In the 16th year of the Bookshelf Top 20, the annual list continues to feature new books and favourite books among Bookshelf readers, reflects book sales through Adventist bookshops in Australia and New Zealand since January 1 this year. As such, the Top 20 also offers summer reading suggestions and helpful gift-giving ideas.
Dr Sue Radd’s Food As Medicine books continue to hold their places as perennial favourites on the bestseller list, but four of the top five books are new publications this year and this year’s list is dominated by books from Signs Publishing. This year’s list also includes three titles from Sukeshinie Goonatilleke in the top 10, continuing the popularity of this series of stories from Reformation history.
This is your chance to discover your next great read—or recipe idea—and perhaps to win one of the books on this list (see the details below).
1. Bubsie and the Boys: The First Journey Around Australia by Car
It’s appropriate that the centenary of this remarkable achievement has been talked about in various ways this way, both inside the church and beyond it. But the most complete telling of this story is this book by Pastor David Riley. Carefully researched and retold over the past few years, publication of Bubsie and the Boys was delayed and bookended by the tragedies and challenges that this year has brought to the Riley family. However, the book has been a platform for Pastor Riley to share and affirm his faith in a variety of church events and media.
2. Like a Mighty Stream: Trailblazing Women of the Reformation
Released mid-year and debuting at the General Conference session in St Louis, Like a Mighty Stream is the third and newest volume of stories by Sukeshinie Goonatilleke. This new collection features 20 shorter stories of women of the Reformation, as they lived, led and served faithfully in this tumultuous time. Also adapted as a series for Faith FM, these stories inspire practical faith in our own time.
Sparked by the historical commitment card used in the Civil Rights protests in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963, Practising Justice presents both theology and spiritual practices for working for good in our communities in ways that are resilient and sustainable, nonviolent and healing. This book portrays justice broadly and in the context of God’s work of reconciliation and restored relationships with broken people and a fallen world.
4. Food As Medicine: Cooking to Prevent and Treat Diabetes
After being number one on last year’s Top 20, Food As Medicine–Diabetes was awarded “Best in the World” for cookbooks from health professionals at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in June this year. It was recognition of the quality of this cookbook, the attractive way in which it is presented, and the importance of the topic, as the fastest growing chronic disease in most places in the world.
5. Sasha and the Scary Spotlight
The second book in the series from schoolteacher Simone Field, this new book adds to the stories of the friendship groups we met in Isabel and the Lunch Box Bully. Sasha is wrestling with anxiety, exacerbated by a classroom assignment. With the support of her family, friends, teacher and other members of the school community, as well as insights from faith, Sasha finds ways to better understand and cope with what she is feeling. It is a story that can help young readers understand themselves and others, with questions in the back of the book that can prompt family or classroom discussions.
We all experience stress, so more than focusing on avoid stress, we should learn how to use stress to perform at our best, in whatever way we might be working. From author of Forgive to Live, Dr Dick Tibbits and his collaborator Dr Nick Hall, this is a book that help you grow in wellbeing and achievement.
7. Jesus, Not Beasts: Reading Revelation for Who Matters Most
In its second year on the Top 20, Jesus, Not Beasts is a collaboration between author Dr Daniel Reynaud and Pastor Ian Howie, as well as their home church groups—and you’re also invited to join this journey of re-reading Revelation.
8. Sisters in Arms: Courageous Women of the Reformation
Sisters in Arms makes the list for the fifth year in a row—and this year, it was also published in Norwegian. These eight stories feature mostly lesser-known historical characters reminding us that history is not only in the headlines but in the ordinary faithful lives of all of us who choose to follow God.
9. His Surprising Presence: The Spirit in the Old Testament
Amid another book project, Dr Peter Roennfeldt took a detour to explore all the 120 mentions of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. These 90 devotional readings take you on a guided tour of these references, encountering important questions and valuable insights into how God works with human beings.
10. As Bright as the Stars: Dauntless Disciples of the Reformation
In contrast to the stories in Like a Mighty Stream, As Bright as the Stars shares four much longer stories of discipleship amid the Reformation in different European nations. The stories highlight the relationships between key historical characters, and how they shared faith and mentored younger or newer converts.
11. Who is God?
This attractive picture book from Pastor Tara VinCross presents 24 pictures of what God is like, drawing on specific biblical references that are detailed in the back of the book. Designed for sharing with young children, these images can also prompt devotional reflection for older readers.
12. Forgive to Live: How Forgiveness Can Save Your Life
This year saw the publication of a new Signs Publishing edition of this book, as Signs has taken it on as worldwide publisher of Dr Tibbits’ books. Dr Tibbits was featured in a number of media contexts in Australia with the re-launch of this book and the Forgive to Live Workbook is also now re-launched.
13. The Table I Long For: Learning to Participate in the Mission and Family of God
Another former Top 20 number one, The Table I Long For continues to connect with readers around the world, telling the story of shutting down the church Pastor Shawn Brace led in Bangore, Maine, for the purpose of re-launching it with a greater focus on the community it was seeking to serve. Pastor Brace was a speaker at camp in Victoria, which brought some new attention and readers to this book.
14. Journey to Eternity: A Story of Heaven
A religion teacher at Avondale School in Cooranbong, Peter Lindsay wrote this book with his students in mind, particularly hoping to catch the imagination of the teenage boys he has taught. Journey to Eternity imagines the experience of heaven and what that can teach us about the choices and questions we face today.
15. The Grey Skirt: More Parables from My Life
Another serve of the stories, reflections and colouring-in we read in The Green Dress, these books feature sometimes small, sometimes poignant and profound experiences from author Dr Danijela Schuberts’s own life. As well as sharing truths and wisdom gained along her journeys, these books prompt us to reflect on our own lives and stories.
16. Food As Medicine: Cooking for Your Best Health
First published in 2016, this year saw a new revised and updated edition of the original award-winning Food As Medicine. We have also continued to produce A Taste of Food of Medicine as a sharing booklet, with A Taste of Food As Medicine for Diabetes currently in production.
This is the third consecutive year for this collection of stories of prayer, faith and miracles from Pastor Pavel Goia, who again visited parts of Australia earlier this year to share some of his stories and insights in person. These are stories that will inspire your own life of prayer and faith.
18. All Things to All People: Stories and Devotions from a Life in Mission and Development
This collection of stories from the life, ministry and leadership of Pastor David Syme was launched as part of ADRA Australia’s anniversary celebration in late 2024. From medical missionary work in Ethiopia to leadership in ADRA internationally, these stories are offer insights into the work of development and inspiration for service in our own lives.
19. Mission Shift: Multiplying Disciples in Your Community (Revised Edition)
Mission Shift has been a favourite text of the church’s focus on discipleship over the past few years and the new edition has given this book a new lease of life over the past couple of years.
20. Do Not Be Afraid
Devotionals books do not usually appear on this list. Released in the last couple of months each year in anticipation of the new year’s devotional reading, most of the sales miss the Top 20 window. But Do Not Be Afraid has continued to sell across this year, evidencing the relevance of this biblical message for our lives today.
Visit AdventistBookCentre.com.au/Top20 to win a book of your choice from the Top 20 list! To enter, simply submit a product review for any book on the AdventistBookCentre.com.au webstore. The five reviews deemed most useful for undecided customers will win the entrant a book of their choice from the Top 20 list. Entries close December 15, 2025.
