As Thanksgiving inches closer, we are increasingly aware that we have much to be thankful for. Professionally, we celebrate four New York Times, Wall Street Journal and/or USA Today bestsellers, a promotion and two fantastic additions to our team. Personally, we celebrate a milestone birthday, a new marriage and an engagement. It’s been a big year for our staff!

Following last year’s post, we decided to take a moment again this year to reflect all that we are thankful for – not the least of which are the books that have captivated us, touched us or helped us in some way this year.

Barbara – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This year, I am most thankful for The Hunger Games series of books by Suzanne Collins. This trilogy of suspense thrillers, aimed primarily at the young adult audience, gave my entire family of five something to read, share, discuss (no spoiler alerts allowed), and debate.  All five of us, ranging in age from our 50s down to 11-years-old, were all drawn in to the stories and now eagerly await the movie (after heated debates when the casting was announced).  Books that can span generations and become the source of new conversations are to be treasured. The next generation of readers is there, just waiting for books like these.

Jessica – A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin

I finally jumped on the bandwagon this year, and the books totally live up to the hype! It’s been years since I found a writer that offers me complete and total escape – I’m so thankful to have not just one, but an entire series of books to get lost in.

Kaila – The Love Dare by Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick

After dating for six years, my husband and I tied the knot in January. This year, I am especially thankful for The Love Dare, which teaches spouses to cherish one another daily and challenges them to be the best husband or wife they can be. It also serves to remind couples why they fell in love in the first place. Such a great book and valuable, I would argue, for any stage of marriage.

Rusty – The Wheels on the Bus

If you have children, you know that they often have one book that they seem to bring to you every single night before bed. Regardless of how many new books you purchase or where you hide said book, they always tend to find it come bedtime. Although our first son, Luke (4), was a bit more adventurous with his reading habits, our second son, Brady, who just turned 2-years-old, is all about The Wheels on the Bus. Not only can he recite every line of the book, everyone in the family can as well.

His latest spin on it is making sure whoever is reading it to him is now creating new lines in the book. For example, “Brady on the bus eats ice cream, eats ice cream, eats ice cream…” You get the drift. He will then list every family member, friend and public figure (Santa, Bob the Builder, etc.) and makes sure each has their own unique line in the song. This ensures he doesn’t have to go to bed for at least 20 more minutes. The book is falling apart, and although I literally sing the song in my sleep, I know it will always be symbolic of his childhood, and for that I am thankful.

Claudia – The Happiest Toddler on the Block by Harvey Karp, M.D.

Recently, my reading has taken a practical twist as life has gotten busier. At the moment, I’m grateful for The Happiest Toddler on the Block, which has shown me some wonderful ways of relating to my 2-year-old and dealing with her moments of upset with empathy and mirroring. The book has me saying ridiculous things like, “Coco angry, grrr…! Coco want more cha-cha!” (Cha-cha is chocolate.) But the tantrums have stopped, so something is working!

Kim – Bossypants by Tina Fey

Unlike the Spice Girls and Lilith Fair, Bossypants left me with a sense of girl power that I could feel good about (and didn’t make me nauseous). I admire Tiny Fey’s approach to balancing family life while navigating a male-dominated industry; the key is being able to laugh.

Lew – The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Dave Ramsey gives practical advice on living within your means and becoming debt-free.  I am thankful for his encouragement and tough love reminders that it can be done if you just stick to his plan.

We want to know: what book are you most thankful for this year?