Books to Inspire: December 2025
What I Know for Sure
By Oprah Winfrey
As the festive season invites reflection and generosity, Oprah Winfrey’s “What I Know for Sure” offers a heartfelt reminder of the power of gratitude and kindness. Through short, soulful essays drawn from her life, Oprah reflects on joy, resilience, and the quiet beauty of everyday moments.
Her words remind us that true happiness comes not from what we receive, but from what we appreciate and share. She celebrates acts of kindness—listening deeply, forgiving freely, giving wholeheartedly—as the threads that strengthen families and nurture connection.
In a season often filled with hurry and expectation, “What I Know for Sure” gently calls us back to what matters most: presence, compassion, and love. Oprah’s wisdom inspires us to carry the spirit of the holidays into our daily lives, turning gratitude and giving into lasting habits that illuminate every season with meaning and connection.
First published by Flatiron Books in September 2014, “What I Know for Sure” gathers Oprah Winfrey’s most cherished reflections from her long-running column in O, The Oprah Magazine. A copy can be found in the Neilson Hays Library non-fiction section.
Last Stop on Market Street
By Matt de la Peña; illustrated by Christian Robinson
In “Last Stop on Market Street” Matt de la Peña and illustrator Christian Robinson deliver a heartfelt story about seeing the world through the lens of gratitude. The book follows young CJ and his Nana on their Sunday bus ride across town, where CJ’s simple questions about why they don’t have a car and why others seem to have more open the door to Nana’s gentle wisdom about beauty, kindness, and appreciation.
Through rhythmic, tender prose and vibrant artwork, readers are reminded that gratitude often grows in unexpected places in shared moments, community, and acts of service. Robinson’s illustrations bring warmth and color to an ordinary cityscape; transforming it into a world alive with connection and meaning.
Perfect for families navigating challenging times, “Last Stop on Market Street” is a powerful reminder that joy doesn’t come from having everything, but from seeing the light in what we already have.
Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers in 2015, this award-winning picture book has received widespread acclaim, including the Newbery Medal and Caldecott Honor. A hardcover copy can be found in the Children’s Corner of Neilson Hays Library.
Prepared by Kit Lang @mskitlang. The Neilson Hays Library is Thailand’s premier English-language library. The Children's Program offers Saturday Story Time, a cozy Children's Corner, and special holiday events. Adult Programs include concerts, art exhibitions, book clubs, and book sales. Located in a UNESCO-awarded historic building with a garden and cafe on site: 195 Surawong Road, Bangkok 10500, Thailand. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.