Welcome to Litsy!

repost for @AnishaInkspill

I've set this challenge on Storygraph. I came up with Long Reads Workout 2026 to read books that are long and intimidating but want to read.

I'm starting with Hannibal Rising at 350+ pages and working all the way to Hilary Mantel's A Place of Greater Safety, that is 600+ pages. If you're interested in this this challenge on Storygraph I put the link below.

Or tag me, @AnishaInkspill, here with #3BookChallenge2026.

“As the farmhouse door flew open and the soldiers stormed in, Dora realized her first warm meal in months was actually a trap.“
#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl
#nonfiction #psychology
*(Somehow it doesn't feel like Friday, even though the calendar says it is.)

repost for @Amiable

Back again for the 6th annual #ChunksterChallenge! Is there a giant book you‘ve always wanted to read but have been intimidated by its size? Tackle it in 2026 and enjoy the bragging rights! Start gradually with stepped-up categories— or join me in diving right into a Colossal Chunkster! (Tagged is the book I‘ll be starting on Jan.1.)

#ChunksterChallenge2026 #ReadingChallenge

I‘ve seen this book around for a while. Last week some school psychology colleagues recommended it, specifically for neurodivergent kids experiencing anxiety, so I decided to add it to my collection.
I‘m big on psychoeducation. If we understand how our brains and bodies work, we become empowered. This is a great book for older primary (elementary) school kids. It‘s great for all kids, not just neurodivergent ones.

This was recommended by my therapist and it‘s helpful for confronting and experiencing emotions.

Two of our three grandsons! The oldest and the youngest. 🧡🎃

We booked an Airbnb in NH to belatedly (& quietly & cozily) celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. We arrived in the cold, and the dark, and the rain to find that our host had double-booked the cottage. They found us a pet-friendly hotel room to stay in overnight and refunded us (after some not so gentle nudging). Drove the 4 hours home this morning.

Definitely not our best weekend! Photo of Jett to add some cuteness to a very not-cute post!

Extremely good insight from the lens we opt to raise our family through. Mental health is just as important to care for as physical health and leaning into friendships and mentorships with those who have parented and supported younger generations is extremely valuable. We can learn techniques and habits as a family with a biblical foundation.

“How can Bat show them that he just wants to share some cake?”

This book would be great for social-emotional learning. Exploring questions like “Have you ever felt left out or misunderstood?“ and “How can we make everyone feel included?“