Grab your cozy blankets, warm up some hot chocolate, and gather ‘round! It’s finally that time of year again. Get into the holiday spirit with these festive reads from the New Orleans Public Library.
Children:
In Hanukkah Upside Down by Elissa Brent Weissman & Omer Hoffmann, cousins Noah and Nora decide to have a friendly competition between their far-away homes – New York and New Zealand – to determine which season is best for celebrating Hanukkah. In New York, Noah is sure the answer is Winter. But in the southern hemisphere, Nora is team summer all the way. But, as the competition rages on, the two learn they have more in common than they thought.
Help your little readers answer the ever-present Christmas question this year with Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen’s How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? Does he start with his feet or dive in headfirst? What if it’s too narrow and he gets stuck? Or, what if there isn’t any chimney? How does he get in then? Whatever answer you choose, your family is sure to delight in the humor and heart of this timeless tale.
Middle Grade:
In Max Fernsby and the Infinite Toys by Gerry Swallow & Peter Gaulke, middle-grade readers follow along with one 10-year-old boy as he races against time to save Christmas. It all started when a red bag fell from the sky, granting Max the power to produce any toy in the world. But, what he doesn’t realize is that the sudden dream-come-true was all a big mistake. Max must return the bag to its rightful owner in the North Pole, or else children all over the world may have no toys at all.
Best-selling author James Patterson has teamed up with Brian Sitts to present the tween adventure series Middle School. In its 15th book, Patterson and Sitts bring readers on an Arctic journey that quickly goes haywire. Winter Blunderland follows Rafe, his friend Penelope, and her mom, Dr. Daria Deerwin, as they adventure to northern Alaska to study polar bears. Instead of a fancy research center and majestic wildlife, our heroes are confronted with the reality of climate change, fear of rejection, and holiday homesickness.
Young Adult:
Is there anything better than a cozy holiday romance? In How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow, you’ll swoon alongside Shani and May as they fall for each other over their holiday break in Washington, D.C. With the help of snowy weather and fish fossils, these two Jewish college freshmen go from enemies to lovers over the course of this sweet, festive story.
When Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, the warmth of young love is just the remedy to melt the ice in Whiteout: Love Will Keep You Warm. From the same authors that brought New York Times bestseller Blackout! (Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, & Nicola Yoon), this YA novel is full of Black Joy and cozy romance.