I don’t often get around to writing full-on reviews of the nonfiction I read, especially if it’s for adults.  Here’s a selection of my favorites from last year, handily separated into knitting and non-knitting books.

Faerie Knitting by Alice Hoffman & Lisa Hoffman – Short tales with intrepid, knitting girls and women and the wise witches they turn to for help, with a pattern for each story and beautiful photography with models dressed as the character wearing the item.

The Mitten Handbook by Mary Scott Huff – Mix-and-match your own mitten from variations on cuffs, bodies, and finger and thumb styles, or choose one of the many great pre-made patterns.  I couldn’t resist knitting the baby goldfish cracker mittens.

Vogue Knitting Ultimate Knitting Book – A tome full of everything you’d want to know about knitting, with clear instructions and photography.

The Opinionated Knitter by Elizabeth Zimmerman – A classic from the woman who convinced American knitters that they could do it, consisting of a decade of her newsletters, with patterns re-knit, updated as needed, and photographed in color by her daughter.

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly – About time I got to this!

Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese – I’d been noticing this on the shelf at the library for years and finally took it home – lots of testing on the taste and effort difference between homemade and store bought food, with recipes and very entertaining writing. I was inspired and have been making my own yogurt at least most of the time since reading this.

Middle School Makeover by Michelle Icard – I didn’t make the school parent discussion of this, but it had good thoughts on dealing with common middle school struggles.

You Need a Budget by Jesse Mecham – I use the software, and have watched a lot of the videos, but the book has a nice summary of the theory, told with understanding and humor.  I still also refer to Elizabeth Warren’s All Your Worth, even if their philosphies on tracking money are completely opposite.