With the holiday season just around the corner, a good wintertime read can bring the whole family together. Maple Grove librarians Rose Ryan and Kathryn Zimmerman recommend the following reads for all ages, cultures and walks of life.
A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
(originally published by New Directions in 1955)
Dylan’s prose poem is a bittersweet memoir of Christmas vignettes from his childhood in Wales.
A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
(originally published by Random House in 1956)
This American classic is a nostalgic short story about the relationship that develops between a young boy and an elderly relative through their annual Christmas ritual of baking together.
Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko
(Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2012)
A young girl and her family celebrate the traditions of Hanukkah and Christmas in this colorful and imaginatively illustrated picture book.
The Ghost of Christmas Present by Scott Abbott and Amy Maude Swinton
(Howard Books, 2012)
Patrick Guthrie’s eight-year-old, Braden, is awaiting surgery to repair a life-threatening heart problem when Patrick loses his job. Desperate to earn the money to save his son, Patrick takes to the streets performing as the Ghost of Christmas Present. This is an ultimately uplifting story about the holiday spirit.
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
(originally published by Little, Brown and Company in 1997)
This collection of funny Christmas-themed essays by humorist Sedaris has become a new holiday classic.
A Kosher Christmas: ‘Tis the Season To Be Jewish by Joshua Eli Plaut
(Rutgers University Press, 2012)
The Jewish influence on the celebration of Christmas in America is revealed in this cultural history.
The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story by Lemony Snicket
(McSweeney’s, 2007)
A talking (and screaming) potato latke tries to explain the meaning behind Hanukkah to a number of other creatures. Children’s author Snicket uses his trademark deadpan humor to tell the story.
Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa by Donna L. Washington
(Katherine Tegen Books, 2010)
Learn the meaning of Kwanzaa words like Karamu and Zawadi along with Li’l Rabbit’s friends as they try to help make Granna Rabbit’s Kwanzaa a memorable holiday.
Merry Christmas Cowboy by Janet Dailey
(Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2013)
Moonlighting on Denver’s Christmas House project for children, cop Paula Lewis meets easy-going rancher, Zach Bennett. Against the backdrop of merrymaking, Paula and Zach are drawn together to help protect a young boy from harm.
Sad Santa by Tad Carpenter
(Sterling Children’s Books, 2012)
The story in this picture book begins on December 26. Christmas is over and that makes Santa sad. The elves and reindeer try to cheer him up but only a letter from a little boy can make Santa happy again.
A Winter Dream by Richard Paul Evans
(Simon & Schuster, 2012)
A modern-day version of the biblical “Joseph” story, retold by master storyteller, Richard Paul Evans.
