25 Days of Christmas Books

Looking for a holiday reading list that the whole family can enjoy? Look no further!

1. Penguin's Christmas Wish by Salina Yoon
2. Santasaurus by Niahm Sharkey
3. Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
4. Santa's Underwear by Marty Rhodes Figley
5. Babushka by Dawn Casey
6. Potatoes at Turtle Rock by Susan Schnur and Anna Schnur-Fishman
7. Stowaway in a Sleigh by Roger C. Mader
8. Merry Christmas, Squirrels! by Nancy Rose
9. The Day Santa Stopped Believing in Harold
10. The Lost Gift by Kallie George
11. The Perfect Present by Stella Jones
12. If Snowflakes Tasted by Fruitcake by Stacey Previn
13. Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett
14. Paddington and the Christmas Surprise by Michael Bond
15. Clark the Shark Loves Christmas by Bruce Hale
16. Maple and Willow's Christmas Tree by Lori Nichols
17. Rudy's Windy Christmas by Helen Baugh
18. Miracle on 133rd Street by Sonia Manzano
19. Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco
20. A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
21. Bad Kitty Does Not Like Snow by Nick Bruel
22. Santa Clauses: Short Poems From the North Pole by Bob Raczka
23. Walking in a Winter Wonderland by 
24. Merry Moosey Christmas by 
25. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore

--Angie RH, Cliff Cave

Review: "More Than Enough: A Passover Story" by April Halprin Wayland

Happy Passover! This year there's a fun new book to help you celebrate with your family. "More Than Enough" by April Halprin Wayland follows two young children and their parents as they select food at the market, prepare traditional foods, and travel to Nana's house for Passover. A sweet story of family and faith, "More Than Enough" will be a lovely addition to your family's traditions.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

"Hedgehugs" by Steve Wilson and Lucy Tapper

Just in time for Valentine's Day we have a cute story of two best friends who just want to hug in "Hedgehugs" by Steve Wilson and Lucy Tapper. "Horace and Hattie are the very best of friends" and do everything together--except hug. Unfortunately, their hedgehog spikes get in the way. So Horace and Hattie get creative, using all kinds of means to make hugging happen. From strawberries to hollow logs, nothing seems to work. Until, that is, they discover the perfect solution. Check out the book to see what happens to Horace and Hattie--and just maybe you'll find out where all of your missing socks disappear to as well! Perfect for the preschool set.

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Holiday Gift Guide 2014

'Tis the season for finding gifts for all of the little people in your life! To help you out, we've compiled a list of our favorite books published within the last year for kiddos of all ages. Click on the links for each book to request them from the library or to read reviews.

BOARD BOOKS

"Baby Loves to Boogie" by Wednesday Kirwan

"Dinnertime for Chickies" by Janee Trasler

"Play" by Elizabeth Verdick

You are My Baby series by Lorena Siminovich

PICTURE BOOKS

"Little Elliot, Big City" by Mike Curato

"Hug Machine" by Scott Campbell

"Blizzard" by John Rocco

"Druthers" by Matt Phelan

"The Farmer and the Clown" by Marla Frazee

EARLY CHAPTER BOOKS

"Mr. Ball Makes a To-Do List" by Michael Townsend

"Tiny Creatures:the World of Microbes" by Nicola Davies

"Jedi Academy" by Jeffery Brown

"Brain Freeze!" by Todd Clark

"Cupcake Cousins" by Kate Hannigan

MIDDLE GRADE CHAPTER BOOKS

"Loot" by Jude Watson

"The Fourteenth Goldfish" by Jennifer L. Holm

"The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus" by Jen Bryant

"The Luck Uglies" by Paul Durham

"Revenge of the Flower Girls" by Jennifer Zieglar

Holiday Gift Guide 2013

Every year here at SLCL we receive requests for gift recommendations for the special kids in people's lives. So here's a list of recommendations for all the kid readers in your life. We have recently published book suggestions selected by our expert staff divided into four categories: board books, picture books, early chapter books, and middle-grade chapter books. Click on the titles to look at the books in our catalog.

BOARD BOOKS

"I Know a Lot" by Stephen Krensky

"Alphablock" by Christopher Franceschelli

"Roadwork" by Sally Sutton

PICTURE BOOKS

"Journey" by Aaron Becker

"Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great" by Bob Shea

"I'm a Frog" by Mo Willems

"A Little Book of Sloth" by Lucy Cook

"Count the Monkeys" by Mac Barnett

EARLY CHAPTER BOOKS

"Battle Bunny" by Mac Barnett and Jon Scieszka

"Bink and Gollie: Best Friends Forever" by Kate DiCamillo

"The Year of Billy Miller" by Kevin Henkes

"Galaxy Zack: Hello Nebulon!" by Ray O'Ryan

"Violet Mackerel's Natural Habitat" by Anna Bradford

"Fortunately, the Milk" by Neil Gaiman

MIDDLE-GRADE CHAPTER BOOKS

"Locomotive" by Brian Floca

"Road Trip" by Gary Paulsen

"Bluffton" by Matt Phelan

"A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff

"The Animal Book" by Steve Jenkins

--Andrea W., H.Q.

Veterans Day

Veterans Day is an official United States holiday to honor people who have served in our military.  It is always on November 11.  This is a great day to thank anyone you know who is or was in the armed forces.  It might be a friend, family member or neighbor.  Sometimes Veterans Day is confused with Memorial Day, but Memorial Day honors those who died in battle.  Anyone who served in the military during wartime or not, is honored and thanked on Veterans Day.  If you want to learn more, check out one of these great books:

--Angie RH, HQ

New poetry books just right for Halloween

Does your family share scary (or not so scary) stories this time of year?  These poems are just right for reading with a flashlight. 



"Trick-or-Treat: A Happy Haunter's Halloween" by Debbie Leppanen
This is a gentle collection of poems for Halloween.   It's rhyming text with bold illustrations of goofy monsters is just right for preschoolers.  There are minor thrills without being too scary.  All sort of recognizable monsters fill the pages with new ones mixed in. Recommended for ages 5-8. 




"Your Skeleton is Showing: Rhymes of Blunder From Six Feet Under" by Kurt Cyrus
These poems aren't really about Halloween, but they are about a cemetery.  A boy is exploring and learning about the grave yard's residents.  Many of them had untimely deaths.  For example, poor Wanda Gripp loved to hug, but met her end when she tried to embrace a boa constrictor; seems the constrictor hugged tighter.  The illustrations are cartoonish, and this book is just the right mix and scary and ridiculous.  Recommended for grades 4-6.



Check out one of these or one of the other Halloween poetry books available at your library.

--Angie R., HQ

New Holiday Dinosaur Books

Jane Yolen has two new books in her How Do Dinosaurs series.  It began with How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? in 2000.  Jane was asked to write a book for a boy who hated going to bed and loved dinosaurs.  More ideas kept coming to her, and she has written eighteen dinosaur books including these two:

How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Like the other dinosaur book, the first half of the book describes what not to do.  Dinosaurs blow out all the candles on the menorah, snatch the dreidel, and eat all the chocolate gelt.  The second half of the book explains what a dinosaur (and child) should do instead.  These dinosaurs clean up the dishes after eating latkas, take turns with dreidel and give Chanukah wishes before going to sleep.

How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
This book has the same format.  Dinosaurs take the ornaments and angels off the tree, eat cookies left for Santa, and dump out the stockings.  But the good dinosaurs sing Christmas carols, help trim the tree and fall asleep before Santa arrives.
 

These books are recommended for ages 3-5.  Enjoy one of these titles with your family for the holidays!

--Angie R., Headquarters

Staff review: "Sarah Gives Thanks" by Mike Allegra

Why is Thanksgiving on a Thursday in November?  When did America decide to celebrate Thanksgiving?  What are we supposed to be thankful for? 

"Sarah Gives Thanks," by Mike Allegra, is the true story that answers these questions.  Patriot, mother and author Sarah Josepha Hale knew that America needed to be thankful.  Not about Puritans, Native Americans, turkeys or an extra day off from school!  She knew that the country needed Thanksgiving because it promoted "family, friendship, gratitude and religion".  She used her position as editor of a woman's magazine to spread her ideas and encourage others to be thankful.  Sarah's suggestion was rejected by four presidents for 36 years!  Because of her determination, President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as a national holiday in 1863, and we have celebrated it every year since.  This book would be a great family read aloud, best suited to children 6 years and older.  Remember Sarah this year on November 22 as you celebrate with your loved ones. 
--Angie R., Headquarters