Winter 2022 Reading Recommendations
12/10/22
Looking for your writer’s next great read?
Take a look at some of our recommended novels that go great with a cup of hot chocolate and a cozy blanket.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. The Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
For animal-loving readers, this beloved series is based on an English vetrenariatian’s adventures in the countryside. Young Herriot discovers that the realities of his practice in rural Yorkshire are very different from the sterile setting of veterinary school. Through the wondrous variety and never-ending challenges, his humor, compassion, and love of the animal world shine forth.
Rise of the Guardians: Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King by William Joyce & Laura Geringer
The first of the Guardians series, these books tackle the “true “ tales behind mythical characters like the Easter Bunny to The Man in the Moon. These guardians of childhood have their work cut out for the against the Boogeyman, aka Pitch Black. This story explores the unexpected beginnings of Saint Nick, not as a jolly giver of gifts, but as a leader of bandits roaming the Siberian wilderness.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca
When young Temple was diagnosed with autism, no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in modern science. Yet, the determined visual thinker did just that. Her unique mind helped her invent groundbreaking improvements for farms around the globe.
The Line Tender by Kate Allen
Wherever the sharks led, Lucy's marine-biologist mother followed. In fact, she was on a boat far off the coast of Massachusetts, preparing to swim with a Great White, when she died suddenly. Since then Lucy and her father have done OK—but when the tide brings another Great White Lucy must find a way to help the sharks her mother loved, and look beyond what’s lost and toward what’s left to be discovered.
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
Red is an ancient oak tree who serves as the neighborhood "wishtree"—people write wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red's branches. Along with her crow friend and other animals who seek refuge in Red's hollows, this "wishtree" watches over the neighborhood. When a new family moves in, not everyone is welcoming and Red's experiences as a wishtree are more important than ever.
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The 1994 Newbery Medal winner has become one of the most influential novels of our time (and one of Ms. Margaret’s favorites). The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community’s conformity.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
When Claudia decided to run away, she planned very carefully. She would be gone just long enough to teach her parents a lesson and she would go in comfort - hiding at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. But once the fun of settling in was over, Claudia had an unexpected problem. She found a statue at the Museum so beautiful she could not go home until she had discovered its maker.