As a community of women, we all love a good yarn! Stories are how we learn and help make sense of the world.
"We read to know that we are not alone."
C.S. Lewis
I would love to share some of the stories and books that have shaped my world and impacted us here at the nest with you. And in sharing these stories, we also want to have an impact together on causes that we care deeply about.
Each book that you purchase from the “Books for Good” range will have 100% of its sale price donated to four foundations that are doing wonderful work. Please explore and find out more about these incredible organisations and enjoy reading or giving a book with an extra good trickle effect.
Since launching in December 2020, Books for Good has raised over $40,000 for the below charities. Thanks for investing in this library and the wonderful work these organisations do to make the world a better place.
Love, Jane and the birdsnest girls xx
The Butterfly Foundation
The foundation provides support for eating disorders and promotes positive body image.
As girls we are judged on our appearance from the moment we put on our first dress as a toddler. I”m yet to meet a women who hasn’t struggled with her body image at some point in her life. Read more about birdsnest’s mission to embrace here and find out more about the Butterfly foundation here.
Embrace Your Body
From our great friend and Body Image Movement Founder, Taryn Brumfit, a book to help encourage the young ones in our life to start developing a healthy relationship with their body early! Shop Embrace Your Body here.
Embrace Kids
"Imagine a world where young people don’t feel held back by their bodies. Where we appreciate each other for who we are and what we do rather than what we look like". An essential handbook for parents of children and teens, this book will teach you everything you need to know to help your kids' wholeheartedly embrace their uniqueness. Shop Embrace Kids here
Your Own Kind Of Girl
We all have a girl crush on Claire Bowditch at the Nest. Some of us have been lucky enough to see her perform or teach us over Zoom in lockdown how to tame our inner critic. This is certainly a story that makes you feel not alone in your struggles in being a human being! With a good dose of humour and hope, it comes highly, highly recommended. Shop Your Own Kind Of Girl here.
The Resilience Project
I actually listened to this book with my two teenage girls and it had a profound impact on all of us. The stories, messages and impact of gratitude, empathy and mindfulness were certainly GEM’s. My eldest daughter started her own gratitude journal after listening to this book and hasn’t looked back :) Shop The Resilience Project here.
Untamed: Stop Pleasing Start Living
As a first child, a girl and tragic ‘pleaser’, I needed to read this book. So many expectations of how we ‘should be’, love how this story encourages us to trust ourselves and our deepest instincts. There is a theme around making peace with our bodies, another reason why it is a great addition to the ‘books for good’ library with sales contributing to the Butterfly Foundation.
Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation
I first learnt about the work of Catherine Hamlin at the age of 12 and it touched and rocked me then as it still does now. Dr Catherine Hamlin is an Australian woman who dedicated her life to ensuring the health and dignity of women by treating and preventing terrible childbirth injuries in Ethiopia. In March 2020, Catherine passed away in her home in Ethiopia after a lifetime of serving others in love. Her dream was to eradicate obstetric fistula, which didn’t happen in her lifetime but can happen in the next generation. To find out more click here.
Healing Lives
Many stories have been written about the inspiring life of Catherine Hamlin. This latest book reveals the untold story of Mamitu Gashe, an illiterate peasant 14 year old girl who sought the aid of the Hamlin’s Fistula Hospital in 1962 when she was close to death after childbirth in an arranged marriage. After saving her life, Mamitu dedicated her life to Catherine’s mission and went on to become one of the most acclaimed fistula surgeons in the world. Shop Healing Lives here.
Women's Wellness Wisdom
A gift that we give to all female starters in the nest. As a team, we could all relate listening to Dr Libby's TED talk a few years back where she explained the Rushing Woman's Syndrome! This book of wisdom is a beautiful gift to yourself or another woman you love, while also gifting back to a woman in need. Shop Women's Wellness Wisdom here.
Like the women of the nest, Sophie has built her life and career in regional Australia and we love how she celebrates all things local, community and delicious! At a time when connection could not be more important, her beautifully photographed books, In Good Company and A Basket By the Door, warm the heart and tummy with their stories and recipes. Fun fact - Sophie and I also both were lucky enough to attend the same high school as Catherine Hamlin (just a few years later) and be inspired by her service from an early age.
Keep It Cool
They plant trees. They build community. They support environmental initiatives. They educate to inspire change. And they are based in our part of the world, the beautiful snowy mountains. Again a not-for-profit started by young people who love our planet and are doing something about it. Yep pretty damn inspiring and with each $5 planting a tree, you can be a constructive part of regenerating our nature.
To find out more click here.
Graziher
A collection of women's stories from the land. With an estimated one-third of Australian women living in rural and regional communities, Graziher aims to connect and tell their diverse and incredible stories. It feels so close to home as we witness the lives of courageous and talented women in our rural community everyday. And no story is more inspiring than that of 23 year old, Claire Dunne, who established and edits this independent magazine. Each magazine sold will plant 3 trees, fitting for a publication that loves the land. Shop Graziher here.
Galah
A modern voice from the bush celebrating the stories, people and places of regional Australia. Where we normally see people leaving our regions, there has been a shift of more people seeking the tree change, in Galah we find out why. Brainchild of Annabelle Hickson whose writing intrigues, entertains and has you laughing out loud. Galah is giving a more sophisticated voice to life in the bush, one that we can certainly relate to, headquartered in Cooma, population 6,500! Each Galah sold at birdsnest will plant 5 trees. Shop here.
A Life On Our Planet
Oh David Attenborough - how we love you. I think he has been kept on this earth with his body and wits in tack at 94 to share this witness statement and wake us up to the plight of the planet and human civilisation. Watching his corresponding documentary with my teenage daughters was scary, spine tingling and hopeful all at the same time. Sharing this book is our tiny contribution to help share and learn from his message plus each book sold at birdsnest will plant 8 trees which we are sure would make David smile. Shop here.
Atomic Habits
An easy and proven way to build good habits and break bad ones... where do we sign up! No matter your goals, big or small, James Clear offers a proven step-by-step guide for improving, just a little every single day. In a world where there is constantly an influx of noise, this engaging hands on guide offers a revolutionary system to get 1% better every day. It's the perfect road map to breaking bad habits and forming new ones!
School For Life
Founded by two young passionate Australians who, whilst volunteering in Africa, became convinced that education is the only real way to mobilise a community and create a positive and sustainable future. Working in rural Uganda, where 7 out of 10 children don’t finish primary school, their mission is to educate poverty out of existence. Children are at the heart of everything they do and what amazed me is how far any donations go with $10 providing 3 healthy meals a day for a student over a month and $624 sponsoring a primary school child for a year of school. With Annabelle Chauncy OAM at the lead, this organisation is going to continue delivering impact and changing lives, to find out more click here.
Dare To Lead
Brene is like a rock star in our nest, her stories and quotes are gold and shared often. It started with her TED talk on the importance of vulnerability to living a full hearted life and then we have consumed everything else she has produced before and since. As an accidental leader trying to guide 140 humans, Dare to Lead was a comforting and oh so helpful guide. It turns out we don’t have to be perfect, just brave! Shop here.
Daily Mantras To Ignite Your Purpose
In the middle of the COVID-19 lockdown in NSW, I discovered this latest beauty from Lisa Messenger, the ultimate inspirer! I gave one to each member of my team with a note of encouragement and thanks for everything they were doing to get us through. If you love a good motivational quote, or know someone who does, this little handbag sized book will get you firing every day of the year :) Shop here.
Oh The Places You'll Go
I was given this book as a slightly lost 19 year old trying to find my way in the big smoke! It was one of those days that I really needed a pick-me-up and the book has been close to my heart since then featuring in birthday toasts, school graduation speeches and any other time I think a bit of Dr Suess is the right medicine. Shop this book here.
Little People Big Dreams
I just love these book sets for children featuring incredible Women in Science, Women in Art and Inspiring Writers including Marie Curie, Frida Kahlo and Maya Angelou. We aspire to what we can see so introduce a young girl in your life to these outstanding women who have each made a positive difference in their field.
Atlas Of The Heart
Everything Brené Brown says or writes is golden, and her latest, 'Atlas of the heart' is no different. A must read if you want to take stock of your feelings, or your partners, or your kids, or your friends. Brené explores 87 of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human, offering a simple, to the point and truly useful framework for meaningful human connection. After the past 2 years of lockdowns this is a must read!
Bake With Brooki
Here at the nest we love baking, love celebrating together with the results of the baking, so this book was an easy one to add to our collection.
Shop Books For Good
See our entire range of Books For Good and find yourself your next good read while simultaneously supporting an incredible cause!
Love, the birdsnest birds x
