could be a household name. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/b...

Review: The Common Rule Youth Edition Eight spiritual habits or practices for teens and tweens to help them grow in their faith.

Question of the Day: What is the most helpful "how-to" book that you have used?

"Since we humans have the better brain, isn't it our responsibility to protect our fellow creatures from, oddly enough, ourselves?" ~Joy Adamson, born this day, 1910

Featured Book. My son likes this series and bought me the first to try out. My next fiction read! @torbooks.bsky.social

#NewIllustrationoftheDay by Ruby Wright from A Crinkled Screaming Thing, which explores the thoughts of a new baby with the elder brother as the hero. Story by Sarah Tagholm. Screenprint in soft colours of father and kids. Andersen Press 15 Jan @andersenpress.bsky.social @rubywrightlino.bsky.social

Review: God Looks Like Jesus In the life, ministry, teaching, and crucifixion of Jesus, we see the embodiment of the what God is like.

Glancing through @plough.bsky.social 's quarterly magazine, I happened to notice their tagline: "Another life is possible." It led me to wonder what it would mean for my Christian community to live into and proclaim that idea.

Question of the Day: What books have you liked, fiction or non-fiction, that involved the pursuit of justice? #booksky

Transcript of Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech www.npr.org/2010/01/18/1...

"I can't write if someone else is in the house, not even the cleaning woman." -Patricia Highsmith, born this day, 1921

Featured Book. The impact of the Fall on conscience and its restoration through redemption. @lexhampress.com

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Argentine illustrator Mariana Ruiz Johnson (an inspiration to Mikey Please?) from a search & find book by David MacPhail, Where’s Dragon in his Castle? Fantasy, anachronism and historical fact with a dragon as guide. From Magic Cat 22 Jan. @magiccatpublishing.bsky.social

There is always a 'but' in this imperfect world. -Anne Bronte, born this day, 1820

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by James Munro from The Sad Book (not Michael Rosen’s) with text by Howard Pearlstein. Out in paperback from Graffeg 19 Jan. Cartoons in limited colour drawn with a big soft pencil and satisfying clarity. The book offers simple ways to feel better @graffegbooks.bsky.social

The Weekly Wrap: January 11-17 Adjusting to new bookstores, Call Me Ishmaelle, Paul Elie, Online families, The New Romanticism, Wikipedia.

"The camera makes everyone a tourist in other people's reality, and eventually in one's own." -Susan Sontag, born this day, 1933.

Featured Book. I've always loved the prayer of St. Francis! @navpress.bsky.social

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Tom Percival from his picturebook The Wonder, out in paperback from Simon & Schuster on 15 Jan, about being alert to the small joys in our lives. A vivid, digital, chiaroscuro combination of photographs and artwork. @tompercival.bsky.social @simonandschuster.bsky.social

Review: Beyond the River A history of the Underground Railroad line passing through Ripley, Ohio, featuring the Rankin family and other townspeople.

Question of the Day: If you could invent a dream job involving books, what would it be?

"There will always be men struggling to change, and there will always be those who are controlled by the past." -Ernest Gaines, born this day, 1933

Featured Book. We first experience welcome and delight through our mother's smile. This imprints a longing met in one another, and ultimately in knowing the favor of God upon our lives. Cascade Books

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Axel Scheffler from the board book Love with rhyming text by Sophie Cashell. Love is, for instance, reading together, & it looks fun. Proceeds to charity Three Peas, helping refugees in Europe. Alison Green Bks 15 Jan. @scholasticuk.bsky.social @threepeashelp.bsky.social

Review: Interpreting Jesus Six essays on Jesus addressing eschatology, Moses, miracles, women with Jesus, memory, and methods of attestation.

Question of the Day: How many books do you have in your tallest TBR pile?

"If there is a special Hell for writers it would be in the forced contemplation of their own works." -John Dos Passos, born this day, 1896

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Ruchi Mhasane: The Beautiful Layers of Me. Engaging visual storytelling about a child made to feel bad about traditional dress. On yesterday’s Inclusive Books for Children shortlists. Text by Sophia Payne, Walker Books. @walkerbooksuk.bsky.social @ibc-reads.bsky.social

In “Catapult,” an impulsive project between two friends leads to reflections on human nature and conflict. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/b...

Review: The Reformed Pastor On pastoral care, beginning with care of oneself, and then of the people, emphasizing catechesis through visitation.

Question of the Day: Today is the birthday of Paddington Bear author Michael Bond. Who are my Paddington fans? (Pics welcome!)

Featured Book. A Christmas gift, and part of my goal to read some Pynchon this year! @penguinpress.bsky.social

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Emma Chinnery from her picturebook We Grew a Dragon. Beautiful scene setting in a style somewhere between Sam Usher and Edward Ardizzone. From a magical story about friendship and temporarily blended families. Bloomsbury paperback. 15 Jan. @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social

Review: The Man Who Died Twice Ibrahim is badly assaulted by a teenage thug and Elizabeth's ex-husband shows up, suspected of stealing diamonds.

Question of the Day: What is one memorable experience you've had of meeting an author in person? #booksky