Using Our Libraries - in Montgomery County, TX
A few of our favorite things about the library and resources to find good, safe books. At the end, we include lists of new Christian and conservative library books at our libraries.
Every conservative should have a library card. Sure, you can afford to buy books, but don’t you hesitate sometimes because it’s twenty bucks? Most of us join the library when we have kids because picture books are pricey, and we need to be able to borrow some of them, but even if you don’t have kids or your kids are grown, the library has some pretty awesome features that you might not want to miss out on! The bottom line, however, is that the library serves the people who patronize the establishment. We all pay taxes that help fund the libraries, but the library administrators mostly listen to the interests of the library card holders. We are the ones who are there. We request books and check out books. All that data is taken into consideration when new books and services are offered. Your involvement in the library benefits us all.
(Disclaimer: This is just about services we like to use at our local libraries. Please visit your local library and find out more. We don’t work there, so I’m sure there is far more available that we don’t even know about.)
Digital Services
First, let’s dig into the services that grown-ups like, but obviously kids can use them too.
Hoopla
This is where most of the conservative books live. Hoopla is an app where you can check out digital books, audiobooks, movies, music, etc, with your library card. There are a few tricks with this one, so read carefully.
You can only check out 4 items a month, so choose wisely. There does appear to be a “binge pass” option for some streaming.
We aren’t limited on how many patrons can check out an item, BUT the library system has only a certain amount of total checkouts a day. If I am trying to check something out, and our library has reached the limit, I usually set an alarm to remind me to try in the morning. I think it resets at midnight.
This is where the conservative books are! Here are a few that might interest you:
Christian Hero’s: Then and Now
Heros of History
by Janet and Geoff Benge
These are Young Adult Books, but my young elementary aged children LOVE them! They are appropriate, and the kids learn so much. The biographies include missionaries and historical figures. Our libraries rotate the books available in this series periodically. We borrow the audio version and listen in the car. They are great for homeschooling
The Green Ember by S.D. Smith - This series is strangely not in our libraries, but some of the audiobooks are on Hoopla. Your kids are going to LOVE them.
Rise of the Fourth Reich by Steve Deace and Daniel Horowitz
Letter to the American Church by Eric Metaxas
Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas
Unashamed by Christine Caine
God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew
An Adventure Begins by Hudson Taylor
The Lifegiving Parent by Sally Clarkson
Rise Above by Bethany Hamilton
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin
Mama Bear Apologetics by Hillary Morgan Ferrer
Why Meadow Died by Andrew Pollack
That was a pretty good list, and there is MUCH more.
Libby
On another app, Libby, you can also use your library card to check books out. On this app, we are able to access the Libby card catalogue of the Houston Public Libraries. Here are a few of the limits:
This app is a little different in that you have unlimited checkouts a month.
You can have 25 digital items checked out at once.
There are a certain number of licenses for each item, so if they are all checked out, you will need to wait your turn. You can place a hold, and if the book is popular, the wait can be quite long, but probably worth it.
Libby is where many of the liberal books hang out. For instance, a kids book available on Libby is called, “The Gender Identity Workbook for kids.” In this book, kids can explore the pronouns they might want to use from day to day. We do not recommend children read books on Libby or Hoopla unsupervised.
Going to the Building
There is SO much available in our libraries, and we recommend going to their website for more information: countylibrary.org
We will highlight a few of our favorite things:
SUMMER READING - Summer reading started Tuesday, May 30th, and you can sign up anytime. You can sign up in person or online, check out the website for information on how to sign up using the app. Your kids will receive a gift bag and a new book after they complete their reading.
(A safety note: We are finding a LOT of concerning books at our libraries. Please take care to look at the books your child checks out. We will have resources for book lists later in this post.)
Videos - They have all your favorite movies that aren’t in the Red Box anymore. They also have seasons of your favorite TV shows, documentaries (homeschool), work-out videos, and children’s shows.
Fairy Tales - Did you know the fairy tales are in the non-fiction section? A lot of people don’t know that. Our libraries have an awesome collection of fairy tales. Look for j398, and if you can’t find it, ask a librarian.
Audiobooks - Some of the libraries have the audiobooks mixed in with the books, and some have them in their own section, so ask your librarian if you can’t find them. Here is a little secret for you, The Mitchell Library has the LARGEST collection of Hank the Cowdog books and audiobooks.
Library Programs - Especially in the summer, the libraries have amazing learning programs. Check out the calendar on the website.
Place a Hold - Can’t find it? Place a hold so it can be sent to your neighborhood library for pickup. Our amazing librarians are always happy to help you with that, or you can log in and do it on your phone or computer. This is also a good way to check out books for your teen if you would rather her not peruse the Young Adult section.
Did you know that we share a card catalogue with Harris County? If you search for a book and we don’t have it, but you see Harris County does, you can put a hold, and it will be sent to your library from Harris County for you to borrow. When you are done, you just return it to your library, and the librarians will send it back. Isn’t that cool??
Safety
Okay that’s all great, but how do I keep my kids safe this summer and still enjoy summer reading?
Great Question! We have been thinking about this too as we have been figuring out how to navigate around books we are not comfortable with. We have heard from many homeschoolers who simply STOPPED using the library because it was too difficult to navigate once their child got to a certain age.
One idea we have is to simply place books on hold. The Young Adult section is full of land mines and booby traps that I don’t really want my teenager exposed to, so we simply started placing books on hold. My teenager picks up her books at the front desk. How do we find those books? Glad you asked, that is our next topic.
How to find good books.
Book lists
Some are free and some are subscription based. Book lists can be huge time saver.
Read-Aloud Revival - Homeschoolers have been downloading Sarah Mackenzie’s book lists for years. She is so popular that her recommendations often SELL OUT on Amazon if you don’t move fast enough.
Redeemed Reader provides free detailed book reviews and book lists.
Library 4 Kiddos is a nice little side gig a sweet Christian lady runs. While her book lists are subscription based, you can access her blog with her book reviews.
Christian bookstores
One of my favorite ways to find good books is on websites that sell Christian Books. Here are a few of my favorites:
Amazon: This one is trickier, but once they start seeing your interests, the website starts sending you suggestions that are sometimes great.
ChristianBooks.com This website is still not fool proof. You would think it would be, but I’m hearing things have slipped in that shouldn’t have, so be vigilant.
Life Way - They are still around, just online.
Some of your favorite homeschool book vendors sell summer reading books.
Christian and Conservative Books in OUR Libraries:
We have our own book list of books recently added to our libraries. Here is our master list of all the books added to all the libraries in Montgomery County, and at the end we will provide links to lists of the books at each local library.
Master List – Montgomery County
Recently (or soon to be) placed Christian picture books:
The Berenstain Bears values and virtues treasury by Jan Berenstain (E Ber)
My First Veggie Bible Stories by Pamela Kennedy (BB Ken)
Joy to the World by Pamela Kennedy (A Veggie Tales Book) (BB Ken)
I Can Be Your Friend by Pamela Kennedy (A Veggie Tales Book) (BB Ken)
Baby Jesus is Born by Kelly Pulley (an I Can Read! book) (j232.92 Bab)
Little Bird Finds Christmas by Marianne Richmond (E Ric)
Zacchaeus Meets Jesus by Crystal Bowman (an I Can Read! book) (j226.4 Bow)
Awe-Some Days: Poems about the Jewish Holidays by Marilyn Singer (j811.54 Sin)
The Beginner’s Bible: Let’s Learn to Pray: Talk to God About Anything and Everything (j248.32 Beg)
Joshua Crosses the Jordan by Crystal Bowman (an I Can Read! book) (j222.2 Bow)
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand by Crystal Bowman (an I Can Read! book) (j226.7 Bow)
Fiona Gets the Sniffles by Richard Cowdrey (an I Can Read! book)
A Night of Great Joy by Mary Engelbreit (j232.92 Eng)
Ten Little Night Stars by Deb Gruelle (BB Gru)
Ten Little Fire Flies by Deb Gruelle (BB Gru)
The Purpose Driven Life: Devotional for Kids by Rick Warren (j242.62 War)
Give Thanks to the Lord by Karma Wilson (E Wil)
Let’s Make a Joyful Noise by Karma Wilson (E Wil)
Brave Queen Esther by David Miles (an I Can Read! book) (j222.9 Bra)
Queen Esther Helps God’s People by Kelly Pulley (an I Can Read! book) (j222.9 Que)
Thankful by Eileen Spinelli (E Spi) (This book has been on the shelves for years.)
One Wintery Night by Ruth Bell Graham (This book has been on the shelves for years.)
The Beginner’s Bible Read Through the Bible by Zondervan Publishing House (an I Can Read! book) (j220.95 Beg)
Listen to the silent night by Dandi Daley Machall (E Mac)
Jonah and the Giant Fish by Beginner’s Bible
David and The Big, Tall Giant by Zondervan Publishing House
David and the Giant by Emily Little
David and the Giant by Denis Alonso
David and the Trash-Talking Giant by Joel Anderson
Recently placed Christian chapter books:
The Dragon and The Stone by Kathryn Butler (Dreamkeeper Saga) (jF But)
The Prince and The Blight by Kathryn Butler (Dreamkeeper Saga) (jF But)
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson (Wingfeather Saga) (jF Pet)
North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson (Wingfeather Saga) (jF Pet)
The Monster in the Hollows by Andrew Peterson (Wingfeather Saga) (jF Pet)
The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson (Wingfeather Saga) (jF Pet)
Pillars of Fire (An Ether Novel) by Laurice Elehwany Molinari (jF Mol)
More Christian and conservative chapter books:
Find the Narnia series books by C.S. Lewis (Narnia) jF Lew
Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims by Rush Limbaugh (jF Lim)
Rush Revere and the First Patriots by Rush Limbaugh (jF Lim)
Rush Revere and the American Revolution by Rush Limbaugh (jF Lim)
The Vanishing Footprints by Lois Walfrid Johnson (jF Joh)
The Secret of the Desert Stone by Frank E. Peretti (jF Per)
The Door in the Dragon’s Throat by Frank E. Peretti (jF Per)
Trapped at the Bottom of the Sea by Frank E. Peretti (jF Per)
The Way of the Wilderking – Jonathan Rogers (jF Rog)
The Secret of the Swamp King – Jonathan Rogers (jF Rog)
The Bark of the Bog Owl – Jonathan Rogers (jF Rog)
The Accused (about the Salem Witch Trials) Focus on the Family by Nancy Roe (jF Rue)
Brave Books (Most are on the shelves.) Saga 1 and Saga 2
All Brave Books are organized in the picture book section under the author’s last name.
Elephants Are Not Birds by Ashley St. Clair
Little Lives Matter by Elizabeth Johnston
The Island of Free Ice Cream by Jack Posobiec
Fame, Blame, and the Raft of Shame by Dan Crenshaw
More than Spots & Stripes by The Hodgetwins
Paws Off My Cannon by Dana Loesch
Son of Truth by Graham Allen
The Fight for Freedom Island by Trent Talbot
Because You’re My Family by Missy Robertson
Dawn of the BRAVE by Mike Waltz
Puddin, Pirates, and the Problem With Power by Robby Starbuck
Unmuzzle Me, Please by DC Draino
The Candy Calamity by Zuby
Freedom Day the Asher Way by Dinesh and Debbie D’Souza
Fiona’s Fantastical Fort by Julie Banderas
The Night the Snow Monster Attacked by General Michael Flynn
As You Grow by Kirk Cameron
The Adventures of Syemour Clues & Mr. Mouse by Sheriff Mark Lamb
Chaos in the Canopy by Trent Talbot
Printable list links:
Books at Central Library - Conroe – Montgomery County
Books at Malcolm Purvis Library – Magnolia – Montgomery County
Books at Mitchell Library – West Woodlands – Montgomery County
Books at R. B. Tullis Library – New Caney – Montgomery County
Books at R.F. Meador Library Branch - Willis – Montgomery County
Books at South Regional Library Branch in Montgomery County
Books at Stewart – West Branch - Montgomery – Montgomery County