Recommended Reads: Holiday Stories, Poetry, and More...

To many people holidays are not voyages of discovery, but a ritual of reassurance. -Philip Andrew Adams

However you celebrate the Holidays in December, take some time for yourself. Below are some suggestions for enjoyable holiday theme books to read during this time of year.

Recorded cassette (RC), locally produced cassette (RCM), braille (BR), described VHS video (DV), and large print (LT) copies of these books are available from the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library. Please contact the library to order any of these books.

Christmas

Christmas at the "New Yorker": Stories, Poems, Humor, and Art by The New Yorker.
DB/RC 57538
Anthology of holiday writing featured in the New Yorker magazine from 1925 to 2002. Seasonal poetry and prose highlight themes like the spirit of giving, family, Santa Claus, and Christmas carols. Contributing authors include James Thurber, H.L. Menken, Alice Munro, E.B. White, and foreword author John Updike.

The Cricket on the Hearth and other Christmas Stories by Charles Dickens.
RC 45381, BR 11334
Three short Christmas tales written in the 1850s. In "The Cricket on the Hearth" and "The Holly-Tree," misunderstandings between lovers are cleared up in time to make the holiday cheerful. Similarly, in "The Haunted House," lovers are eventually united.

Silver Bells by Mary Burton.
DB/RC 67713
Bestseller. Four romantic Christmas stories. In the title piece, Amy Lee returns home to Pennsylvania for the holidays and rekindles a relationship with her high school sweetheart Hank Anders, who has no idea that Amy is a movie star. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
DB/RC 43546, BR 17785, LT 4379, DV 53
Classic nineteenth-century Christmas story set in England describes the conversion of grasping old miser Ebenezer Scrooge when he is visited by ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.

Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie.
DB/RC 44355
As the holiday guest of Colonel Johnson, chief constable of his county, Belgian detective Poirot spends his Christmas investigating the brutal and baffling murder of rich, eccentric old Simeon Lee.

A Family Christmas by Caroline Kennedy.
DB/RC 65732, BR 17454
Bestseller. Anthology of Kennedy's holiday favorites. Encompasses poems, stories, scriptures, songs, and essays of the Christmas season. Includes her own 1962 letter to Santa as well as works by Irving Berlin, Robert Frost, George Washington, Langston Hughes, and other notables.

Noche Buena: Hispanic American Christmas Stories by Nicols Kanellos.
RC 51674
Collection of thirty-six literary works celebrating the Christmas season, derived from the cultures of Mexican, Puerto Rican, and other Hispanic groups who migrated to the United States. Includes the play Los Pastores from Mexico, a sixteenth-century dramatization of Christ's birth. Many entries are presented in both English and Spanish.

Winter Nights by Francis Ray.
RC 52196
Three holiday romances featuring African Americans. In "Until Christmas" Samantha becomes a housekeeper for Principal Rawlings and his twins. "Kwanzaa Angel" finds Erin being reintroduced to an old high school crush. In "'Round Midnight" radio talk-show host Summer falls in love with her director. Some descriptions of sex.

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham.
DB/RC 52929, BR 13636, LT 3774
Bestseller. Tax accountant Luther Krank calculates that a Caribbean cruise will cost less than what he and his wife, Nora, spent celebrating the holidays last year. Since daughter Blair is in the Peace Corps, they plan to skip Christmas. Luther, however, doesn't anticipate the town's reaction. Some strong language.

The Gift by Nora Roberts.
DB/RC 59472
Holiday stories of love and romance. In "Home for Christmas" a young man returns to his hometown after a ten-year absence. In "All I Want for Christmas" twin boys ask Santa for a mom. Includes three holiday recipes. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language.

Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien.
DB/RC 63808
A collection of Christmas letters penned by J.R.R. Tolkien and signed as Father Christmas that were sent to Tolkien's children from 1920-1943. Each recapped activities of the preceding year at the North Pole, including reindeer running amok and the North Polar Bear breaking the moon into four pieces.

Under the Mistletoe by Mary Balogh.
DB/RC 63665
Regency England, early 1800s. Five holiday stories whose lonely characters unexpectedly find love and joy. In "A Family Christmas" the return of commoner Edwin Chambers to his young wife transforms her noble family's austere gathering into a joyous celebration and mends the rift in the couple's arranged marriage.

A Christmas to Remember by Thomas Kinkade.
DB/RC 65572
Residents of a close-knit New England town rediscover the magic of Christmas past and present. Hospitalized after a fall, grandmother Lillian Warwick recalls the year 1955, when she first met her husband, Oliver. Meanwhile, nursing student Lucy Bates reexamines her life choices, and Lillian's granddaughter plans a winter wedding.

The Last Noel by Heather Graham.
DB/RC 65817, BR 17552, LT 7756
Craig Devon joins two crooks who abandon him, wounded, during a robbery gone wrong on Christmas Eve. When their car gets stuck in a blizzard, the robbers hold the O'Boyle family hostage. Kat O'Boyle escapes and encounters Craig, her ex-lover, before she hides. Some violence and some strong language.

Miracle on 10th Street and other Christmas Writings by Madeleine L'Engle.
DB/RC 63705
Selections from forty years of the award-winning author's reflections on Christmas themes conveyed in stories, poems, essays, letters, and journal entries. Topics follow the Christmas season: Advent, Incarnation, Epiphany, Glorious Mystery, Redemption, and Celebration. The title piece recalls a past Christmas when L'Engle feared her daughter had leukemia.

Holiday in Death by J.D. Robb.
DB/RC 60483, LT 7885
New York, 2058. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is stressed out before the holidays. A make-believe Santa Claus is actually a serial killer who is working his murderous way through "The Twelve Days of Christmas" theme. Clues lead Eve to an elite matchmaking agency. Descriptions of sex and strong language.

A Little Yuletide Murder by Donald Bain.
DB/RC 57577, LT 2078
Mystery writer Jessica Fletcher is in Cabot Cove for the holidays when local farmer Rory Brent, who plays Santa Claus, is found murdered. Rumor points to Jake Walther as the main suspect. Jessica, concerned by the rush to judgement, investigates the case in time for the upcoming Christmas festival.

Comfort and Joy by Fern Michaels.
DB/RC 65427, LT 8091
Bestseller. Four Christmas novellas. In the title story, romance blossoms when former rivals unite to save a department store owned by a New Jersey family. In "A High-Kicking Christmas,"  a Rockette retreats to Vermont with a broken ankle and finds unexpected love. Also includes "Suzanna's Stockings" and "Family Blessings."

Celebrations: The Complete Book of American Holidays by Robert Myers.
RC 55381
Hallmark Cards presents a detailed history and description of forty-five holidays and holy days celebrated in the United States, giving brief summaries of fifteen more. Includes widely observed celebrations such as Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as regional observations, religious feast days, and ethnic festivals.

Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook by Betty Crocker.
DB/RC 64150
Collection of more than 250 recipes for Christmas treats from appetizers to main dishes, and from breads to desserts. Also includes holiday decorating tips, make-ahead ideas, food gifts to give, and new twists to standard recipes.

Hannukah

Hanukkah Lights: Stories of the Season from NPR's Annual Holiday Special by Susan Stamberg.
DB/RC 62028
Twelve stories celebrating Hanukkah by contemporary authors Myra Goldberg, Daniel Pinkwater, Harlan Ellison, Dani Shapiro, Elie Wiesel, Mark Helprin, and others. In Anne Roiphe's "The Demon Foiled," a new Jewish mayor attempts to light the family Hanukkah candles while he is being filmed for local TV.

Arthur's Perfect Christmas by Marc Brown.
RCM 705, BR 15596
Arthur is certain that his Christmas will be perfect. But when it doesn't snow, D.W. decorates half the tree with trolls and unicorns, and Arthur accidentally breaks his present for Mom -- Arthur isn't so sure any more. While Francine celebrates Hanukkah and the Brain prepares for Kwanzaa, Arthur worries until an unexpected guest changes everything, For grades 2-4.

The Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays by Malka Drucker.
RC 40298
This collection of stories, poems, songs, crafts, and games discusses each of the religious holidays beginning with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Included are Sukkot, Simhat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu B'Sh'vat, Purim, Pesah, Shavuot, Yom HaShoah, Yom Ha'atzmaut, and finally the Sabbath. The history and rituals of the observance are discussed. For grades 4-7 and older readers.

Jeremy's Dreidel by Ellie Gellman.
RC 48390, BR 12254
Jeremy's art class at the Jewish center is making dreidels for Hanukkah. Each child can design one. Jeremy plans to use a special design for his father, who is blind. For grades 3-6 and older readers.

There's No Such Thing as a Chanukah Bush, Sandy by Susan Sussman.
RC 22882
Robin would give almost anything to have a Christmas tree, but her parents, who are Jewish, won't even let her have a Chanukah bush. For grades 3-6.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa Karamu: Cooking and Crafts for a Kwanzaa Feast by April Brady.
DB/RC 60693
Explains the meaning of this African American celebration. Provides recipes for children and adults to prepare together for the feast and instructions for making decorations and gifts. For grades 3-6 and older readers.

Kwanzaa: African-American Culture and Cooking by Eric Copage.
RC 34528
Kwanzaa is a week-long African-American celebration of the "first fruits." The author has compiled a sourcebook for the observance with selections from historical works, folklore, and biographies that illustrate the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Also included are collected African recipes.

Something to Celebrate by Felicia Mason.
DB/RC 57518
Three stories of holiday romance by African American authors. As the New Year approaches in Brenda Jackson's "Truly Everlasting," Trask and Felicia discover they are meant for each other. Others find love in "The First Noel" by Felicia Mason and Margie Walker's "Kwanzaa Kupendi." Some explicit descriptions of sex.