By Ginny Raye
When I was given this topic, I thought, “Oh, please . . . piece of cake.” I started thinking about the types of books that I love, because, hey, I’m a mom! Then I realized that, even though I love a good steamy romance (probably more than I should), my 91-year-old mother would be less likely to sit down to “50 Shades of Grey” and probably leans more toward Nora Roberts. She absolutely loved the Boonsboro Trilogy that I got her for Christmas last year. And it was in large print. Even better. Oh, there is some steam there, but it’s toned down to a small kitchen fire, unlike the five alarm, burning inferno that is my usual choice. Hmm . . . this assignment suddenly became harder than I thought.
There’s my one sister who hates ‘smut’ . . . she says this often with a slight look of judgment in my direction, which of course makes me turn my own 50 shades of Red . I worry that I have “reads raunchy romances” stamped on my forehead and I never talk to her about my literary choices for that reason. She’s older and wiser, and leans more towards a story that she learns from. Hey, I learn from mine, too. I just can’t openly discuss what it is that I learn.
My other sister loves biographies and nonfiction. Also in large print; we offer quite a variety. Then there’s my aunt, the devout Catholic, who leans towards a good clean story that leads the characters towards a spiritual life. Did you know that we published around 50 Amish titles in large print each year within our many Christian standing order plans?
So, for this month’s large print releases, I’d have to say there are many great choices for moms out there of all reading styles.
The Ghost Bride, by Yangsze Choo, is featured in our Peer Picks Standing Order plan. It’s also been a 
pick of Oprah.com, Indie Next List, Library Journal, Good Housekeeping, Glamour Magazine, and Bookseller Editor’s Pick. That’s some pretty heavy credits right there.
The Last Bride, by Beverly Lewis, is book number five and the last book in the Home to Hickory Hollow Series. Beverly Lewis is a New York Times and Christian Booksellers Association bestselling author. We guarantee that all titles in any series remain available in large print. (I should buy the set for my aunt; it might help my waning image in her mind. It couldn’t hurt.)
The Sister Season by Jennifer Scott is said to be “emotionally honest and psychologically astute, The Sister Season is ultimately an uplifting story about the pull of the past, the need for forgiveness, and the
redemptive power of familial love.” — Liza Gyllenhaal. This is available in our Women’s Fiction Standing Order plan.
Sex After . . . Women Share How Intimacy Changes As Life Changes by Iris Krasnow (Oh, I’m definitely getting this for my sister . . . she’ll have a bird. I’ll tell her she can read it in the closet.) Iris Krasnow is another New York Times bestselling author, and let’s face it, this is a subject that all moms should read about, rather we want to talk about it or not. This title is part of our Health, Home and Learning Standing Order plan. This might be one mom wants to buy for herself, but I still thought I’d put it out there.
Why I Read, The Secret Pleasure of Books by Wendy Lesser is available in our Nonfiction plan and just seems like the perfect ending to this list.
Why do any of us read? To escape, learn, to solve a great mystery, to reach for a higher understanding of faith, or in my case to . . . oh, never mind. We’ll just leave it at that.
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About the Author
Ginny has worked for our Large Print imprint, Thorndike Press, for almost 21 years, in Marketing for the past 13. Besides reading “books we must not talk about” she enjoys painting, sailing and kayaking.
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