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At the beginning of May, the Catholic Church selected its first American pope. Born Robert Francis Prevost on Chicago’s South Side, Pope Leo XIV is a man most people had never heard of before his elevation to the head of the Catholic Church. So, who is he? The biographies have started rolling out, beginning with Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy by Christopher White. This book will be followed by a couple of children’s biographies, one from ABDO Publishing next month and another from Lerner Publishing this fall. And just in time for Christmas, New York Times bestselling Catholic historian Paul Kengor has his own biography slated for December.
Books You Should Know About
Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy by Christopher White
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From the publisher: The election of Pope Leo XIV signals a defining moment for the Catholic Church. As he steps onto the world stage, the first pontiff ever to hail from the United States inherits the throne of St. Peter, the legacy of Pope Francis, and the challenges of a rapidly changing Church.
In Pope Leo XIV, veteran Vatican correspondent Christopher White delivers an authoritative account of the conclave that shaped this momentous transition, the forces that propelled Pope Leo XIV to the papacy, and the vision he brings to the Church’s future. Drawing on exclusive reporting and expert analysis, White examines the potential impact of Pope Leo XIV’s leadership on Catholicism’s governance, doctrine, and engagement with pressing global issues. He also explores how the vision of Pope Francis’s successor may shape the Church’s role in contemporary society amid unprecedented uncertainty and change.
Timely and insightful, with sharp analysis, personal experience, and vivid storytelling, Pope Leo XIV offers an essential look at the past, present, and future of a papacy that exerts a major influence on 1.4 billion Catholics and the world itself.
What Is the Bible? by Rachel Held Evans and Matthew Paul Turner, illustrated by Ying Hui Tan
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From the publisher: In this vibrant picture book adventure, the authors of the #1 New York Times bestseller What Is God Like? invite children to learn about the Bible—what it tells us about God and what God says about us!
Children have been wondering about the Bible for centuries. What do all these long-ago stories have to do with each other—and with me? This whimsical and lyrical book, inspired by the work and ideas of the late Rachel Held Evans and completed by her good friend Matthew Paul Turner, explains that the Bible is a big library of amazing stories about God, the world, and Jesus. When you read those stories, you will understand the world differently—and you can make the world different too.
What Is the Bible? is a spectacular journey, guiding children to see how God’s story and our own lives are delightfully intertwined. Kids and parents alike will see that God’s story is big enough to be found all over the world and close enough to find in our own hearts.
Hope: The Autobiography by Pope Francis, translated by Richard Dixon
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From the publisher: Pope Francis originally intended this exceptional memoir to appear only after his death, but the needs of our times and the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope moved him to make this precious legacy available sooner. Now, the book stands as his testament; the spiritual, faith-filled, as well as moral, social, and civic legacy that he envisioned and left for the benefit of all the men and women of the world.
Hope is the first autobiography in history ever to be published by a Pope. Written over six years, this complete autobiography starts in the early years of the twentieth century, with Pope Francis’s Italian roots and his ancestors’ courageous migration to Latin America, continuing through his childhood, the enthusiasms and preoccupations of his youth, his vocation, adult life, and the whole of his papacy up to the present day.
In recounting his memories with intimate narrative force (not forgetting his own personal passions), Pope Francis deals unsparingly with some of the crucial moments of his papacy and writes candidly, fearlessly, and prophetically about some of the most important and controversial questions of our present times: war and peace (including the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East), migration, environmental crisis, social policy, the position of women, sexuality, technological developments, the future of the Church and of religion in general.
Hope includes a wealth of revelations, anecdotes, and illuminating thoughts. It is a thrilling and very human memoir, moving and sometimes funny, which represents the “story of a life” and, at the same time, a touching moral and spiritual testament that will fascinate readers throughout the world and will be Pope Francis’s legacy of hope for future generations.
When God Speaks: Thrive in Uncertain Times and Gain Confidence for Your Future by Joshua Giles
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From the publisher: Darkness Lies in the Days Ahead—But the Light of God’s Future Courses Through Your Veins
We, as God’s people, carry the future within us. Everything we—and the world—will ever need has already been planted in us, waiting to be activated when God speaks. The question is, can you hear Him?
With practical, transformative insights, trusted prophetic leader and bestselling author Joshua Giles shows not only how we can hear God consistently and clearly, but also how we can access His future knowledge and unleash its power in our lives and world. Through supernatural revelations, activations, personal stories, and biblical teaching, Giles empowers you to:
- Understand and awaken your prophetic nature
- Partner with God to bring practical solutions to the people and places around you
- Receive detailed prophecies and inside information about the future of the world
The days of Noah have returned, but these are also the days of Elijah for believers. You, too, can walk so closely with God that you hear the whisper of His voice and partner with Him to see great wonders, beautiful signs, and a flood of His glory cover the earth, even in the darkest of places.
Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put by Annie B. Jones
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From the publisher: In her first book, the popular From the Front Porch podcast host and independent bookstore owner challenges the idea that loud lives are the ones that matter most, reminding us that we don’t have to leave the lives we have in order to have the lives of which we’ve always dreamed.
Can life be an adventure, even when it’s just…ordinary?
Annie B. Jones always assumed adulthood would mean adventure: a high-powered career; life in a big, bustling city; and travels to far-flung places she’d longed to see. But her reality turned out differently. As the years passed, Annie was still in the same small town running an independent bookstore —the kind of life Nora Ephron dreamed.
During that time, she hosted friends’ goodbye parties and mailed parting gifts; wrote recommendation letters and wished former shop staffers well. She stayed in her small town, despite her love of big cities; stayed in her marriage to the guy she met when she was eighteen; and she stayed at her bookstore while the world outside shifted steadily toward digital retailers. And she stayed loyal to a faith she sometimes didn’t recognize.
After ten years, Annie realized she might never leave. But instead of regret, she had an epiphany. She awakened to the gifts of a quiet life spent staying put.
In Ordinary Time, Annie challenges the idea that loud lives matter most. Rummaging through her small-town existence, she finds hidden gifts of humor and hope from a life lived quietly. Staying, can itself be a radical act. It takes courage to stay in the places we’ve always called home, Annie argues, as she paints a portrait of possibility far away from thriving metropolises and Monica Gellar-inspired apartments.
Yours, Not Hers: 40 Devotions to Stop Comparisons and Love Your Life by Kari Kampakis
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From the publisher: Now an ECPA bestseller!
Discover the guide to true confidence and authentic living for today’s teen and college-age girl! Celebrated author and speaker Kari Kampakis helps you stop playing the comparison game and embrace the unique purpose God has for you. From navigating social media to making friends to deepening your faith, this 40-day devotional will help you become braver, bolder, and more authentically you!
Chances are, you feel confident some days. You feel ready to take on the world. But then you start scrolling on social media, and your confidence tanks. Rather than embrace your life, you suddenly wish you had her life. With Yours, Not Hers: 40 Devotions to Stop Comparisons and Love Your Life, you can take the first daring step to a faith grounded in God and a life brimming with confidence.
This 40-day devotional
- is for teen and college-age girls who want to make real connections with others, feel comfortable in their own skin, and deepen their faith
- focuses on topics such as loneliness, anxiety, self-image, new beginnings, grace, and faith
- includes reflection questions and space for journaling
- is a perfect choice for a graduation or birthday gift, for reading during Lent and Easter, or for a Bible study for your youth group or college dorm
This isn’t just a book; it’s a best friend and mentor wrapped in the written word that addresses the real issues you face each day. With Yours, Not Hers in hand, you can love your own life, unlock your potential, and follow the unique plan God has just for you!
You’ll Get Through This: God is Good When Life Isn’t by Max Lucado
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From the publisher: In Never Give Up, trusted pastor and bestselling author Max Lucado crafts a powerful narrative underscoring the theme of relentless perseverance and the goodness of God in the midst of life’s storms, illustrating that God’s goodness transcends our circumstances.
This encouraging book, carefully curated from Max’s bestseller, You’ll Get Through This, serves as a vivid reminder that, even when life seems unfair or impossible, our faith in a benevolent God can carry us through to redemption and transformation. Never Give Up will give you the encouragement to keep fighting, to keep believing, and to never give up, assuring you that with God’s guidance, any adversity can be overcome, leading to profound personal strength and spiritual insight.
You’ll discover how to:
- Finding hope in despair
- Trust in God’s plan
- Overcome adversity
- Strengthen your faith
Inside the pages you will also find:
- A 7-day devotional focused on the 7 Statements of Strength from the book
- Key Scriptures for getting through life’s toughest days
- Reflection questions
Never Give Up is a beacon of hope and encouragement if you are wading through a storm or experiencing hardship, emphasizing that with God’s help, you can overcome any challenge, leading to personal growth and redemption. Come and discover how your challenges can be transformed into opportunities with the guiding hand of God.
People Pleaser: Breaking Free from the Burden of Imaginary Expectations by Jinger Vuolo and Julie Lyles Carr
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From the publisher: Are you a people pleaser? Can you even begin to measure how the approval of others has shaped your heart and mind? Your faith and relationships? Your habits and identity? In People Pleaser, New York Times bestselling author Jinger Vuolo shares her personal journey of constantly seeking approval from others and how she found her true identity.
From childhood to early adulthood, Jinger Duggar Vuolo followed the expectations of others, never taking the time to discover who she truly was. It wasn’t until she asked herself the question, “Who am I?” that she realized she was a people pleaser. This realization led her on a journey of self-discovery and ultimately, to rely on God for her approval and sense of self-worth.
Through her faith and reliance on God, Jinger began to break free from the need for approval and discover true freedom. This book is a guide for anyone struggling with people-pleasing tendencies and seeking to find their true identity and purpose in life. Learn how to:
- Discover the beauty of community and how we were made to enjoy others
- Identify sin and how it can hinder your ability to be in community with one another
- Diagnose yourself with ruthless honesty but without judgement
- Understand who you are in God’s eyes
Jinger hopes this book will inspire others to embark on a similar journey towards freedom.
If you’re interested in exploring more titles that center around Christian Nonfiction, you can explore our full Readers’ Advisory Lists.
New and Popular Christian Nonfiction
Walk the Walk (Christian Living)
Must-Watch Films
Bonhoeffer: An Anti-Nazi Dissident (2003)
From the studio: As a young pastor, Bonhoeffer helped to organise the Confessing Church, Germany’s only true organised challenge to the Nazi state. A prolific writer and acclaimed preacher, Bonhoeffer came to New York on a teaching fellowship and taught Sunday school in the famed Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. When Bonhoeffer returned to Germany in 1932 he brought with him a new awareness of racial prejudice and became one of the first clear voices to challenge the Christian churches to stand with the Jews in their moment of need. In the end, Bonhoeffer paid with his life for his beliefs. Three weeks before the end of World War II, the 39-year old Bonhoeffer was executed. “Uncommonly dramatic! An awesome assemblage of extremely rare footage of Hitler and, more insidiously, of the Catholic and Protestant hierarchies which openly supported his regime.” – Variety
C.S. Lewis: Encountering God’s Truth Through Fiction (2013)
From your OverDrive DCL: This magnificent 13 episode course examines the writings of one of the great Christian writers of the 20th Century—C.S. Lewis. The episodes cover the Narnia series, The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, and more! If you’ve ever wanted to know more about Lewis’s gift for storytelling and his faith, this series is perfect for you.
Talking About God in Today’s Culture (2014)
From your OverDrive DCL: Your guide through this 12 episode series is Sister Carla M. Streeter, a Dominican nun and theology professor. In the series, she tackles many important questions facing Christians today, from the different denominations to gender and language issues and so much more.
A Little Extra Something
Support your community by diversifying your Libby offerings with Libby Extras. Today we’re highlighting Ground News, a great resource for all the headlines, including the latest news about faith. Ground News empowers readers to compare headlines across the political spectrum and spot media bias using data-driven ratings. Test run Libby Extras to see how each service can entertain and educate your patrons.
Thank you for joining us on this week’s round up of Christian Nonfiction materials! Reach out to your Digital Content Librarian or Account Manager for more information on how to provide the best content for your community.
About the author: Shelia did everything from answering questions at the Reference Desk to tech training to running a classic lit book club in her 17 years in public libraries. Now she helps other public libraries make the most of their OverDrive collections. In her spare time, she’s either writing or reading, usually with an opera playing in the background. If you ever run into her, ask Shelia about #WITMonth.