What To Read This Winter

Reading is a terrific pastime when winter winds are blowing or you just need a break from all the excitement of the holidays. This week, The Mini Page checks out some new books.

• Fans of Will Henry’s

“Wallace the Brave” comic strip will want to dig into his series of hilarious adventure books. The newest one is “The

Great Pencil Quest.” Wallace,

Spud and their friends search for a way to sharpen a giant pencil named Big Betty.

• “Your Voice, Your Vote” by Leah Henderson is a timely story about Quetta and her family as they set out to vote on Election Day. Despite a few bumps in the road, Quetta’s mom and grandmother get to cast their votes, and Quetta learns how important that is.

• The natural world’s wonders are captured in

Fiona Cook’s “The Wheel of the Year.” With beautiful illustrations, the book shares the changes of the seasons and the traditions and rituals that accompany them.

• Ready to make some magic in the kitchen? Pick up “The

Official Harry Potter Cookbook” by Joanna

Farrow. More than 40 recipes guide young cooks through snacks, desserts and drinks any wizard or witch could love: Hagrid’s hearty soup, Draco Malfoy blondies and more.

• “Mya Mclure, The Brave Science Girl: The Toad Cave” tells the story of a second grader and her teacher who team up to find new homes for a family of toads that are being threatened by land developers. Author Douglas Haddad gives Mya the power to make a positive change in her community.

• With professional football season in full swing, sports fans may want to cuddle up with “Inspirational Football

Stories for Young Readers: 12 Unbelievable True Tales To

Inspire and Amaze Young

Football Lovers.” Author Mike Johnson captures moving stories of players, coaches and owners that’ll warm winter hearts.

Make a list of the books you’d like to read this winter and compare it with a friend’s.

• Did you ever wonder what floats down a river, and where it ends up? “The River

That Flows Beside Me” by Charlotte Guillain answers those questions, explaining the ecosystems of waterways and their importance to human beings.

• Some of our most important inventors experienced a lot of failures before they succeeded. In “When Everything Went Wrong” by Max Temporelli, Barbara Gozzi and Agnese Innocente, readers learn that the mistakes we make help us move toward success.

• If you’ve ever wondered why we yawn, or how come your brother is lefthanded, but you’re not, “Welcome to the Mysteryverse: A World of Unsolved Wonders” may be for you. Author

Clive Gifford explores unanswered questions ranging from outer space to your living room rug.