Holiday stories: a warm end to a tough year
The holiday season is a time to pause, even in a year that seems to have been permanently put on pause, to consider the great joys and small pleasures of life. Giving gifts, snowy days, special cookies, and the comfort of holiday traditions make this time of year special, no matter what holidays you celebrate. Embrace the best parts of a difficult year by sharing these beautiful books that are as warming as a cup of hot cocoa.
“A Year of Everyday Wonders” by Cheryl B. Klein, illustrated by Qin Leng. (Ages 4 to 8. Abrams Books for Young Readers. $16.99.)
With spare phrases and dynamic, colorful sketches, this deceptively simple book about the joys of life encapsulates the magic of seeing the world through young eyes. It begins with “First wake-up. First waffles. First fight with your brother.” The story goes on, with snowfalls and snowballs, fights with your brother, colds and crushes, more fights with your brother, the returning green of spring, lost umbrellas, summer sunburns, fall leaves, all the way to “Last wake-up. Last waffles. Last snowfall. Last stories.” As it celebrates the treasures of a passing year, it’s a perfect reminder of the joys of life during a year like no other.
“The Great Holiday Cookie Swap” by Melanie M. Kyer, illustrated by Joe Kulka. (Ages 3 to 8. Pelican. $17.99.)
Who knew that a cookie swap could yield such poetry and drama? Part cookbook, part smackdown, “Cookie Swap” is a weird but wonderful ode to the tradition of cookie swaps, written in verse and populated by trash-talking cookies who assert their personal excellence (until — spoiler alert — they all end up as part of the exchange). The flaky characters include the oldest recorded cookie (the Greek kourabiedes), the West African-influenced benne, the Midwestern staple buckeye, and the biscotti-like mandelbrot. Despite their arguments about “who the finest sweet could be,” it’s ultimately up to the reader to decide. In addition to historical notes about cookies from many traditions, Kyer includes recipes for each one, as well as a message of peace and respect, because, of course, “a fight between two cookies can end/ only in their crumbs.”
“Little Mole’s Christmas Gift” by Glenys Nellist, illustrated by Sally Garland. (Ages 3 to 6. Beaming Books. $17.99.)
When Little Mole’s day begins, he is convinced it is going to be the best Christmas ever, because he has found the best gift ever for his mother. Of course, between the moment he collects the giant mushroom and the time he makes it back home, the sweet-tempered mole has encountered (and helped) a long list of needy friends. Indeed, it is no longer “the big gift he’d hoped for,” but his mother sees her son’s kindness as the treasure it is, as this straightforward but sweet story of generosity captures the joy of the season.