Here you will find a short list of books I am in the process of reading again as we settle in to the winter of 2020.
The Birchbark House
jFICTION/Erdrich, Louise
Read Woke, Diverse Characters, Historical Fiction
Omakayas, a seven-year-old Native American girl of the Ojibwa tribe, lives through the joys of summer and the perils of winter on an island in Lake Superior in 1847.
The dragon with a chocolate heart
Stephanie Burgis
jFICTION Burgis Stephani
Fantasy, Adventure
After drinking enchanted hot chocolate, a brave young dragon is transformed into a twelve-year-old human girl with a passion for chocolate.
This series opener is delectable any time of year, but hot chocolate season makes this an especially good winter re-read. We're currently waiting for the second of this series on ebook, The Girl with The Dragon Heart, for bedtime sharing. While we wait, we may circle back around to hear from Aventurine again .
- Casey
The shortest day
Susan Cooper
jE Cooper
Picture Books
A celebration of the winter solstice and the Yuletide season. As the sun set on the shortest day of the year, early people would gather to prepare for the long night ahead. They built fires and lit candles. They played music, bringing their own light to the darkness, while wondering if the sun would ever rise again. Written for a theatrical production that has become a ritual in itself, Susan Cooper's poem "The Shortest Day" captures the magic behind the returning of the light, the yearning for traditions that connect us with generations that have gone before-- and the hope for peace that we carry into the future. Richly illustrated by Carson Ellis with a universality that spans the centuries, this beautiful book evokes the joy and community found in the ongoing mystery of life when we celebrate light, thankfulness, and festivity at a time of rebirth. Welcome Yule!
I love this poem, and Carson Ellis's art is the perfect pairing!
- Casey
Mending life : a handbook for repairing clothes and hearts
Nina Montenegro
646.6 /Montenegro
Crafts, Home
The act of mending strengthens not only the object we are repairing, but ourselves as well. The Montenegros encourage us to cherish our things by repairing them rather than discarding them. By changing our consumption habits, small mends here and there will extend the life of our garments and other household items. They introduce basic techniques such as patching, but will have options to take it a step further with decorative sashiko stitching. You'll also learn how to darn socks and mend sweaters, bedsheets, and down jackets. -- abridged from information provided
Everything about this title is thoughtfully done. I'm looking forward to spending some time with a few beloved garments during this re-read.
- Casey
A Christmas carol : in prose, being a ghost story of Christmas
Charles Dickens
FICTION Dickens, Charles
Classics, Literary Fiction
We are currently reading A Christmas Carol aloud for bedtime, and loving it! Plus, it's the perfect time of year to revisit this often adapted classic.
- Casey
The bullet journal method : track the past, order the present, design the future
Ryder Carroll
640.43 /Carroll
Self Help, Philosophy
For years Carroll tried countless organizing systems, online and off, but none of them fit the way his mind worked. He developed the Bullet Journal, and it helped him become consistently focused and effective. Now he shows readers how the Bullet Journal method can help you weed out distractions and focus your time and energy in pursuit of what's truly meaningful, in both your work and your personal life. -- adapted from back cover
The Bullet Journal Method is a great way to get organized as we move into 2021. I'm so glad I've re-read it throughout this year, and am heading back to tackle a few sections once more before the New Year.
- Casey
Our subway baby
Peter Mercurio
jE Mercurio
Read Woke, LGBTQ+, Picture Books, Nonfiction
"Written in direct address to the author's son Kevin, this is the moving and poignant true story about how one baby was adopted after being found on a New York City subway platform"-- Provided by publisher.
I loved this winter story about finding family in unexpected places. Its message is really beautiful, and I'm looking forward to sharing it as a lap read at home.
- Casey
Guilty confession: the first time I listened to this book was on a trip and we didn't finish it. Not because it isn't lovely! I remember enjoying it so much that I'm excited to pick it up in its physical format and start this one from the top.
- Casey