Hello, Friends!

Welcome to This New Day.

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My name is Sonya. I am the mom behind this blog.

Let me tell you a little about me and why I have chosen to share about books.

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This New Day began a number of years ago after I gave birth to my first child. I wanted to grow our personal library, and I wanted to make sure the books I brought into our home were clean and full of good messages. Messages that teach Biblical characteristics like kindness, gentleness, self-control, honor towards parents, respectfulness and, most of all, messages that do not blatantly disregard the Bible.

I know what it is like to walk into a library or bookstore only to be immediately overwhelmed about where to begin to find books that are solid and full of life. And as a busy mom, I also understand that there's not a lot of time in the day to proof-read every book that enters the house. That's where I'd love to help you out!

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Ever since I was young, I have always loved books. Through my growing up years, I did almost everything and went almost everywhere with a book in my hand. I have carried that love of books into motherhood and have done my best to pass it on to my children. I'm so thankful that both of my boys enjoy books at their young ages. I hope they will continue to do so. All that to say, I have spent many, many hours researching, reading, listening to and vetting hundreds of books over the years. It's something I love to do.

But more than anything else, I love sharing the books I find with friends. That is why I started this space.

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One of the things I am very aware of as I share and recommend books and resources is that it is a HUGE responsibility. I want you to know that I don't take this responsibility lightly. In our world today it's hard sometimes to discern who to trust and what is true, right and good. I also realize that the books and media being put out these days can be full of messages we don't want our kids to hear. 

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With all my heart, I hope this can be a safe place for you to come to find books that are safe and good for your whole family!  

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I feel very strongly that it matters what our kids read. I am very aware of the many messages, sometimes hidden and sometimes blatant, that are being thrown at our children these days. Because of this fact, I hold the books I review to the standard of the Bible and of Philippians 4:8 - whatever is true, lovely, noble, right, excellent, of good report, things that are true and things that are pure - think on these things.

If there are books that I feel do not measure up to what the Bible teaches, I will either not add them to my list or I will point out my concerns to you. I understand that we are all at different places in our beliefs and standards, but I do this so you can make an informed decision whether the book is a fit for your family or not.

A few things I watch for as I review: swearing, disrespectful language (such as name-calling), disrespectful attitudes towards adults or peers, un-Biblical teaching (such as evolution, mysticism, magic, etc.), and more. You may ask if I choose to ever allow my kids to read these things. The answer is yes. I think there is a time and a place to read books together that may mention evolution and so on. I think there are times that touching on these subjects can create really good conversations and discussions. However, if a book's focus is solely on one or more of these subjects and it over-powers all else, I feel like we as parents need to re-think what we are allowing our kids to dwell on as they read.

So that is a bit of my heart as I bring you book reviews and book lists on this website. Again, we may not all agree, but my heart through it all is that you can make an informed decision of what is right for your family and find books that will help make memories for years to come.

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We are all at different places in our lives and live with different values, so not everything I share will fit where you are and that's okay. Please take my suggestions and choose what is right for your family.

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I have a huge heart to see families enjoy reading together. I think reading plays a very crucial role in homes, not only in jump-starting children's speech, understanding and learning ability, but also in building relationships.

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I do not solely post Christian books because I think it is healthy for children to expand their reading beyond that genre. However, I do my best to read everything through a Christian and God-centered lens. I hope everything I say and do, points you to Him.

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I love interacting with you and getting to know you! So please feel free to reach out to say hi. Or if you ever need book suggestions for specific topics or ages, I would love to help you out!

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Thank you for following along in this space. Your comments, shares and interactions mean so much.

I will always try to link everything I share for you as well. Know that your purchases through those links go towards furthering our home library. ;)