Fall religion, in not so many words: still too many pastors; religion is still bad for you and the world (Christopher Hitchens has even come back from the dead, via previously unpublished essays, to remind us of this); Pope Francis still looks promising.
Publishers will deliver the usual suspects in great quantities, expecting those authors to deliver sales, a good bet. After something familiar, something new: a few other titles look too good, or trending, to resist. Drumroll, please.
Jesus has been a fascinating figure for two millennia and a source of endless inspiration for the written word. James Carroll is an accomplished writer who is familiar with the imperative claim of Christian faith. Carroll’s Christ Actually: The Son of God for the Secular Age may not be a match of author and subject made in heaven, but it promises good, searching reading. Not quite as fascinating but certainly profoundly formative in Judaism and Christianity—as well as secular myths of heroism—is King David, military hero, poet, adulterer. David: The Divided Heart, by David Wolpe, a respected rabbi, is the latest in a small wavelet of books that reexamine the influential biblical figure. Examining the relationship between religion and violence is not novel; religion scholars and angry atheists have spilled gallons of ink over it. But Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence, by Karen Armstrong, will be detailed but accessible, comparative in scope, and clear-eyed.
The prolific Deepak Chopra will speak to those who prefer to think spiritually rather than religiously in The Future of God: A Practical Approach to Spirituality for Our Times, and a PBS tie-in special scheduled for November 29 will certainly help get his message out. Contemporary scholarship brings its lens to a topic much in need of dispassionate clarity in The Lives of Muhammad, by Kecia Ali, an upcoming Muslim scholar. On a less urgent but equally needed diversionary note, genre fiction shines in Sister Eve, Private Eye by Lynne Hinton. Get thee to a nunnery, Sherlock. Good writing will distinguish books in the much-published category of spirituality, and Barbara Mahany honed her craft in almost 30 years of writing as a newspaper journalist and columnist. Slowing Time: Seeing the Sacred Outside Your Kitchen Door sounds like balm for the hurried heart.
Best title of the season goes to Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial?... And Other Questions from the Astronomer’s In-Box at the Vatican Observatory, by Guy Consolmagno and Paul Mueller. Let’s read to find out and thank God for religion that has a sense of whimsy. Given his platform, smiling preacher Joel Osteen probably has a lock on another bestseller berth with You Can, You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner—maybe it will debut at #8. Culture remaker Rob Bell returns with The Zimzum of Love: A New Way to Understand Marriage. Bell has a way of starting cultural conversations, and, at the very least, this book will help us learn the meaning of “zimzum.”
PW’s Top 10: Religion
Christ Actually: The Son of God for the Secular Age. James Carroll. Viking, Nov. 18
David: The Divided Heart. David Wolpe. Yale Univ., Sept. 30
Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence. Karen Armstrong. Knopf, Nov. 4
The Future of God: A Practical Approach to Spirituality for Our Times. Deepak Chopra. Harmony, Nov. 11
The Lives of Muhammad. Kecia Ali. Harvard Univ., Oct. 7
Sister Eve, Private Eye. Lynne Hinton. Thomas Nelson, Nov. 25
Slowing Time: Seeing the Sacred Outside Your Kitchen Door. Barbara Mahany. Abingdon, Oct. 7
Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial?... And Other Questions from the Astronomer’s In-Box at the Vatican Observatory. Guy Consolmagno and Paul Mueller. Image, Oct. 7
You Can, You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner. Joel Osteen. FaithWords, Sept. 30
The Zimzum of Love: A New Way to Understand Marriage. Rob and Kristen Bell. HarperOne, Oct. 28
Religion Listings
Abingdon
Slowing Time: Seeing the Sacred Outside Your Kitchen Door by Barbara Mahany (Oct. 7, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-4267-7642-7) encourages readers to get back to basics, discern the divine in everyday, and live an examined life.
Not a Silent Night: Mary Looks Back to Bethlehem by Adam Hamilton (Sept. 16, hardcover, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-4267-7184-2) invites readers to witness the life and ministry of Jesus Christ through the eyes of Mary, from birth to crucifixion.
Ashgate
Being as Communion: A Metaphysics of Information by William A. Dembski (Aug., paper, $34.95, ISBN 978-0-7546-3858-2) provides a nontechnical overview of Dembski’s work on information.
Ave Maria
When Saint Francis Saved the Church by Jon M. Sweeney (Sept., hardcover, $20, ISBN 978-1-59471-486-3 offers a surprising look at the world’s most popular saint.
The Grace of Yes by Lisa M. Hendey (Nov., paperback, $15.95, ISBN 978-1-59471-472-6) guides readers through the eight virtues that have helped Hendey—and will help readers—learn how to say yes to God.
Barbour/Shiloh Run
Triumph! Powerful Stories of Athletes of Faith by Pat Williams and Ken Hussar (Aug. 1, hardcover, $18.99, ISBN 978-1-62836-970-0) collects stories and anecdotes from athletes, coaches, and sports observers.
Baker
Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible by Mark Batterson (Sept., hardcover, $22.99, ISBN 978-0-8010-1594-6) relates stories of people who are experiencing miracles in their lives today.
Baker Academic
Bonhoeffer as Youth Worker: A Theological Vision for Discipleship and Life Together by Andrew Root (Oct. 21, paper, $19.99, ISBN 978-0-8010-4905-7) argues that Bonhoeffer’s frequently overlooked youth ministry is central to understanding him.
Baylor Univ.
Qur’an in Conversation by Michael Birkel (Aug., hardcover, $39.95, ISBN 978-1-4813-0097-1) offers interpretations of Islam’s sacred text by a variety of North American Muslim scholars and leaders.
Beacon
At Home in Exile: Why Diaspora Is Good for the Jews by Alan Wolfe (Oct. 28, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-0-8070-3313-5). One of America’s public intellectuals argues that the most important development in the 3,000-year history of the Jewish people has taken place in the years since WWII: a vibrant, successful, and secure life is now possible for Jews in the diaspora.
Bethany House
Colliding with Destiny: Finding Hope in the Legacy of Ruth by Sarah Jakes (Sept., hardcover, $24.99, ISBN 978-0-7642-1211-6) uses the biblical story of Ruth to move beyond mistakes and disappointments. 65,000-copy first printing.
B&H
Eight Twenty Eight by Ian and Larissa Murphy (Aug. 28, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-4336-8182-0). The authors met in college and fell in love. Ian’s car accident altered their lives, but not their bond.
The Wisdom of Faith by Bobby Bowden (Sept. 1, hardcover, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-4336-8451-7). The winning coach shares the lessons he’s learned in his years of faith and coaching.
Bloomsbury
Mecca: The Sacred City by Ziauddin Sardar (Oct. 21, hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-1-62040-266-5) explores the spiritual home of Islam, from its religious and historical roots to the place and symbol it is today.
The Talmud, a Biography: Banned, Censored and Burned—The Book They Couldn’t Suppress by Harry Freedman (Sept. 30, hardcover, $26, ISBN 978-1-4729-0594-9) is the story of a classic that parallels the history of the Jewish people.
Brandeis Univ.
Days Between: Blessings, Poems, and Directions of the Heart for the Jewish High Holiday Season by Marcia Falk (Aug. 5, hardcover, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-61168-605-0) is a volume of new English and Hebrew prayers and reflections for the High Holidays from a contemporary American poet.
Brazos
Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church by Scot McKnight (Oct. 21, hardcover, $21.99, ISBN 978-1-58743-360-3) clarifies the biblical concept of kingdom, offering a vision for the contemporary church.
Buddhist Text Translation Society
The Sixth Patriarch’s Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra, edited by Martin Verhoeven and Heng Sure (Aug., hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-1-60103-070-2). The “Bible” of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, this sutra presents the core teaching that all beings possess the true nature equal to all Buddhas.
Chalice Press
Forward Together: A Moral Message for the Nation by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (Oct. 30, paper, $19.99, ISBN 978-0-8272-4494-8) reflects on the “Forward Together–Moral Monday” movement’s beginnings in North Carolina in what is being called the Southern freedom movement’s revival.
Charisma/Frontline
U-Turn by David Barton and George Barna (Oct. 21, paper, $17.99, ISBN 978-1-62998-024-9) examines current cultural trends and historical patterns to argue that America cannot sustain its strength if it remains on its current path.
Chosen
Experience the Impossible: Simple Ways to Unleash Heaven’s Power on Earth by Bill Johnson (Sept. 2, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-0-8007-9617-4) shows how to access divine power through the Holy Spirit.
Columbia Univ.
Waking, Dreaming, Being: Self and Consciousness in Neuroscience, Meditation, and Philosophy by Evan Thompson (Nov. 11, hardcover, $32.95, ISBN 978-0-231-13709-6). A philosopher of mind shows how the self is a changing process, not a static thing.
Convergent Books
To You, Love God: Day-by-Day Inspiration Straight from the Source by Will Bowen (Dec. 16, hardcover, $22.99, ISBN 978-1-60142-689-5) is a page-per-day inspirational message to the reader from God.
Cornell Univ.
The Devil: A New Biography by Philip C. Almond (Aug. 5, hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-0-8014-5337-3) explores the figure of evil incarnate from the first centuries of the Christian era through to the Enlightenment, when the Devil became marginal to Christian theology.
Crossway
Wellness for the Glory of God: Living Well after 40 with Joy and Contentment in All of Life by John Dunlop (Sept., paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-4335-3812-4) encourages older Christians to embrace aging as a gift from God, incorporating the physical, mental, social, financial, spiritual, and emotional aspects of a person’s life.
David C. Cook
Overrated: Are We More in Love with the Idea of Changing the World than Actually Changing the World? by Eugene Cho (Sept. 1, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-0-7814-1112-7) explores the possibility that changing the world is really about changing oneself.
Addicted to Busy: Recovery for the Rushed Soul by Brady Boyd (Sept. 1, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-0-7814-1034-2) shows how to live a life that embraces stillness and solitude.
Dafina
The Scroll by Parrish Smith (Aug. 26, paper, $14, ISBN 978-1-61773-455-7) is an inspirational guide with new stories from more than 40 of the country’s most revered spiritual leaders in the African American community.
Dutton
Prayer: The Essential Guide by Timothy Keller (Oct. 28, hardcover, $26.95, ISBN 978-0-525-95414-9) looks in-depth at one of the most powerful aspects of faith: prayer.
Wm. B. Eerdmans
Vainglory: The Forgotten Vice by Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung (Nov. 30, paper, $14, ISBN 978-0-8028-7129-9) examines the vice of vainglory—disordered attachment to approval and attention—from its ancient origins to its modern expressions.
Secular Government, Religious People by Ira C. Lupu and Robert Tuttle (Aug. 30, paper, $25, ISBN 978-0-8028-7079-7). Two legal scholars argue that the secular character of American government, not a set of individual rights, is the centerpiece of religious liberty in the U.S.
Faithwords
Living Courageously: You Can Face Anything, Just Do It Afraid by Joyce Meyer (Sept. 16, hardcover, $24, ISBN 978-1-4555-1748-0) explains how Christians can overcome the paralyzing power of fear by calling upon God. 350,000-copy first printing.
Learning from the Giants: Life and Leadership Lessons from the Bible by John C. Maxwell (Nov. 11, hardcover, $16, ISBN 978-1-4555-5707-3) draws on the author’s 50 years of studying the Bible to explain the stories of Elijah, Elisha, Job, Jacob, Deborah, Isaiah, Jonah, Joshua, and Daniel. 100,000-copy first printing.
You Can, You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner by Joel Osteen (Sept. 30, hardcover, $24, ISBN 978-1-4555-7571-8) focuses on the eight traits and attributes of highly successful people. 600,000-copy first printing.
Franciscan Media
Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi by Richard Rohr (Aug., hardcover, $21.99, ISBN 978-1-61636-701-5) interprets the tradition of Francis.
Harmony
The Future of God: A Practical Approach to Spirituality for Our Times by Deepak Chopra (Nov. 11, hardcover, $25, ISBN 978-0-307-88497-8) examines the faulty reasoning, bogus science, and general bad faith prevalent among militant atheists like Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, then offers new and provocative ways to understand God and the nature of belief.
HarperOne
The Zimzum of Love: A New Way to Understand Marriage by Rob Bell and Kristen Bell (Oct. 28, hardcover, $24.99, ISBN 978-0-06-219424-4). As he revolutionized traditional teaching on hell in the controversial Love Wins, Rob Bell now transforms the understanding of marriage in a book written with his wife. 150,000-copy first printing.
The Way of Serenity: Finding Peace and Happiness in the Serenity Prayer by Jonathan Morris (Sept. 2, hardcover, $24.99, ISBN 978-0-06-211913-1). The Fox News regular and leading voice of the Catholic Channel on Sirius XM radio examines the application of the Serenity Prayer for everyone.
Harvard/Belknap
America’s Pastor: Billy Graham and the Shaping of a Nation by Grant Wacker (Sept. 8, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-0-674-05218-5) deepens understanding of why Billy Graham has mattered so much to so many.
Harvard Univ.
The Lives of Muhammad by Kecia Ali (Oct. 7, hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-0-674-05060-0) delves into the many ways the Prophet’s life story has been told from the earliest days of Islam to the present, by both Muslims and non-Muslims.
Harvest House
Choose Love by Stormie Omartian (Sept., paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-7369-5897-4) explores the depth of God’s love for humanity to help individuals receive it.
Get Unstuck, Be Unstoppable by Valorie Burton (Oct., paper, $12.99, ISBN 978-0-7369-5678-9) uses wisdom from God and the principles of positive psychology to direct major life changes.
Hendrickson
Dictionary of Daily Life in Biblical & Post-Biblical Antiquity by Edwin Yamauchi and Marvin R. Wilson (Oct., paper, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-61970-460-2) provides cultural and technical information on the world of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament.
Holt
The Great Reformer: Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope by Austen Ivereigh (Nov. 18, hardcover, $32, ISBN 978-1-62779-157-1). A biography of Pope Francis describes how this revolutionary thinker will use the power of his position to challenge and redirect one of the world’s major religions.
Hodder & Stoughton
The Bad Christian’s Manifesto: How to Reinvent God (and Other Modest Proposals) by Dave Tomlinson (Nov. 1, hardcover, $22.95, ISBN 978-1-444752250) explains how to make sense of Christianity for anyone who wants God without guff.
Howard
Unphiltered by Phil Robertson (Sept., hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-4767-6623-2). The patriarch of the Duck Dynasty show shares his thoughtful—and opinionated—philosophy on life.
Live Original by Sadie Robertson (Oct., hardcover, $22.99, ISBN 978-1-4767-7780-1). Seventeen-year-old Sadie Robertson—daughter of Willie and Korie Robertson of Duck Dynasty—opens up about herself and her family.
Dancing for the Devil by Anny Donewald (Oct., hardcover, $22.99, ISBN 978-1-4767-5908-1) is a memoir of transformation from a high-end stripper and escort who hit rock-bottom, turned to God, and left the sex trade to found a ministry to women in the sex industry.
Jewish Publication Society
Jewish Meaning in a World of Choice: Studies in Tradition and Modernity by David Ellenson (Oct., hardcover, $45, ISBN 978-0-8276-1214-3) examines the complex push and pull between Jewish tradition and Western culture.
Ignatius Press
Fioretti: The Little Flowers of Pope Francis by Andrea Tornielli (Sept., hardcover, $19.95, ISBN 978-1-58617-931-1) collects inspiring stories, words, and encounters in the first year of the papacy of Pope Francis.
Image
The Feasts: How the Church Year Forms Us as Catholics by Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Mike Aquilina (Sept. 16, hardcover, $23, ISBN 978-0-8041-3992-2) traces the history and traditions behind both favorite and forgotten holidays, from Christmas to the Feast of the Sacred Heart.
Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial?... and Other Questions from the Astronomer’s In-box at the Vatican Observatory by Guy Consolmagno and Paul Mueller (Oct. 7, hardcover, $24, ISBN 978-0-8041-3695-2). Two Vatican astronomers shed provocative light on some of the strange places where religion and science meet.
IVP
Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Times by Os Guinness (Aug., paper, $16, ISBN 978-0-8308-3671-0) calls for a new renaissance that challenges darkness with the hope of Christian faith.
Jericho
Disquiet Time: Rants and Reflections on the Good Book by the Skeptical, the Faithful, and a Few Scoundrels, edited by Jennifer Grant and Cathleen Falsani (Oct. 28, hardcover, $24, ISBN 978-1-4555-7882-5) is a collection of essays about troubling passages in the Bible.
Post-Christian: What’s Left? Can We Fix It? Do We Care? by Christian Piatt (Aug. 12, hardcover, $20, ISBN 978-1-4555-7311-0) offers a road map to the future of faith.
Jewish Lights
God, Faith & Identity from the Ashes: Reflections of Children and Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors, edited by Menachem Z. Rosensaft, prologue by Elie Wiesel (Dec., hardcover, $25, ISBN 978-1-58023-805-2), contains life-affirming reflections from 90 prominent and not-so-prominent contributors from 16 countries who reveal how their personal legacy has shaped their perspectives and actions.
Judaism’s Ten Best Ideas: A Brief Guide for Seekers by Arthur Green (Sept., paper, $9.99, ISBN 978-1-58023-803-8) introduces Judaism’s most important ideas, illuminated by classical stories and personal narratives from a world authority on Jewish thought and spirituality.
Johns Hopkins Univ.
Renegade Amish: Beard Cutting, Hate Crimes, and the Trial of the Bergholz Barbers by Donald B. Kraybill (Aug. 21, hardcover, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-4214-1567-3) provides an insider’s perspective into how a small community of Amish people, nurtured in a religious tradition of nonviolence and forgiveness, transformed into a culture of revenge and retaliation.
Judson
Pulpit & Politics: Separation of Church & State in the Black Church by Marvin McMickle (Oct. 15, paper, $22.99, ISBN 978-0-8170-1751-4) argues for the vital role of the preacher in the pulpit and in serving the community.
Knopf
Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence by Karen Armstrong (Nov. 4, hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-0-307-95704-7) examines the impulse toward violence in each of the world’s great religions. 150,000-copy announced first printing.
Kregel
Get Your Joy Back: Banishing Resentment and Reclaiming Confidence in Your Special Needs Family by Laurie Wallin (Nov., paper, $13.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4339-8) is written by a mother of special needs children.
Liguori
Around the Table with the Catholic Foodie: Middle Eastern Cuisine by Jeff Young (Nov., paperback, $25.99, ISBN 978-0-7648-2529-3). The Catholic Foodie blogger takes readers on his recent pilgrimage to the Holy Land for savory experiences of Middle Eastern cuisine.
Lion Hudson
Approaching Easter by Jane Williams (Jan. 1, hardcover, $16.95, ISBN 978-0-7459-5199-7). A Lent and Easter companion is illustrated throughout with fine art.
Little, Brown
One Nation, Under Gods: A New American History by Peter Manseau (Jan. 27, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-0-316-10003-8) offers a groundbreaking new look at the story of America.
Loyola
Love Will Steer Me True by Jane and Ellen Knuth (Oct., paper, $14, ISBN 978-0-8294-4143-7) shows how a mother and daughter swerve and weave their way into a new understanding of themselves, their familial relationship, and their faith.
Moody
Every Reason to Leave and Why We Chose to Stay Together by Vicki Rose, with Dana Wilkerson (Aug. 1, paper, $13.99, ISBN 978-0-8024-0655-2) provides an example of what God can and will do to restore a seemingly irreparably broken marriage.
Moody/Northfield
Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World by Gary D. Chapman and Arlene Pellicane (Sept. 1, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-0-8024-1123-5) can help parents reclaim their home from an overdependence on screens.
Morehouse
Christ Walk: A 40-Day Spiritual Fitness Program by Anna Fitch Courie (Dec., paper, $18, ISBN 978-0-8192-3169-7) outlines a program for individuals and groups to focus on improving physical health while engaging in spiritual and mental reflection and growth.
Multnomah
Ask It: The Question That Will Revolutionize How You Make Decisions by Andy Stanley (Nov. 18, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-60142-718-2) argues that in most situations people ask the wrong question, which inevitably leads to frustration and regret. The right question to ask is: what is the wise thing to do?
National Geographic
The Story of Christianity: A Chronicle of Christian Civilization from Ancient Rome to Today by Jean-Pierre Isbouts (Oct. 28, hardcover, $40, ISBN 978-1-4262-1387-8) illustrates the rich social and cultural history of Christianity through the ages.
NavPress
Beside Bethesda: 31 Days Toward Deeper Healing by Joni Eareckson Tada (Sept. 1, hardcover, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-61291-712-2) takes readers on a monthlong journey toward the deepest healing God offers.
New Leaf
Jesus Unmasked: The Truth Will Shock You by Todd Friel (Aug., paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-89221-726-7) uncovers the truth of Jesus Christ beneath the cultural and biblical masks.
New Page
Peace: Steps to Achieving Happiness Through Acts of Love, Compassion, Kindness, Tolerance, and Forgiveness by Tsem Rinpoche (Dec. 14, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-60163-353-8) brings back the basics of what it means to create peace and lasting harmony.
Norton
The Norton Anthology of World Religions, Vol. 1: Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism; Vol. 2: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, edited by Jack Miles, general editor, and Wendy Doniger, Donald S. Lopez, James Robson, David Biale, Lawrence Cunningham, and Jane Dammen McAuliffe (Nov. 3, hardcover, $100, ISBN 978-0-393-06253-3) is a sweeping work in which the six major world religions speak to readers in their own words.
NYU
In the Shadow of Zion: Promised Lands Before Israel by Adam L. Rovner (Nov. 21, hardcover, $35, ISBN 978-1-4798-1748-1) uncovers the mostly forgotten history of the search for the Jewish national home over the past 150 years, relating this search and the trajectory of modern Zionism.
Oneworld
Misquoting Muhammad: The Challenge and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet’s Legacy by Jonathan A.C. Brown (Sept. 9, hardcover, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-78074-420-9) offers an inside view into how key and controversial aspects of Islam took shape.
Open Road Media
If Nuns Ruled the World: Ten Sisters on a Mission by Jo Piazza (Sept. 2, paper, $12.99, ISBN 978-1-4976-0190-1) portrays the admirable and indomitable nature of modern nuns with profiles of 10 extraordinary sisters.
Orbis
Francis of Rome and Francis of Assisi: A New Springtime for the Church by Leonardo Boff (Aug., paper, $18, ISBN 978-1-62698-083-9) presents the vision of Pope Francis as interpreted by one of the world’s leading liberation theologians.
Radical Spirituality: Repentance, Resistance, Revolution by Jason Storbakken (Sept., hardcover, $25, ISBN 978-1-62698-103-4). A Brooklyn Mennonite offers a fresh and edgy approach to living the Gospel.
Our Sunday Visitor
St. Francis and Pope Francis: Prayer, Poverty, and Joy in Jesus by Alan Schreck (Sept., paper, $14.95, ISBN 978-1-61278-788-6). What does a medieval Italian Catholic friar and a 21st-century Argentinian pope have in common? The central belief that encountering Jesus can change one’s life and the world.
Oxford Univ.
Atheist Awakening: Secular Activism and Community in America by Richard Cimino and Christopher Smith (Oct. 31, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-0-19-998632-3) offers an in-depth sociological perspective on American atheism and secularism.
Wrestling the Angel: The Foundations of Mormon Thought: Cosmos, God, Humanity by Terryl L. Givens (Nov. 3, hardcover, $34.95, ISBN 978-0-19-979492-8) is the first volume of a major two-part history of Mormon thought.
Becoming Un-Orthodox: Stories of Ex-Hasidic Jews by Lynn Davidman (Nov. 28, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-0-19-938050-3) provides an intimate perspective on what it means to leave Ultraorthodox Judaism.
Parallax
How to Love by Thich Nhat Hanh (Jan., paperback, $9.95, ISBN 978-1-937006-88-4). The Zen master clarifies and distills one of our strongest emotions down to its essentials.
Paulist
Caritas: The Illustrated History of Christian Charity by Juan María Laboa (Oct. hardcover, $79.95, ISBN 978-0-8091-0610-3) presents the history of this practice through works of art over the centuries.
Pegasus
The Lost Gospel: Decoding the Sacred Text that Reveals Jesus’ Marriage to Mary Magdalene by Simcha Jacobovici and Barrie Wilson (Nov. 15, hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-1-60598-610-4) unravels a newly translated document filled with details about the life and times of Jesus.
Princeton Univ.
The Bhagavad Gita: A Biography by Richard H. Davis (Oct. 26, hardcover, $24.95, ISBN 978-0-691-13996-8) tells the story of this venerable book from its origins in ancient India to its reception today.
Prometheus Books
Christianity Is Not Great: How Faith Fails by John W. Loftus (Oct. 7, paper, $20, ISBN 978-1-61614-956-7) presents arguments against Christianity.
Revell
Have a Happy Family by Friday: How to Improve Communication, Respect & Teamwork in 5 Days by Kevin Leman (Sept., hardcover, $17.99, ISBN 978-0-8007-1913-5) shows parents techniques for improving family life and communication.
Roman Catholic Books
The Bible for the Sick, edited by Fr. Frederic Ozanam (Sept., hardcover, $19.95, ISBN 978-1-934888-38-4). A French priest with special expertise in caring for the sick and dying collects all of Scripture’s most useful passages for them.
Rowman & Littlefield
Letters to an Atheist by Peter Kreeft (Sept., hardcover, $19.95, ISBN 978-1-4422-3271-6). The Catholic scholar and apologist writes a series of heartfelt letters to a young atheist.
The Jesuits: A History from Ignatius to the Present by John W. O’Malley (Oct., hardcover, $22, ISBN 978-1-4422-3475-8) provides an accessible introduction to Ignatius of Loyola, the Society of Jesus, and their unique teachings.
Schocken
The Early Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings, the Schocken Bible, Vol. II, trans. by Everett Fox (Nov. 4, hardcover, $50, ISBN 978-0-8052-4181-5) is the next volume in this significant translation.
Scribner
A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie, edited by Susanna Wright (Dec. 2, hardcover, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-4767-5470-3) updates a 1936 Christian devotional classic.
Simon & Schuster
Why Religion Is Immoral and Other Interventions by Christopher Hitchens (Nov. 11, hardcover, $26, ISBN 978-1-4767-7203-5). Unpublished speeches by the late acerbic cultural critic offer sharp rebukes to tyrants and the ill-informed everywhere.
The Map of Heaven: How Science, Religion, and Ordinary People Are Proving That the World Beyond Is Real by Eben Alexander with Ptolemy Tompkins (Nov. 4, hardcover, $21.99, ISBN 978-1476766393) examines what sages of times past, modern scientists, and ordinary people who have had profound spiritual experiences say about the reality of heaven.
Skyhorse/Yucca
Dear Friends: The Letters of St. Paul to Christians in America by Christopher L. Webber (Sept. 2, hardcover, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-63158-015-4) imagines St. Paul commenting in letters on American issues of today.
SkyLight Paths
Calling on God: Inclusive Christian Prayers for Three Years of Sundays by Peter Bankson and Deborah Sokolove (Sept., paper, $16.99, ISBN 978-1-59473-568-4) is a book of prayers written in ordinary English for Christians who long for a way to talk to and about God that feels fresh yet connected to tradition.
She Lives! Sophia Wisdom Works in the World by Rev. Jann Aldredge-Clanton (Sept., paper, $18.99, ISBN 978-1-59473-573-8), presents stories of clergy and laypeople who are changing the institutional church and society by restoring biblical female divine names and images to Christian theology and worship.
St. Martin’s
An American Cardinal: The Biography of Cardinal Timothy Dolan by Christina Boyle (Nov. 4, hardcover, $27.99, ISBN 978-1-250-03287-4) is the biography of the man who might one day become the first American pope.
St. Martin’s/Dunne
The Bible’s Cutting Room Floor: The Holy Scriptures Missing from Your Bible by Joel M. Hoffman (Sept. 2, hardcover, $25.99, ISBN 978-1-250-04796-0) looks at the stories and lessons that almost made it into the Bible but didn’t.
Suny Press
Christianity Without God: Moving Beyond the Dogmas and Retrieving the Epic Moral Narrative by Daniel C. Maguire (Oct. 1, paper, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-4384-5404-7) argues that Christianity does not require its supernatural aspects.
Swedenborg Foundation
The Joy of Spiritual Living: Simple Steps to Your Best Life by Frank Rose and Robert Maginel (Oct., paper, $13.95, ISBN 978-0-87785-352-7) contains practical exercises for spiritual growth in modern life, based on the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg.
Tharpa
How to Understand the Mind: The Nature and Power of the Mind by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (Aug. 1, paper, $18.95, ISBN 978-1-906665-82-1) shows how an understanding of the nature of mind can be used in everyday experience.
Thomas Nelson
Killing Lions: A Guide Through the Trials Young Men Face by John and Samuel Eldredge (Sept. 9, hardcover, $19.99, ISBN 978-1-4002-0670-4) offers an inside look into the conversations between father and son, sharing lessons about love, money, work, God, and life.
The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands by Lysa TerKeurst (Aug. 12, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-4002-0585-1) brings a message to women who live under the stress of an overwhelming schedule and the sadness of an underwhelmed soul.
Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer by Max Lucado (Oct. 7, hardcover, $19.99, ISBN 978-0-8499-4848-0) takes readers to the very heart of biblical prayer, helping them calm the chaos of life.
Tuttle
Adventures of the Mad Monk Ji Gong: The Drunken Wisdom of China’s Most Famous Chan Buddhist Monk by Guo Xiaoting, trans. by John Robert Shaw (Aug. 26, paper, $22.95, ISBN 978-0-8048-4322-5), brings a literary classic about an unorthodox Buddhist monk to English-speaking readers.
Tyndale
Agents of the Apocalypse: A Riveting Look at the Key Players of the End Times by David Jeremiah (Oct. 7, hardcover, $24.99, ISBN 978-1-4143-8049-0) explores the book of Revelation through the lens of its major players.
Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas by Ann Voskamp (Sept. 1, hardcover, $19.99, ISBN 978-1-4143-9754-2) expands Voskamp’s presentation of the Advent tradition of the Jesse Tree.
Tyndale Momentum
Revangelical: Becoming the Good News People We’re Meant to Be by Lance Ford (Sept. 1, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-4143-9015-4) is intended to inspire and equip Christians to become the people God has called them to be.
Univ. of California
The Final Pagan Generation by Edward J. Watts (Jan. 14, hardcover, $34.95, ISBN 978-0-520-28370-1) recounts the lives and fortunes of the last Romans born before the Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity.
Univ. of Minnesota
Saint John’s Abbey Church: Marcel Breuer and the Creation of a Modern Sacred Space by Victoria M. Young (Oct., hardcover, $34.95, ISBN 978-0-8166-7616-3) narrates the making of an architectural masterpiece in Minnesota, a church that helped to define modern religious design.
Univ. of North Carolina
What Is Veiling? by Sahar Amer (Sept. 2, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-1-4696-1775-6) addresses the significance of veiling in the religious, cultural, political, and social lives of Muslims past and present.
Univ. of Pennsylvania
Religious Transformations in the Early Modern Americas, edited by Stephanie Kirk and Sarah Rivett (Oct. 24, hardcover, $49.95, ISBN 978-0-8122-4654-4) shows what happened to Christianity when Old World doctrine and belief crossed the Atlantic and collided with New World realities.
Univ. of Kentucky
The Letters of Thomas Merton and Victor and Carolyn Hammer: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, edited by F. Douglas Scutchfield and Paul Evans Holbrook Jr. (Dec., hardcover, $40, ISBN 978-0-8131-5352-0) offers a new perspective on the influential 20th-century Catholic mystic and thinker.
Urim
After the Holocaust, the Bells Still Ring by Joseph Polak (Oct. 1, hardcover, $19.95, ISBN 978-965-524-162-4) is a memoir of a mother and child who miraculously survive two concentration camps, then, after the war, battle demons of the past as they struggle to re-enter the world of the living.
Viking
Christ Actually: The Son of God for the Secular Age by James Carroll (Nov. 18, hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-0-670-078603-9) explores how to retrieve transcendent faith in modern times.
Waterbrook
Be the Message: Taking Your Faith Beyond Words to a Life of Action by Kerry Shook and Chris Shook (Sept. 9, hardcover, $21.99, ISBN 978-1-4000-7381-8) resolves the disconnect between faith and inauthentic messages about faith through a practical understanding of how the Gospel is to be lived. A companion devotional releases in December.
Love Without Limits by Nick and Kanae Vujicic (Nov. 18, hardcover, $21.99, ISBN 978-1-60142-617-8) is a candid tale of love and early romance despite disability.
Westminster John Knox
From Whom No Secrets Are Hid by Walter Brueggemann (Aug., paper, $30, ISBN 978-0-664-25971-6) offers an additional use for the Psalms: as scripted prayers to be performed to help reveal ourselves to God.
Every Valley: Advent with the Scriptures of Handel’s Messiah, foreword by Albert L. Blackwell (Sept., hardcover, $15, ISBN 978-0-664-25998-3) presents 40 reflections consisting of libretto from Handel’s Messiah and the same passage in the NRSV, and brief commentary on the text by a scholar or pastor.
Whitaker House
Supernatural Transformation by Guillermo Maldonado (Aug., paper, $15.99, 978-1-62911-195-7) teaches readers to develop spiritually healthy hearts by studying the heart of God as revealed in the Bible.
Church Shouldn’t Suck... the Life Out of You by Jim Minor (Aug., paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-62911-153-7). A formerly burned out pastor offers a pro-active community outreach plan to restore vibrancy to weary church leaders and complacent congregations, and draw newcomers.
Wisdom
Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions by the Dalai Lama and Thubten Chodron (Nov., hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-1-61429-127-5) explores the common ground underlying the diverse expressions of the Buddha’s teachings, from two of Tibetan Buddhism’s bestselling authors.
Don’t Worry, Be Grumpy: Inspiring Stories for Making the Most of Each Moment by Ajahn Brahm (Oct., paper, $15.95, ISBN 978-1-61429-167-1). A collection of 108 brief stories offers timeless wisdom that will speak to people from all walks of life.
World Wisdom
The Philosophy of Ecstasy: Rumi and the Sufi Tradition, edited by Leonard Lewisohn (Dec., paper, $23.95, ISBN 978-1-936597-42-0), collects 13 groundbreaking essays from prominent scholars, examining the popular poet Rumi in the context of the Sufi tradition to which he belonged.
Worthy
The Three Heavens: You Can’t Imagine What Lies Ahead by John Hagee (Oct. 14, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-61795-369-9) extends Hagee’s examination of what is to come.
Yale Univ.
Holy Resilience: The Bible’s Traumatic Origins by David M. Carr (Nov. 25, hardcover, $32.50, ISBN 978-0-300-20456-8) re-examines the Bible’s origins and its connections to human suffering.
David: The Divided Heart by David Wolpe (Sept. 30, hardcover, $25, ISBN 978-0-300-18878-3). One of America’s most respected rabbis looks anew at the traditional biblical David.
Zondervan
Vanishing Grace: What Ever Happened to the Good News by Philip Yancey (Oct., hardcover, $22.99, ISBN 978-0-310-33932-8) explores how Christians live in the middle of hostility and rejection today.
From This Day Forward: Five Commitments to Fail-Proof Your Marriage by Craig and Amy Groeschel (Oct., paper, $15.99, ISBN 987-0-310-33384-5). Groeschel and his wife, Amy, intend to strengthen good marriages and save the ones that need help.
David Wilkerson: The Cross, the Switchblade, and the Man Who Believed by Gary Wilkerson (Sept., hardcover, $22.99, ISBN 978-0-310-32627-4). The son of the man who ministered on the streets of New York City tells his father’s life story.
Fiction
Abingdon
Nora Bonesteel’s Christmas Past: A Ballad Novella by Sharyn McCrum (Oct. 7, hardcover, $18.99, ISBN 978-1-4267-5421-0). In a story of spirits, memories, and angels unaware, McCrumb revisits loved characters who know there is more to this world than the eye can see.
Barbour
The Farmer’s Daughter Romance Collection: Five Historical Romances Homegrown in the American Heartland by Tracie Peterson, Mary Davis, Kelly Eileen Hake, Jill Stengl, and Susan May Warren (Oct. 1, paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-63058-160-2) features daughters of prairie farms from Montana south to Kansas who find love in the midst of life changes.
Barbour/Shiloh Run
The Healing Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter (Aug. 1, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-61626-087-3). Retired Amish newlyweds Emma and Lamar Miller, in Florida for the winter, lead another quilting class with a new group of unlikely students. 70,000-copy first printing.
Berkley
The Forgiven by Marta Perry (Oct. 7, paper, $15, ISBN 978-0-425-27141-4) begins a new series, Keepers of the Promise, of insights and inspiration in the lives of three Amish women.
Bethany House
River by Beverly Lewis (Sept., paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-0-7642-1245-1) Two formerly Amish women find themselves plagued by the memories of their family’s trauma when they return for their parents’ landmark wedding anniversary. 152,000-copy first printing.
Keepers of the Covenant by Lynn Austin (Oct., paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-7642-0899-7) When the lives of the Jewish exiles in Babylon are threatened, Ezra, a Jewish scholar and teacher, is called upon to lead the community. 40,000-copy first printing.
Faithwords
Herb of Grace by Adina Senft (Aug. 5, paper, $15, ISBN 978-1-4555-4862-0). In this first in the Healing Grace series, Amish widow Sarah Yoder discovers she has a gift for helping others when she becomes an herbal healer.
Howard
The Legend of Sheba: Rise of a Queen by Tosca Lee (Sept. 9, hardcover, $23.99 ISBN 978-1-4516-8404-9) With tensions ready to erupt within her own borders and the future of her nation at stake, the one woman who can match wits with Solomon undertakes the journey of a lifetime in a daring bid to test and win the king.
Angels Walking by Karen Kingsbury (Sept., hardcover, $22.99, ISBN 978-1-4767-9386-3) is the first in a new series about second chances.
Kensington
An Amish Christmas Quilt by Charlotte Hubbard, Kelly Long, and Jennifer Beckstrand (Oct. 28, paper, $15, ISBN 978-1-61773-554-7). Three popular writers of Amish romance join together to create a patchwork of Christmas stories.
Kensington/Zebra
The Amish Bride of Ice Mountain by Kelly Long (Nov. 4, paper, $6.99, ISBN 978-1-4201-3544-2) begins a series that gives voice to the “Mountain Amish,” who live between two worlds, that of mountain Appalachia life and the Amish.
Kregel
The Bachelor by Stephanie Reed (Oct., paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4216-2) is the second novel of the Plain City Peace series.
Moody/River North
Feast for Thieves by Marcus Brotherton (Sept. 1, paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-8024-1213-3). Sgt. Rowdy Slater was the most incorrigible soldier in Dog Company, paratroopers who fought in WWII. After the war, Rowdy turns his life around and falls into the only job available: preacher at the community church in Cut Eye, Tex.
Multnomah
The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky (Oct. 7, paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-60142-498-3). Katherine Ramsey plans to make her debut in London and find her future husband. But she questions her aunt’s firm plans when she gets to know Jonathan Foster, a handsome medical student.
Thomas Nelson
Dangerous Depths by Colleen Coble (Nov. 18, paper, $9.99, ISBN 978-1-4016-9005-2). Leia ditched a promising medical career to settle on a secluded Hawaiian island, and her ex-fiancé Bane has come to the island to find out why.
A Thing of Beauty by Lisa Samson (Jan. 13, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-59554-547-3). Former child star Fiona Hume left the biz a decade ago, after she left rehab. She retreated to Baltimore and bought an old mansion downtown with dreams of restoring it—and then love moved in.
Sister Eve, Private Eye by Lynne Hinton (Nov. 25, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-4016-9145-5). Sister Eve always says God moves in mysterious ways. And Eve adores a good mystery, especially a murder.
Tyndale
Buttermilk Sky by Jan Watson (Oct. 1, paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-4143-8985-1). Eighteen-year-old Mazy leaves home for Lexington, Ky., and secretarial school. Life in the city is hard, until she meets a charming young man.
Old Fashioned, novelization by Rene Gutteridge, from the screenplay by Rik Swartzwelder (Sept. 1, paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-4143-7933-3). Clay has given up his reckless lifestyle and settled down to run an antique shop. Amber rents the apartment above his shop. Can they move beyond their differences and their pasts? The movie releases simultaneously.
Waterbrook
A Love Undone by Cindy Woodsmall (Sept. 9, paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-307-73000-8). This contemporary Amish romance explores the rules governing marriage among the Plain People and asks when grace can play a role
When Mercy Rains by Kim Vogel Sawyer (Oct. 7, paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-307-73131-9) is a story of releasing past regrets, accepting God’s mercy, and loving those who call us “family.”
Whitaker House
The Snow Globe by Laura V. Hilton (Nov., paper, $13.99, ISBN 978-1-62911-174-2). The Amish of Jamesport series begins with the story of Viktor Petersheim, who had abandoned his Amish roots to work on the Mississippi River, but returns after learning he’s inherited the family farm.
Worthy
The Covered Deep by Brandy Vallance (Oct. 14, paper, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-61795-375-0). In 1877, an incurably romantic bookworm from Appalachia wins a contest and travels to England and the Holy Land in search of the perfect romantic hero.
Zondervan
A Dream of Home by Amy Clipston (Nov. 4, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-0-310-33585-6). Madeleine Miller hopes to find a place to call home after leaving the military and inheriting her Amish grandparents’ house. When she meets Saul, her thoughts about her future take a turn.
Magnolia Market by Judy Christie (Sept. 23, paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-0-310-33057-8). Avery Broussard finds that love isn’t easier the second time around.
Children’s
Barbour/Shiloh Kidz
Series
The Bible Amigos begins with Five Loaves and One Big Hat (Nov. 1, hardcover, $7.99, 978-1-62416-888-8) and Jonah and the Bear (Nov. 1, hardcover, $7.99, ISBN 978-1624168871) Ages 3–7.
B&H Kids
The Donkey in the Living Room by Sarah Cunningham, illus. by Michael Foster (Sept. 1, hardcover, $9.99, ISBN 978-1-4336-8317-6), is intended to help families develop a new family tradition this Christmas with this interactive picture book and nativity set (sold separately) to count down to Christmas.
CandyCane Press
Series
The Rufus and Ryan series continues with Rufus and Ryan Give Thanks by Kathleen Long Bostrom, illus. by Rebecca Thornburgh (Sept. 1, board book, $7.99, ISBN 978-0-8249-1936-8). When four-year-old Ryan is stuck inside on a rainy day, his mom suggests that he and his stuffed monkey, Rufus, go on a treasure hunt. As Ryan moves from room to room, he looks for things that make him happy and says, “Thank you, God.” Ages 2–5.
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Thank You God by J. Bradley Wigger, illus. by Jago (Aug. 1, hardcover, $16, ISBN 978-0-8028-5424-7) celebrates the many things people can thank God for. Ages 3–8.
Manger by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illus. by Helen Cann (Sept. 1, hardcover, $16, ISBN 978-0-8028-5419-3). This collection of poems offers a Nativity story retold from the perspective of the animals that come together to celebrate this miraculous event. Ages 4–8.
Ideals Children’’s Books
A Love Letter from God by P.K. Hallinan, illus. by Laura Watson (Dec. 1, hardcover, $12.99, ISBN 978-0-8249-5662-2), explores the unconditional and unlimited nature of God’s love through simple and lyrical language. Ages 3–8.
Jewish Lights
Lullaby by Debbie Friedman, illus. by Lorraine Bubar (Sept., hardcover, $18.99, ISBN 978-1-58023-807-6) will help children know that God will keep them safe throughout the night; includes a CD of Friedman’s original music and lyrics. Ages 3−6.
That’s a Mitzvah by Liz Suneby and Diane Heiman, illus. by Laurel Molk (Sept., board book, $8.99, ISBN 978-1-58023-804-5), helps parents and young children explore the joys of doing good deeds and mitzvot together. Ages 1-4.
Kar-Ben
Apple Days: A Rosh Hashanah Story by Allison Sarnoff Soffer, illus. by Bob McMahon (Aug., hardcover, $17.95, ISBN 978-1-4677-1203-3; paper, $7.95 ISBN 978-1-4677-1204-0). Katy’s favorite holiday is Rosh Hashanah, when she gets to pick apples and make applesauce with her mother. But the tradition may be interrupted by the early arrival of her new baby cousin. Ages 2–7.
Latke, the Lucky Dog by Ellen Fischer, illus. by Tiphanie Beeke (Sept., hardcover, $17.95, ISBN 978-0-7613-9038-1; paper, $7.95 ISBN 978-0-7613-9039-8). Rescued from an animal shelter on the first night of Hanukkah, Latke the puppy joins the family just in time for the celebrations. Ages 2–7.
Kregel
Candle Prayers for Kids by Claire Freedman, illus. by Jo Parry (Sept., hardcover, $12.99, ISBN 978-1-78128-102-4) combines traditional and modern prayers with vibrant illustrations. Ages 5–7.
Lion Children’’s
The Easter Story by Antonia Jackson, illus. by Giuliano Ferri (Jan. 1, hardcover, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-7459-6508-6) recounts the story of the first Easter and emphasizes the message of God’s everlasting love. Ages 5–9.
Paulist
The Pope: The Life of Pope Francis, the Holy Father by Paul Harrison (Oct., paper, $12.95 ISBN 978-0-8091-6773-9) recounts how Pope Francis has become a popular leader, highlighting his concern for the poor. Ages 9–11.
Revell
Thunder by Bonnie S. Calhoun (Oct. 1, hardcover, $16.99, ISBN 978-0-8007-2376-7). Once the hunter, Selah is now one of the hunted in a strange new world that combines elements of scientific advances, political intrigue, and wilderness survival, in the first book of the Stone Braide Chronicles. Ages 13–up.
Sky Pony Press
Series
The Brick Bible for Kids continues with Daniel in the Lion’s Den by Brendan Powell Smith (Sept. 2, hardcover, $12.95, ISBN 978-1-62914-605-8). Ages 3–6.
Tommy Nelson
It Will Be Okay: Trusting God Through Fear and Change by Lysa TerKeurst (Oct 7, hardcover, $14.99, ISBN 978-1-4003-2419-4) helps children discover that God is good and kind and always available.
Lucado Treasury of Bedtime Prayers by Max and Denalyn Lucado (Jan 27, hardcover, $19.99, ISBN 978-0-7180-1631-9) collects classic and brand-new prayers by Max and Denalyn Lucado to help parents teach children to pray.
Tyndale
Series
The Be Your Own Duck Commander series includes Phil and the Ghost of Camp Ch-Yo-Ca by John Luke Robertson with Travis Thrasher (Oct. 1, paper, $9.99, ISBN 978-1-4143-9814-3); Jase & the Deadliest Hunt (Oct. 1, paper, $9.99, ISBN 978-1-4143-9816-7); Si in Space (Oct. 1, paper, $9.99, ISBN 978-1-4143-9815-0); and Willie’s Redneck Time Machine (Oct. 1, paper, $9.99, ISBN 978-1-4143-9813-6). All ages.
WaterBrook
Series
God Gave Us.. continues with ...Angels by Lisa Tawn Bergren, illus. by Laura J. Bryant (Sept. 16, hardcover, $10.99, ISBN 978-1-60142-661-1), featuring Little Cub as she considers why God created angels. Ages 3–7.
Wisdom
Zen and Bodhi’s Snowy Day by Gina Bates Brown, illus. by Sarah Jane Hinder (Nov., paper over board, $15.95, ISBN 978-1-61429-165-7) introduces mindfulness through the day of two koalas.
Wisdom Tales
The Pandas and Their Chopsticks and Other Animal Stories by Demi (Aug., hardcover, $17.95, ISBN 978-1-937786-16-8) contains 10 classic animal stories that convey messages, with whimsical illustrations. Ages 4–up.
Whitaker House
The Master’s Song, Book 1: Blue Time by Andrew Maloney (Sept., paper, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-62911-176-6). Five Irish teens are caught in a hidden world, unprepared for the dangerous quest to which they’re called, in the first book of a series. Ages 12–up.
Worthy Kids
Series
A Veggies Tales line begins with God Made Me Special! 365 Daily Devos for Girls (Sept. 1, paper, $12.99, ISBN 978-1-61795-380-4) and God Made Me Special! 365 Daily Devos for Boys (Sept. 1, paper, $12.99, ISBN 978-1-61795-381-1). Ages 5–10.
Zonderkidz
A Plague of Unicorns by Jane Yolen (Dec. 23, hardcover, $15.99, 978-0310746485). The titular plague is combated by a small hero. Ages 8–12.
Series
Berenstain Bears Living Lights adds The Berenstain Bears and the Biggest Brag by Mike Berenstain (Dec. 23, paper, $3.99, ISBN 978-0-310-73479-6). Ages 4–8.
