Here are 100 books that The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip fans have personally recommended if you like The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip. Book DNA is a community of 13,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World

Allie Marie Smith Author Of Social Media Reset

From my list on overcome social media obsession and get your life back.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm an award-winning author, podcast host, life coach, and the Founder and CEO of Wonderfully Made, a faith-based non-profit organization that empowers girls and women to know their value and purpose, experience vibrant mental health, and lead flourishing lives. I’m passionate about the mental health of girls and women and am a leading voice on the impact of social media—and what we can do about it. I live in Santa Barbara County with my husband, Paul, and I love being unplugged, writing, playing with horses, surfing, and adventuring up and down the California coast.

Allie's book list on overcome social media obsession and get your life back

Allie Marie Smith Why Allie loves this book

I’m a person who thrives on having a peace-filled life, and the notifications and noise from constant technology can overstimulate me and keep me from being productive and creative. As soon as I read this title, I knew I needed it.

He promotes embracing a philosophy of using digital tools only when they support your deeply held values, help you reach your goals, and allow you to do deep work undistracted. He talks about doing a 30-day “digital declutter” to break tech addictions and rediscover offline activities that bring satisfaction. He emphasizes solitude, high-quality leisure, and intentional tech use to reclaim control over our time and attention.

The book offers practical strategies to escape digital overwhelm and live a more focused, fulfilling life rooted in purpose and human connection. He explains how constant connectivity and digital noise erode focus, well-being, and meaningful relationships.

By Cal Newport ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Digital Minimalism as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Learn how to switch off and find calm - from the New York Times bestselling author of A World Without Email

'Digital Minimalism is the Marie Kondo of technology' Evening Standard

'An eloquent, powerful and enjoyably practical guide to cutting back on screen time' The Times

'An urgent call to action for anyone serious about being in command of their own life' Ryan Holiday

'What a timely and useful book' Naomi Alderman, author of The Power

Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling through social media or the news while your anxiety rises? Are you feeling frazzled after a long…


If you love The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip...

Book cover of Almost Home

Almost Home by Howard Means,

Almost Home is a fictional retelling of the last great tragedy of the Civil War.

In late April 1865, almost 2,000 newly freed Union prisoners of war are packed onto the steamer Sultana, in poor repair and with a listed capacity of 376 passengers. Among them are four Indiana soldiers…

Book cover of All the Money in the World: What the Happiest People Know about Getting and Spending

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta Author Of Edit Your Life: A Handbook for Living with Intention in a Messy World

From my list on inspiring you to change your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an American author and writing teacher for both Harvard and Oxford’s online writing programs. I am also a mother of two who lived three years in a tiny backyard guest house with my family in an effort to focus more on what we love. Editing books is a practice I have honed over decades, and when my family was stuck in a living situation that felt unsustainable, the clearest way forward was for me to ask myself how I might edit our way out of it. It worked! In this book, I share the most valuable eight principles that we learned through the process.

Elisabeth's book list on inspiring you to change your life

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta Why Elisabeth loves this book

A candid look at how we spend and how we feel about our spending. Vanderkam braids examples from her own life with deep research and statistics on the relationship between happiness and money. A memorable, practical read that I refer to often.

I love all of her books—she is definitely my continuing education for adulthood—but this one is probably my favorite.

By Laura Vanderkam ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked All the Money in the World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

How happy would you be if you had all the money in the world? The universal lament about money is that there is never enough. We spend endless hours obsessing over our budgets and investments, trying to figure out ways to stretch every dollar. We try to follow the advice of money gurus and financial planners, then kick ourselves whenever we spend too much or save too little. For all of the stress and effort we put into every choice, why are most of us unhappy about our finances?

According to Laura Vanderkam, the key is to change your perspective.…


Book cover of Organizing from the Inside Out

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta Author Of Edit Your Life: A Handbook for Living with Intention in a Messy World

From my list on inspiring you to change your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an American author and writing teacher for both Harvard and Oxford’s online writing programs. I am also a mother of two who lived three years in a tiny backyard guest house with my family in an effort to focus more on what we love. Editing books is a practice I have honed over decades, and when my family was stuck in a living situation that felt unsustainable, the clearest way forward was for me to ask myself how I might edit our way out of it. It worked! In this book, I share the most valuable eight principles that we learned through the process.

Elisabeth's book list on inspiring you to change your life

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta Why Elisabeth loves this book

This book is a gem! This book is a gem! Its common sense about organizing is sound and wonderfully useful.

It is humbly written, sweetly funny, and applicable to many areas of life. It is the book I reread whenever I am stressed out, the book whose principles have impacted how I teach, write, parent, and organize my home and my life.

By Julie Morgenstern ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Organizing from the Inside Out as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The New York Times bestselling guide to putting things in order. Put America's #1 organizer to work for you.

Getting organized is a skill that anyone can learn, and there's no better teacher than America's organizing queen, Julie Morgenstern, as hundreds of thousands of readers have learned. Drawing on her years of experience as a professional organizer, Morgenstern outlines a simple organizing plan that starts with understanding your individual goals, natural habits, and psychological needs, so that you can work with your priorities and personality rather than against them. The basic steps-Analyze, Strategize, Attack-can be applied to any space or…


If you love George Saunders...

Book cover of Adult Children

Adult Children by Laurence Klavan,

Award-winning writer Laurence Klavan's newest collection of stories features twenty darkly comic and largely speculative tales.

People deal with aging parents, a world out of kilter, and their own arrested development today and in the near future, as Klavan weaves together threads of humanity and strangeness to dizzying and heartfelt…

Book cover of For You When I Am Gone: Twelve Essential Questions to Tell a Life Story

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta Author Of Edit Your Life: A Handbook for Living with Intention in a Messy World

From my list on inspiring you to change your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an American author and writing teacher for both Harvard and Oxford’s online writing programs. I am also a mother of two who lived three years in a tiny backyard guest house with my family in an effort to focus more on what we love. Editing books is a practice I have honed over decades, and when my family was stuck in a living situation that felt unsustainable, the clearest way forward was for me to ask myself how I might edit our way out of it. It worked! In this book, I share the most valuable eight principles that we learned through the process.

Elisabeth's book list on inspiring you to change your life

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta Why Elisabeth loves this book

A powerful case for thinking deeply and clearly about what legacies we leave behind for those we love.

Leder suggests that an ethical will—unlike an ordinary will—be a summary of our life’s wisdom. Asking such questions as ‘What do you regret?’ and ‘When did you lead with your heart?’ Leder offers a wise and inspiring way to live a life of value that is a blessing for others to remember.

By Steve Leder ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked For You When I Am Gone as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestseller!

From the bestselling author of The Beauty of What Remains, a guide to writing a meaningful letter about your life.

Writing an ethical will, a document that includes stories and reflections about your past, is an ancient tradition. It can include joy and regrets, and ultimately becomes both a way to remember a loved one who is gone and a primer on how to live a better, happier life. Beloved Rabbi Steve Leder has helped thousands of people to write their own ethical wills, and in this intimate book helps us write…


Book cover of Unicorns Are the Worst!

Jess Hernandez Author Of First Day of Unicorn School

From my list on unusual unicorns.

Why am I passionate about this?

No one would ever describe me as a unicorn. I’m not graceful. My mane of hair is half an inch long. And I rarely (if ever) prance. I’m a donkey in a party hat and that’s perfectly okay with me. But sometimes it can be kinda rough in a world that tells you that you must be gorgeous instead of goofy, fabulous instead of funny. So I love stories that make me feel a little less alone in my awkwardness – that remind me that all of us, from the most beautiful unicorn to the weirdest little goblin, are not quite what they seem.  

Jess' book list on unusual unicorns

Jess Hernandez Why Jess loves this book

When a hardworking goblin gets a frivolous unicorn for a neighbor, it’s easy to understand why he’s a bit put out. After all, he knows many useful magical skills, like turning socks into slugs and making (broccoli-flavored) ice cream out of broccoli. So where are the kids begging for goblin-themed birthday parties, huh? What makes unicorns so special? Great for anyone who’s ever felt overlooked or a little jealous of the popular kids.

By Alex Willan ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Unicorns Are the Worst! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Perfect for fans of Dragons Love Tacos and Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great, this wildly funny and imaginative picture book celebrates the value of differences as a grumpy goblin gets to know his new unicorn neighbors.

It’s an undeniable fact that unicorns are the worst!

Magic is serious business, but all unicorns do is frolic around, have tea parties, and leave glitter all over the place! They’re nothing like goblins—practical and hard-working, who can put magic to good use! Unicorns aren’t helpful at all.

Or are they?


Book cover of Ivy and Bean

Violet Lemay Author Of Let's Be Friends: A Lift-The-Flap Book

From my list on friendship and the courage to reach out to others.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve lived for over fifty years as a bashful introvert with social anxiety, which gives me a heightened appreciation for friendships, and for books about making friends. As an author and illustrator—and as a mom—my artistic mission is to create books that help all children feel cherished and appreciated. Everybody wants to be loved, everybody wants a friend. Even the loners and introverts out there. I love and collect books about friendship because they model friendly behaviors. These books give me the desire and the courage to reach out to others, and since I’m an extreme case, I imagine they must have a similar effect on most readers.

Violet's book list on friendship and the courage to reach out to others

Violet Lemay Why Violet loves this book

This beautifully written, beautifully illustrated, hilarious tale of an unlikely friendship is so fantastic that it spawned a beloved series! Both the words and the art will keep you and your young one engaged and giggling. The original Ivy and Bean remains my favorite, but the entire series is wonderful. Perfect early chapter books for mischievous readers.

By Annie Barrows , Sophie Blackall (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Ivy and Bean as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The moment they saw each other, Bean and Ivy knew they wouldn't be friends. But when Bean plays a joke on her sister, Nancy, and has to quickly hide and Ivy comes to the rescue, proving that sometimes the best of friends are people never meant to like each other. Vibrant characters and lots of humor make this a charming and addictive introduction to the Ivy and Bean Book Series.

From beloved children's book author Annie Barrows, The Ivy & Bean collection has been delighting preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and kids of all ages for nearly two decades. Centered upon messages…


If you love The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip...

Book cover of The Fatness

The Fatness by Mark A. Rayner,

Keelan Cavanaugh is fat. That’s why the government put him in prison.

They placed him in a Calorie Reduction Centre (CRC), where trained staff work to help him and many others slim down. Well, that was the intention, anyway. The powers that be had decided chubby citizens must either go…

Book cover of An Ordinary Day

Caroline Kusin Pritchard Author Of Where Is Poppy?

From my list on talking about death and loss with your kids.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a children’s book author who typically centers humor at the heart of my books but who dipped into heartache to tell this specific story. As a former educator with four kiddos of my own, I’ve been able to witness the myriad ways kids cope with grief, everything from hiding out in blanket forts to holding a backyard funeral service for a beloved pet roly-poly. I hope my book, Where is Poppy? offers kids comfort, peace, and preparation for their own unique journeys with loss. I studied creative writing and political science at Stanford University and hold an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. 

Caroline's book list on talking about death and loss with your kids

Caroline Kusin Pritchard Why Caroline loves this book

This book isn’t just powerful because of how it allows kids to think (and ask) about death, but because of the staggering beauty in the storytelling itself.

We see two stories play out in neighboring houses—in one, a child is born; in the other, a dog is put to sleep. These parallel scenes help children see the circle of life in a way that is both accessible and, at times, heartbreaking.

I’ve read this story to our kids no less than 20 times, and each time, there’s an unmistakable silence as we witness the first and last breaths take place. It’s an absolute stunner and one that I’ve turned to time and again in my own processing of loss.  

By Elana K. Arnold , Elizabet Vukovic (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked An Ordinary Day as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An ordinary day in an ordinary neighborhood turns out to be quite extraordinary in this moving story about the circle of life.

It’s an average day in the neighborhood—children play, roses are watered, and a crow watches over it all. But then two visitors arrive at two houses, one to help a family say hello to a new baby and one to help a family say goodbye to a beloved pet. This sensitive picture book takes a gentle look at life, death, the bonds of family, and the extraordinary moments that make ordinary days so special.


Book cover of Echo Mountain

Frances Greenslade Author Of Red Fox Road

From my list on survival for young readers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a Canadian writer living in southern British Columbia. When I was young, most people thought I was too small and frail to do awesome things. It wasn’t until I got older that I began to understand that my love for wild places and adventures was at the heart of who I was, and I began to see that I was much stronger than I thought. These days, I hike, climb, kayak, cross-country ski, and snowshoe – anything that gets me outside in nature. And I've done some awesome things out there! I want to change the way people see nature, not as something to be conquered, but to be treated with affection and respect.

Frances' book list on survival for young readers

Frances Greenslade Why Frances loves this book

When I was young, I read Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls. Published in 1961, it captured the love of nature and adventure that I experienced growing up. But as usual, the protagonist was a boy.

Echo Mountain has similar touchstones, but it is the book I wish I could have read when I was 13. The novel ticks all the survival story boxes for me: it features a feisty, independent girl hero, practical tips about wilderness survival, and realistic problems she must solve, sometimes defying cautious adult advice.

By Lauren Wolk ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Echo Mountain as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

"Historical fiction at its finest." -The Horn Book

"There has never been a better time to read about healing, of both the body and the heart." -The New York Times Book Review

Echo Mountain is an acclaimed best book of 2020!
An NPR Best Book of the Year * A Horn Book Fanfare Selection * A Kirkus Best Book of the Year * A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year * A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year * A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year

After losing almost everything in the Great Depression, Ellie's…


Book cover of How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community

Trista Harris Author Of Future Good: How to Use Futurism to Save the World

From my list on dreamers who want to shape the future.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been obsessed with making the future a better place since I was 8 years old and spent my evenings hanging out in a local community center. I realized that things got better when people who cared showed up for each other. I am now a philanthropic futurist and have spent my career dedicated to helping visionary leaders build a more beautiful and equitable future. All of the books on this list have inspired me, and I hope they inspire you, too. If we all do our small part, we can ensure we have a Star Trek future and not a Hunger Games future.

Trista's book list on dreamers who want to shape the future

Trista Harris Why Trista loves this book

This book was a powerful reminder of the importance of community and connection in our lives. This book made me realize how critical it is for us to show up for each other as humans, and it inspired me to be part of a future where we are deeply connected and caring for one another.

Mia teaches us how to rebuild that sense of belonging we’ve lost, guiding us to embrace vulnerability, generosity, and interdependence. Her message is right on time, especially as she challenges the isolation of the "American Dream" and invites us to lean on each other for support.

This book has truly influenced how I want to show up in the world and be a better human.

By Mia Birdsong ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How We Show Up as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From Black Lives Matter to the ongoingWomen's Marches, we have had some powerful moments over the last decade that have galvanized and created new, but brief, feelings of community. Many of us, however, haven't figured out how to spark that feeling on our own, or how to build off or sustain those moments. Many of us are longing for a kind of sugar-borrowing and stoop-sitting closeness we imagine existed in the 50s. Maybe we even grew up in that environment, but we moved away from home for love, work, or adventure and we don't know how to recreate it in…


If you love George Saunders...

Book cover of Resonant Blue and Other Stories

Resonant Blue and Other Stories by Mary Vensel White,

The first collection of award-winning short fiction from the author of Bellflower and Things to See in Arizona, whose writing reflects “how we can endure and overcome our personal histories, better understand our ancestral ones, and accept the unknown future ahead.”

In “Driftwood,” a woman in a sleepy desert…

Book cover of Do Unto Otters: A Book about Manners

Naomi Shulman Author Of Be Kind: You Can Make the World a Happier Place! 125 Kind Things to Say & Do

From my list on raising kind kids.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a little bit obsessed with children’s books. I have an extensive personal library of books from my own childhood as well as my kids'. I’m also a person who has become increasingly, shall we say, concerned about the deepening of the culture wars in our society and the ways in which children’s libraries end up being the battleground for those wars. Children’s books matter; if they didn’t, no one would be trying to censor them. And I’d argue that children’s books about ethics and morality might matter even more than most. The five books I’ve recommended here are, in my opinion, truly among the best. 

Naomi's book list on raising kind kids

Naomi Shulman Why Naomi loves this book

This is a nuts-and-bolts book about the Golden Rule—do unto others as you have them do unto you. But unlike many other books with that same message, this one is lighthearted and approachable.

I also like the subtext—good manners are important, but we’re not talking about how to set a table here; the focus is on making sure everyone feels heard and respected, which is one of the fundamentals of kindness.

By Laurie Keller ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Do Unto Otters as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

"Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it to you."—Socrates (the Greek philosopher), circa 470-399 B.C.

Mr. Rabbit's new neighbors are Otters. OTTERS! But he doesn't know anything about Otters. Will they get along? Will they be friends? Just treat otters the same way you'd like them to treat you, advises wise Mr. Owl. And so begins Mr. Rabbit's reflection on good manners.

In her smart, quirky style Laurie Keller highlights how to be a good friend and neighbor—just follow the Golden Rule! This title has Common Core connections.

A Junior Library Guild Selection

…


Book cover of Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World
Book cover of All the Money in the World: What the Happiest People Know about Getting and Spending
Book cover of Organizing from the Inside Out

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