Books Added to My Shelves in January 2026

This is my monthly roundup of books that I added to my shelves in December 2025. Some of the books came directly from authors or publishers, others were purchased, or were given to me as gifts. You’ll find books from all kinds of genres, including adult and children’s books. I’ll even share a few updates from our family’s life in the last month as well.

Family and Life Update

We celebrated Reagan’s 21st birthday last month. We got the whole family together and had a fun day in Des Moines.

Never a dull moment when the eight of us are together!

I got my 4th Wordle in one guess! I’ve been playing Wordle nearly every day since 2020. It’s my favorite way to start my morning.

The photo is terrible, but we saw Jerry Seinfeld on tour last month. His show was hilarious, and we laughed the entire time. He joked about regular everyday things like marriage, drinking wine, and food. Go and see him if he comes near you.

I just completed my stretch of long-term subbing this week. I’m ready to get back to MY usual routine and subbing just once in a while. I’ll also be busy this month getting ready to be in Florida for a month. I can’t wait to sit in the sun and read books!

I finished 6 books in January, including 3 middle-grade books, a romance novella, a historical fiction novel, and a fictional story about a lifelong marriage. This month’s book stack is small but includes some new and upcoming 2026 titles as well as some upcoming 2026 children’s books. My current reads include THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM  for review, THE MIRACLES AMONG US, my First Book of 2026, THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED for book club, and I’m listening to Vol. 1 of THE UNSELECTED JOURNALS OF EMMA M. LION.

If you have missed any of my recent book reviews, you can see them all by clicking HERE.  Or you can stay up to date with my monthly Quick Lit Roundup.

Clicking the photos of each book will take you to a link to purchase. If you choose to purchase through any of the links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.

Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction

GIRL’S GIRL
By: Sonia Feldman
Published: June 2, 2026
Publisher: The Dial Press
Fiction
Format: eBook for Review

Friendship and coming of age over a summer combine in this debut novel. Plus, I love the cover.

Fifteen-year-old Mina’s whole world is her two best friends, but after an unexpected kiss, the established dynamics of their trio quickly unravel. Everything that was once shared openly, from clothes to secrets, now feels impossibly fragile. Loyalties shift and tensions simmer across the long days of this pivotal summer, where the girls have nowhere new to go and everything new to feel.

Looking back, an adult Mina traces the undercurrents of longing that shaped her first experience of desire. The rituals of girlhood—gossip, selfies, sleepovers, and videogames—become threads in a delicate, volatile web of intimacy, in which everything feels achingly fleeting and permanently etched. Loving one person, Mina learns, can change the way we love everyone else—including ourselves. 

Bold, vulnerable, and sharply observant, Girl’s Girl is a sundrenched and dewy snapshot of modern girl culture set in the blaze of one suburban Midwest summer.

FAMOUS ONCE
By: Jane Green
Published: February 1, 2026
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Fiction Novella
Format: eBook purchase

This was part of the Kindle First Reads free book from January. I’ve read and loved a few of Jane Green’s novels. Since this novella is just 49 pages, it was an easy choice. It reminds me of THE GRIFFIN SISTERS. This is only available as an eBook or audiobook.

Former model Astrid Lane lives a quiet life as a caterer, far from her days as rock star Callum Blake’s famous wife. When a retrospective about the 1970s music scene sparks renewed interest in that era, Astrid’s estranged daughter Zara reaches out about a podcast discussing her father’s career—and a long-buried tragedy that changed their family forever.

After a mysterious break-in at Astrid’s cottage, mother and daughter find themselves drawn into an unexpected collaboration. Through a collection of old recordings and shared memories, they begin piecing together a story that’s far bigger than their family’s past. What they uncover will shake the foundations of rock music history and the powerful people who shaped it.

But amid the investigation, something unexpected blooms. As Astrid and Zara work to unravel decades-old secrets, they find themselves building something they’d both given up the chance to be mother and daughter again, this time on their own terms.

THE FUTURE SAINTS
By: Ashley Winstead
Published: January 20, 2026
Publisher: Atria Books
Fiction
Format: Hardcover purchase

This was my Book of the Month choice for January. It has DAISY JONES AND THE SIX vibes, which I loved.

This is a love story, but not the one you’re expecting.

When record executive Theo meets the Future Saints, they’re bombing at a dive bar in their hometown. Since the tragic death of their manager, the band has been in a downward spiral and Theo has been dispatched to coax a new—and successful—album out of them, or else let them go.

Immediately, Theo is struck by Hannah, the group’s impetuous lead singer, who’s gone off script by debuting a whole new sound, replacing their California pop with gut-wrenching rock. When this new music goes viral, striking an unexpected chord with fans, Theo puts his career on the line to give the Saints one last shot at success with a new tour, new record, and new start.

But Hannah’s grief has larger consequences for the group, and her increasingly destructive antics become a distraction as she and her sister Ginny—her lifelong partner in crime—undermine Theo at every turn. Hannah isn’t ready to move on or prepared for the fame she’s been chasing, and the weight of her problems jeopardize the band, her growing closeness with Theo, and, worst of all, her relationship with her sister—all while the world watches closely. The Future Saints’s big break is here—if only they can survive it.

THE CASE FOR CHRIST
By: Lee Strobel
Published:
Publisher:
Christian Non-Fiction
Format: Paperback purchase

A well-respected journalist talked about how this particular book changed her life. Surprisingly, I had never heard of it. After reading The One Year Bible last year, my life was impacted greatly, and I am very interested in reading this book as well.

Is there credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God? Former atheist and Chicago Tribune journalist Lee Strobel takes an investigative look at the evidence from the fields of science, philosophy, and history. In this revised and updated bestseller, The Case for Christ , Lee Strobel cross-examines a dozen experts with doctorates from schools such as Cambridge, Princeton, and Brandeis, asking hard-hitting questions–and building a captivating case for Christ’s divinity. Strobel asks challenging questions Winner of the Gold Medallion Book Award and twice nominated for the Christian Book of the Year Award, Strobel’s tough, point-blank questions read like a captivating, fast-paced novel. But it’s not fiction. It’s a riveting quest for the truth about history’s most compelling figure. This edition includes scores of revisions and additions, including updated material on archaeological and manuscript discoveries, fresh recommendations for further study, and an interview with the author that tells dramatic stories about the book’s impact, provides behind-the-scenes information, and responds to critiques of the book by skeptics.

TINY TWEAKS HAPPY LIFE
By: Erin Port
Published: February 6, 1998
Publisher: Zondervan
Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover purchase

Erin Port is an Iowan whom I’ve followed on Instagram for years as Simple Purposeful Living. I love supporting fellow Iowans and love her simple, everyday tweaks to make life easier.

Do you long for more balance in your day, more quality time with your family, and a stronger sense of purpose and priority in your own life? Tiny Tweaks, Happy Life is a game-changing guide for busy women to create space for what matters most. Packed with practical, customizable strategies, you can achieve a fulfilling life of your choosing, one tiny tweak at a time.

You don’t have to overhaul your entire life to love it. Discover how the power of simple tweaks will help you reevaluate your priorities and manage your time, your household, and your own well-being with simple changes well within your reach. Erin Port—founder of Simple Purposeful Living—provides you with valuable tips and achievable strategies you can apply today.

Tiny Tweaks, Happy Life will help you

Overcome overwhelm by decluttering your space, mind, and schedule Identify and prioritize what truly matters to you and your family Learn to harness time as a powerful tool Establish routines for efficient household management Find the freedom to embrace imperfection and abandon comparison, for a more fulfilling life Each chapter ends with these handy

Children’s Fiction and Non-Fiction

LITTLE COTTAGE FROG
Finger Puppet Book
By: Yu-Hsuan Huang
Published: March 10, 2026
Publisher: Chronicle Kids
Fiction
Format: Interactive Board Book

I’ve shared several of Yu-Hsuan Huang’s Finger Puppet Books, HERE. They are just the cutest and perfect for tucking into an Easter Basket!

Newborns and toddlers will love snuggling up with Little Cottage Frog! A tad reminiscent of Frog and Toad, this cottagecore frog lives in a little cottage log, and he is the perfect friend to help children experience woodland magic and wonder. In these pages, Little Cottage Frog hops, skips, and jumps through a mushroom forest to get to a frog party on the pond!

Featuring a plush finger puppet that peeks into each lovingly illustrated page, this addition to the bestselling Finger Puppet board book series offers parents and children a fun, interactive way to play and read together as little ones build a lifelong love of books (and nature!).

BABY PANDA
Finger Puppet Book
By: Yu-Hsuan Huang
Published: March 10, 2026
Publisher: Chronicle Kids
Fiction
Format: Interactive Board Book

Check out all of the books in the Finger Puppet Book series that I’ve shared, HERE.

Newborns and toddlers will love snuggling up with Baby Panda! A black-and-white bear that has captured hearts around the world with its spirited silliness, the panda is the perfect pal for kids to play with. In these pages, Baby Panda plays hide-and-seek with Papa Panda in the bamboo grove.

Featuring a plush finger puppet that peeks into each lovingly illustrated page, this addition to the bestselling Finger Puppet board book series offers parents and children a fun, interactive way to play and read together as little ones build a lifelong love of books (and nature!).

CONSTRUCTION SITE: FIREFIGHT!
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site
By: Sherri Duskey Rinker
Illustrated by: AG Ford
Published: April 28, 2026
Publisher: Chronicle Kids
Fiction
Format: Hardcover Picture Book for Review

Families will be thrilled to see TWO new Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site books publishing this April. I’ve shared several of Sherri’s books HERE.

When powerful winds knock over electric lines and start a dangerous fire, there’s a big job to do. Thankfully, help is on the way! Fire Engine, Foam Truck, Water Tender, and the rest of the mighty fire crew join forces with the classic Construction Site friends to save the day. Working through the night, they put out the flames, clean up the mess, and focus on what matters most—keeping everyone safe.

Sherri Duskey Rinker’s lively, rhyming text and AG Ford’s vibrant illustrations bring this team of heroic firefighters to life. Little construction fans will love watching trucks, both familiar and new, work together as a team to save the construction site.

CONSTRUCTION SITE: DAD AND HIS CREW POWER THROUGH!
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site
By: Sherri Duskey Rinker
Illustrated by: AG Ford
Published: April 28, 2026
Publisher: Chronicle Kids
Fiction
Format: Hardcover Picture Book for Review

This addition to the Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series will be perfect for bedtime reading with Dad.

As the sun rises on the construction site, a giant wheel loader rumbles awake. It’s time for a busy day of work and play! This wise, patient dad teaches his little ones how to dig, lift, carry, and climb—and, most importantly, how love, teamwork, and plenty of fun make a family.

Sherri Duskey Rinker and AG Ford, the author-illustrator team behind many of the Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site bestsellers, bring their playful rhyming text and vibrant illustrations to a sweet, timeless tale that celebrates the special connection between fathers and children.

YOU AND I ARE STARS AND NIGHT
By: Kate Hosford
Illustrated by: Richard Jones
Published: February 3, 2026
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Fiction
Format: Hardcover Picture Book for Review

Another great addition to your bedtime reading. I’ve previously shared these books by Kate Hosford.

This whimsical picture book celebrates the loving, playful, and imaginative relationship between caregiver and child through a shared dreamy journey before bedtime.

The wind is calling. Hear it sweep
through our village, fast asleep.
Will you sail away with me?
You and I are salt and sea…

And so, bathtime turns into a magical expedition. A grown-up and child embark on the voyage together, meeting mermaids in the sea, playing hide-and-seek in an enchanted forest, and soaring with the birds before sailing home to read and snuggle in for bedtime, which they know is just another adventure beginning.

Through it all, they cherish the most important thing in both dreamland and the real being together.

CONSIDER THE LILIES
By: Jennifer Grant
Illustrated by: Julianna Swaney
Published: February 10, 2026
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Fiction
Format: Hardcover Picture Book

I shared Grant’s CONSIDER THE BIRDS, HERE, and also loved FINDING CALM IN NATURE. This will be a great book for reading with your child this Spring.

On a bright spring day, WHITE Queen Anne’s lace waves in the breeze. BLUE bellflowers bask in the sun. Hummingbirds dive down into RED poppies, and a ladybug hurries down the fronds of a GREEN fern. Don’t trip on that PINK primrose peeking through the cracks! Consider these flowers of the field―they live and grow just where they are supposed to be. Maybe God knows how to take care of us, too. 

Inspired by the timeless words of Luke 12 and Matthew 6, the second book in the Consider series invites children to discover colors in nature, the beauty of flowers in bloom, and the love of God. Jennifer Grant’s simple text and Julianna Swaney’s endearing art will encourage readers to slow down and marvel at the amazing world around them. A perfect read aloud for the spring and Easter seasons.

MARY MORLAND IN THE TIME OF DINOSAUR DISCOVERY
By: Jane Kurtz
Illustrated by: Giselle Potter
Published: February 24, 2026
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover Picture Book

Jane Kurtz also wrote THE BONE WARS, another dinosaur discovery biography for kids.

Unearth the extraordinary contributions Mary Morland made to 19th-century paleontology by pursuing her passion in spite of society’s expectations in this fascinating picture book biography with a question-and-answer structure perfect for reading aloud.

While other little girls were sipping tea perched on their chairs, Mary Morland was given the freedom to spend her time outside exploring. After her mother died, her father sent her to live with a professor who taught Mary how to examine plants, animals, rocks, and fossils. She soaked up all the knowledge she could and captured her discoveries in her journals. Mary continued studying and drawing fossils into adulthood, becoming a prominent fossil hunter whose finds impressed leading scientists of the day.

Eventually, Mary bonded with William Buckland, England’s best fossilist, over their love of paleontology, and the two got married. Together, they introduced the world to Megalosaurus, the first dinosaur that lived on land. At the time, William received credit for their accomplishments while Mary worked from the shadows. This book shines a spotlight on Mary, celebrating her irrepressible spirit, her unconventional life, and her endless enthusiastic pursuit of prehistoric knowledge.

Which books are you adding to your reading list?

Click HERE to see all the posts featuring new books on my shelves.

So many books, so little time!