This just in! The Birmingham News website, al.com, has thrown down a last minute challenge! The staff of al.com will be helping website readers navigate a five-week, indepth look at Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird." For complete details, visit al.com's website post about the Red Clay Readers!
http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/03/red_clay_readers_to_offer_fres.html
About the Roundtable
- RART Librarian
- Jefferson County, Alabama, United States
The Jefferson County Public Library Association (JCPLA) was founded in 1974 for the improvement of librarianship and for the advancement of public libraries in Jefferson County. The public libraries of Jefferson County form our cooperative system, the Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC). Membership in JCPLA provides an organizational structure for staff training countywide.
The Reader's Advisory Roundtable is open to all library workers in the JCLC Community. If you love reader's advisory, need help honing your skills, or are looking for new tools/ideas, please consider joining us. JCPLA and the Roundtables are a great way to share resources, connect with other libraries in the county, network with your colleagues, or just take a break from the daily grind and get some fresh perspective!
Questions? Send an email to jclcraroundtable [at] gmail [dot] com
Monday, March 24, 2014
Monday, March 3, 2014
reading wildly
I just read (what I considered to be) a great reader's advisory article in the March/April 2014 issue of American Libraries magazine, "Reading Wildly: One library staff's journey toward excellent readers' advisory" by Abby Johnson.
Ms. Johnson is a children's services/outreach manager at New Albany-Floyd County (Ind.) Public Library and you may read more of her writing at www.abbythelibrarian.com.
Her article explores RA work for the non-voracious reader. By that, I don't necessarily mean someone who doesn't like to read (and really, what a profession to pick if you don't like to read), but more along the lines of having to do RA work in a genre/department in which you don't feel comfortable. For my part, this is YA. I do like the YA that I read, but I haven't explored widely OR deeply since my YA lit class in library school and the kids who benefited from my experience then are seniors in college now. It's embarrassing.
She does point out that this "reading wildly" approach works particularly well in children's departments, or just younger readers in general. Here is a small excerpt from the article:
In January 2013, I developed the Reading Wildly program to inspire my staff to read different genres and improve their reader's advisory skills. Each month we discuss a genre or subject, based on patron demand, and each staff member is required to read one book in that genre and booktalk it to the group at our meeting. They may use work time to read only if date-sensitive projects are completed. We meet once a month, separate from our monthly department meeting , to share these books with one another. (You can find our book review form and monthly reading lists at www.abbythelibrarian.com)
She mentions more ideas, and just generally has some good things to say about RA work, in the rest of the article, which you may find on the American Libraries website in an online version on page 58.
Ms. Johnson is a children's services/outreach manager at New Albany-Floyd County (Ind.) Public Library and you may read more of her writing at www.abbythelibrarian.com.
Her article explores RA work for the non-voracious reader. By that, I don't necessarily mean someone who doesn't like to read (and really, what a profession to pick if you don't like to read), but more along the lines of having to do RA work in a genre/department in which you don't feel comfortable. For my part, this is YA. I do like the YA that I read, but I haven't explored widely OR deeply since my YA lit class in library school and the kids who benefited from my experience then are seniors in college now. It's embarrassing.
She does point out that this "reading wildly" approach works particularly well in children's departments, or just younger readers in general. Here is a small excerpt from the article:
In January 2013, I developed the Reading Wildly program to inspire my staff to read different genres and improve their reader's advisory skills. Each month we discuss a genre or subject, based on patron demand, and each staff member is required to read one book in that genre and booktalk it to the group at our meeting. They may use work time to read only if date-sensitive projects are completed. We meet once a month, separate from our monthly department meeting , to share these books with one another. (You can find our book review form and monthly reading lists at www.abbythelibrarian.com)
She mentions more ideas, and just generally has some good things to say about RA work, in the rest of the article, which you may find on the American Libraries website in an online version on page 58.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
romance/erotica
The Snowpocalypse canceled our meeting last week, but we're phoning it in anyway! Some of these may show up again next meeting, but one good read deserves another!
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Mondretta, Leeds
Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn
Mondretta, Leeds
Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas
Mondretta, Leeds
The Constant Nymph by Margaret Kennedy
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Emma by Jane Austen (Audiobook)
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Persuasion by Jane Austen (Audiobook)
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
One Night Stand by Ben Tyler
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Hunk House by Ben Tyler
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Tricks of the Trade by Ben Tyler
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Male Model by Dave Benbow
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Pride and Pleasure by Sylvia Day
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Fatal Strike by Shannon McKenna
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
I Brake for Bad Boys by Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, and Shannon McKenna
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Swing by Opal Carew
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Twin Fantasies by Opal Carew
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
His to Command by Opal Carew
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Blackgentlemen.com / featuring Zane, J.D. Mason, Shonda Cheekes, Eileen M. Johnson
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, Vols 1 and 2 by Samuel Richardson
Since our topic was romance/erotica, I decided to kick it old school with a novel published in 1740. The book is Pamela: Or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson, in two volumes, and set in a rural county in England in the middle of the 18th century.
The heroine is Pamela, a young girl from a poor, but honest family, who has been brought in as maid-servant to Lady B_____. She is renowned for her beauty and lovely disposition, and as Volume 1 opens, Lady B_______ is expiring and with her dying words begs her son, Mr. B__________ to “….take care of my Pamela”. Did I mention the girl was beautiful? Before too long, it becomes evident that Mr. B_______ has some ideas about taking care of Pamela that would not be approved by his mum. Luckily, this young innocent has been brought up to value her virtue and she leads Mr. B_______ through such a determined defense of it that he eventually gives up and marries her.
Her travails are horrible, but throughout them all, she is drawn to her “master” and when he finally gives up his cad card, she has fallen deeply in love, they marry, raise a flock of kinders, and she is accepted and rewarded for her perfect character. One of the interesting things is that this novel is written almost entirely in an exchange of letters, diary entries, and requested writings of the honorable Pamela, and this gives readers an unusual insight into the thoughts of 18th century gentry. History buffs will find the details surprising and fascinating (or at least, I did).
Pamela is a virtuous, laudable, entirely admirable heroine, beloved by all, and good in every way. In the real world, and certainly in our own time, she would be an unbearable goody-goody, but it’s nice to think that true goodness was truly esteemed at some point in history. On the other hand, Henry Fielding’s Shamela was published (1741) as a parody and was Fielding’s first widely known work. If the two volumes of Pamela don’t sate your appetite for the morals (and lack thereof) of the 1700’s, read Richardson’s Clarissa, about a young lady who is tricked and kidnapped by a hardened libertine to both their detriments.
Neither of these works is in the Fifty Shades of Grey genre, which is why they have remained continuously in print and enjoyable over the centuries. ‘Nuf said.
Kelly, Springville Road
Jaci Burton's Play by Play series
This steamy series has the potential to satisfy most of your secret (I'm hoping....) athlete-stalking-cravings while also being very romantic and very sexy. Erotica has the reputation of being unemotional and polyamorous but Burton's series are about ultra athletes meeting their one true loves and falling hard...and having plenty of sex while they're at it. So far, the books in the series have dealt with football, baseball, hockey, and auto racing.
Holley, Emmet O'Neal
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Mondretta, Leeds
Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn
Mondretta, Leeds
Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas
Mondretta, Leeds
The Constant Nymph by Margaret Kennedy
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Emma by Jane Austen (Audiobook)
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Persuasion by Jane Austen (Audiobook)
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
One Night Stand by Ben Tyler
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Hunk House by Ben Tyler
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Tricks of the Trade by Ben Tyler
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Male Model by Dave Benbow
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Pride and Pleasure by Sylvia Day
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Fatal Strike by Shannon McKenna
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
I Brake for Bad Boys by Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, and Shannon McKenna
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Swing by Opal Carew
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Twin Fantasies by Opal Carew
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
His to Command by Opal Carew
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Blackgentlemen.com / featuring Zane, J.D. Mason, Shonda Cheekes, Eileen M. Johnson
Samuel, Birmingham Public Library
Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, Vols 1 and 2 by Samuel Richardson
Since our topic was romance/erotica, I decided to kick it old school with a novel published in 1740. The book is Pamela: Or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson, in two volumes, and set in a rural county in England in the middle of the 18th century.
The heroine is Pamela, a young girl from a poor, but honest family, who has been brought in as maid-servant to Lady B_____. She is renowned for her beauty and lovely disposition, and as Volume 1 opens, Lady B_______ is expiring and with her dying words begs her son, Mr. B__________ to “….take care of my Pamela”. Did I mention the girl was beautiful? Before too long, it becomes evident that Mr. B_______ has some ideas about taking care of Pamela that would not be approved by his mum. Luckily, this young innocent has been brought up to value her virtue and she leads Mr. B_______ through such a determined defense of it that he eventually gives up and marries her.
Her travails are horrible, but throughout them all, she is drawn to her “master” and when he finally gives up his cad card, she has fallen deeply in love, they marry, raise a flock of kinders, and she is accepted and rewarded for her perfect character. One of the interesting things is that this novel is written almost entirely in an exchange of letters, diary entries, and requested writings of the honorable Pamela, and this gives readers an unusual insight into the thoughts of 18th century gentry. History buffs will find the details surprising and fascinating (or at least, I did).
Pamela is a virtuous, laudable, entirely admirable heroine, beloved by all, and good in every way. In the real world, and certainly in our own time, she would be an unbearable goody-goody, but it’s nice to think that true goodness was truly esteemed at some point in history. On the other hand, Henry Fielding’s Shamela was published (1741) as a parody and was Fielding’s first widely known work. If the two volumes of Pamela don’t sate your appetite for the morals (and lack thereof) of the 1700’s, read Richardson’s Clarissa, about a young lady who is tricked and kidnapped by a hardened libertine to both their detriments.
Neither of these works is in the Fifty Shades of Grey genre, which is why they have remained continuously in print and enjoyable over the centuries. ‘Nuf said.
Kelly, Springville Road
Jaci Burton's Play by Play series
This steamy series has the potential to satisfy most of your secret (I'm hoping....) athlete-stalking-cravings while also being very romantic and very sexy. Erotica has the reputation of being unemotional and polyamorous but Burton's series are about ultra athletes meeting their one true loves and falling hard...and having plenty of sex while they're at it. So far, the books in the series have dealt with football, baseball, hockey, and auto racing.
Holley, Emmet O'Neal
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
RART canceled for tomorrow, February 12
Due to the general lousiness of the weather and the fact that few, myself included, will be interested in getting out even earlier than usual into what may very well be a frozen and frosty landscape, tomorrow's meeting on romance/erotica at Springville Road is canceled.
That being said, if you had planned to attend the meeting, I would still love to write up a blog post about your suggestions so please, Please, PLEASE do send me titles and annotations of what you would have brought. And hey! If you wouldn't have been able to make it to the meeting but would still like to participate, send me something anyway! The more, the merrier!
Holley
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
RART meets next week
UPDATE!!! CANCELED!!!!
We'll meet next Wednesday, February 12th at 9am at the Springville Road Library for a roundtable discussion of romance/erotica. Join us if you can!
We'll meet next Wednesday, February 12th at 9am at the Springville Road Library for a roundtable discussion of romance/erotica. Join us if you can!
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Holiday Writing
The next meeting of the Reader's Advisory Roundtable will take place in the new year on Wednesday, February 12th at 9am and we will be roadtripping out to the SPRINGVILLE ROAD LIBRARY. Our topic of discussion will be timely for Valentine's Day as we talk about the romance and erotica genres. You may read as gentle or spicy a title as you can stand, then come tell us about it on 2/12/14!
Today we discussed holiday writing of all stripes: cookbooks, holiday history, creepy turn of the century postcards, dysfunctional families, funny stories, Sherlock Holmes, and more!
The Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright
Keep some tissues on hand for this holiday story that is sure to be a Christmas classic!
Where had it come from? Whose money was it? Was I to spend it? Save it? Pass it on to the someone more needy? Above all else, why was I chosen? Certainly there were others, countless others more needy than I...Her reporter’s intuition insisted that a remarkable story was on the verge of the front page.
Rising newspaper reporter Hope Jensen uncovers the secret behind the "Christmas Jars" – glass jars filled with coins and bills anonymously given to people in need. But Hope discovers much more than she bargained for when some unexpected news sets off a chain reaction of kindness and brings above a Christmas Eve wish come true. (amazon.com)
Kelly, Springville Road
Christmas Curiosities: Odd, Dark, and Forgotten Christmas by John Grossman
How did we get from Saturnalia to Santa Claus? From a berobed clergyman to "right jolly old elf?" Through turn-of-the-century German postcards and the evolution of the name around the world (Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Sinterklaas, Jultomten, Pere Noel, etc), Grossman gives the reader access to the little known or discussed history of Santa Claus. I for one was delighted to learn about early Santa's more than slightly demonic partner, Krampus, who doled out punishment while Santa gave out presents. Great, GREAT read!
Holley, Emmet O'Neal
The Book of the Year: A Brief History of Our Seasonal Holidays by Anthony F. Aveni
What is the connection between May Day and the Statue of Liberty? Between ancient solstice fires and Fourth of July fireworks? Between St. Valentine, the Groundhog, and the Virgin Mary? In The Book of the Year, Anthony Aveni offers fascinating answers to these questions and explains the many ways humans throughout time have tried to order and give meaning to time's passing. Aveni traces the origins of modern customs tied to seasonal holidays, exploring what we eat, the games we play, the rituals we perform, and the colorful cast of characters we invent to dramatize holidays. Along the way, Aveni illuminates everything from the Jack 'O Lantern and our faith in the predictive power of animals to the ways in which Labor Day reflects the great medieval "time wars," when the newly invented clock first pitted labor against management. Vividly written, filled with facts both curious and astonishing, this engrossing book allows us to hear that beat more clearly and to understand more fully the rhythms we all dance to throughout the year. (amazon.com)
Samuel, Central BST
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris (audiobook)
Meet Crumpet the Elf, the most cynical elf to ever work in Macy’s SantaLand. In Holidays on Ice, David Sedaris’s hilarious holiday audiobook compilation, he recounts the absurdity and obnoxiousness of both his fellow workers and the customers inside Macy’s NYC during Christmas time. Among the visitors are the woman who sneaks her cat in to sit on Santa’s lap and the foreigners who come alone to meet Santa; as well as the pageant parents who comb and spray their child’s hair while sitting on Santa’s lap. In addition to the SantaLand Diaries, there are five more comical stories included in this compilation. Highlights include Front Row Center with Thaddeus Bristol, where a professional critic harshly reviews a middle school Christmas pageant and Christmas Means Giving, where neighbors try to outdo each other with overly generous Christmas gifts. If you need just one good reason to check out this audiobook, here it is: a chance to hear David Sedaris sing “Away in a Manger” in the style of Billie Holiday just to spite Santa.
The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry
In 1960 in the town of Asquont, New York, young Doug Barnes is preparing to play one of the wise men in the church Christmas pageant. Hilarity ensues as one of his fellow wise men brings a small radio and plays it under his cloak just to get a rise out of Doug and the other wise men. Ms. Elkin, the harsh stage director hears something but can’t quite put her finger on and it and thus, thinks she is going crazy. Other obstacles arise and it seems the Christmas pageant might be ruined, but there is a flicker of hope when Doug and his father adopt Walter the dog on Christmas Eve. This is highly recommended for fans of the movie A Christmas Story.
A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
Based on Capote’s childhood, A Christmas Memory, follows the young child Buddy and his much older (and child-like) cousin Sook as they gather ingredients to make fruitcakes to send out at Christmas time. To procure one ingredient, they must visit the local Native-American Haha Jones to purchase bootleg whisky. Buddy and his cousin send the fruitcakes to acquaintances and strangers, including President Franklin Roosevelt. Each year, the pair anticipates their gifts to each other; even though, they always make each other kites. Nonetheless, they are pleased to receive these gifts each year. The ending is quite sad, but as most Capote tales go, it is very poignant, too.
Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews
It's the week before Christmas, and antiques dealer Weezie Foley is in a frenzy to garnish her shop for the Savannah historical district decorating contest, which she intends to win. Weezie is ready to shoot herself with her glue gun by the time she's done, but the results are stunning. She's certainly one-upped the owners of the trendy boutique around the corner, but suddenly things start to go missing from her display, and there seems to be a mysterious midnight visitor to her shop.
Still, Weezie has high hopes for the holiday—maybe in the form of an engagement ring from her chef boyfriend. But Daniel, always moody at the holidays, seems more distant than usual. Throw in Weezie's decidedly odd family, a 1950s Christmas tree pin, and even a little help from the King himself (Elvis, that is), and maybe there will be a pocketful of miracles for Weezie this Christmas Eve. (amazon.com)
Mondretta, Leeds
Christmas Bliss by Mary Kay Andrews
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and Savannah was breezy
But there's trouble afoot - and it's heading toward Weezie.
Seems BeBe’s been holding a big secret back
that would make Santa’s reindeer stop dead in their tracks.
Can these two best friends wriggle out of these twists?
Will they do it in time to ensure CHRISTMAS BLISS?
Return to the wonderful world of Mary Kay Andrews' Savannah with Christmas Bliss (amazon.com)
Mondretta, Leeds
The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
One of America's most critically acclaimed storytellers, David Baldacci has enthralled millions of readers with his popular novels. Now in a special new gift edition, here is Baldacci's beloved holiday classic-a work that showcases his remarkable versatility as he brings us a uniquely entertaining tale...the christmas train Disillusioned journalist Tom Langdon must get from Washington to L.A. in time for Christmas. Forced to take the train across the country because of a slight "misunderstanding" at airport security, he begins a journey of self-discovery and rude awakenings, mysterious goings-on and thrilling adventures, screwball escapades and holiday magic. He has no idea that the locomotives pulling him across America will actually take him into the rugged terrain of his own heart, as he rediscovers people's essential goodness and someone very special he believed he had lost. Equal parts hilarious, poignant, suspenseful, and thrilling. David Baldacci's THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN is filled with memorable characters who have packed their bags with as much wisdom as mischief...and shows how we do get second chances to fulfill our deepest hopes and dreams, especially during this season of miracles. (amazon.com)
Mondretta, Leeds
A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
With the same incomparable style and warm, inviting voice that have made her beloved by millions of readers far and wide, New York Times bestselling author Fannie Flagg has written an enchanting Christmas story of faith and hope for all ages that is sure to become a classic.
Deep in the southernmost part of Alabama, along the banks of a lazy winding river, lies the sleepy little community known as Lost River, a place that time itself seems to have forgotten. After a startling diagnosis from his doctor, Oswald T. Campbell leaves behind the cold and damp of the oncoming Chicago winter to spend what he believes will be his last Christmas in the warm and welcoming town of Lost River. There he meets the postman who delivers mail by boat, the store owner who nurses a broken heart, the ladies of the Mystic Order of the Royal Polka Dots Secret Society, who do clandestine good works. And he meets a little redbird named Jack, who is at the center of this tale of a magical Christmas when something so amazing happened that those who witnessed it have never forgotten it. Once you experience the wonder, you too will never forget A Redbird Christmas. (amazon.com)
Mondretta, Leeds
Santa's Twin by Dean Koontz
Combining the tongue-in-cheek charm of a modern classic with the timeless magic of cherished holiday tradition, here is a new Christmas story guaranteed to delight children of all ages--including those who pretend to have not grown up. At the request of his fans, bestselling novelist Dean Koontz has created a contemporary masterpiece that is destined to take place alongside "The Night Before Christmas" and Christmas Carol as a perennial Yuletide favorite.
Santa's Twin is the hilarious and heartwarming story of two little girls, Charlotte and Emily, who set out to save Santa from his mischievious twin--Bob Claus--who has not only stolen Santa's sleigh, but has stuffed his toy bag with mud pies, cat poop, and broccoli! Plus, he's threatening to turn Donner, Blitzen and the rest of the reindeer into soup! And look at the messhe's leaving under the tree! How the brave but foolhardy sisters fly to the north pole and rescue Santa from his "deeply troubled" twin is an utterly charming and unforgettable story that will add sparkle to your holiday season. The first major new Christmas story in decades, Santa's Twin is sure to bring joy that parents can share with their children. Lavishly illustrated with spectacular paintings by Phil Parks, this thoroughly modern masterpiece breathes new life and warmth into the world's most beloved legend. Read it aloud, preferably to someone whose laugh you love to hear. And Merry Christmas! (amazon.com)
Mondretta, Leeds
Holmes for the Holidays edited by Martin H. Greenberg, Jon L. Lellenberg, and Carol-Lynn Waugh
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle only wrote one Christmas-themed Sherlock Holmes story, “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle,” which consistently appears on “best of” lists compiled by fans of the great detective. Holmes for the Holidays is a veritable Christmas revel for readers who can’t get enough of Holmes and the festive season. In contributions by such distinguished mystery writers as Anne Perry, Loren Estleman, Carole Nelson Douglas, we see Holmes doing what he does best: protecting the weak, defending the wrongly-accused, and bringing the guilty to justice—or sometimes allowing the guilty to go their way with a stern warning, because it is, after all, the season of forgiveness. The stories range in tone from comedy to breath-taking suspense---as Holmes points out in one of the tales, “Evil takes no holidays, Watson. Therefore, neither can those who would stop it.” This anthology would be an excellent gift for the Sherlockian on your Christmas list. There is also a follow-up collection entitled More Holmes for the Holidays.
The Festive Table: Recipes and Stories for Creating Your Own Holiday Traditions by Ronni Lundy
If you feel like you’ve run out of ideas for celebrating holidays, have a look through Ronni Lundy’s The Festive Table. In the introduction she tells the story of how she cooked her first full Thanksgiving dinner and how her guests had all insisted that it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without (fill in your favorite dish here). “And from that first Thanksgiving I learned two very important things. One: Sauerkraut is really tasty with turkey. Two: Tradition is what you make of it.” That second principle is on full display in this book, with ideas and recipes ranging from a hot tamale party for New Year’s to Do-It-Yourself-Sundae-Making for Fourth of July to a tree-decorating party for Christmas. The recipes range from easy to moderately difficult and the ideas will start you thinking about reviving old family traditions or starting new ones. And you don’t have to wait for a holiday, because any time is a good time for making Orange Blossom Pralines to crumble over ice cream or a comfort-food bowl of Last-of-the-Garden Soup. Read, remember, experiment, and enjoy.
A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
Bring out the tall tales now that we told by the fire as the gaslight bubbled like a diver. . . .
There are always Uncles at Christmas. And Aunts, of course, who might sing a little loudly after dinner. There are the neighborhood cats "sleek and long as jaguars and horrible-whiskered," the carols to sing at eerie houses, the Useful Presents and the Useless Presents, and the endless snow "shawling out of the ground." First published in HARPER'S BAZAAR some fifty years ago, A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS IN WALES showcases Dylan Thomas's genius for language and remains the poet's most popular prose work in the United States. Chris Raschka's fluid torn-paper illustrations honor the poet's words, evoking their musical cadences and bringing us a fresh appreciation for this most lyric work. (amazon.com)
Maura, Trussville
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays: 140 Step-by-Step Recipes for Simple, Scrumptious Celebrations by Ree Drummond
Ree Drummond—accidental country girl, award-winning blogger, Food Network personality, and #1 New York Times bestselling author—presents The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays, a fantastic collection of recipes, photos, and homespun humor to help you celebrate all through the year.
Ree shows you how to ring in your favorite holidays with inspired menus for breakfasts, brunches, lunches, dinners, parties, deliveries, and feasts, accompanied by fun instructions and hundreds of her signature step-by-step photos. Filled with creative and flavorful ideas for intimate dinners, group gatherings, and family meals, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays includes dozens of mouthwatering dishes (with nineteen recipes for Thanksgiving alone!), helping home cooks create a variety of delights.
Whip up a Resolution Smoothie on New Year’s Day; Whiskey BBQ Sliders and Dr Pepper Cupcakes for The Big Game; Glazed Ham for Easter; Watermelon Sangria for a sizzling Fourth of July cookout; and perfect Popcorn Balls on Halloween. For Christmas, Ree includes special homemade treats, including Caramel Apple Rolls, Christmas Rum Cake, and a selection of smile-inducing cookies, perfect for Christmas deliveries to family and friends. Enjoy holidays all year ’round...Pioneer Woman style! (amazon.com)
April, Pinson
What are YOU reading this holiday season?
Holley
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris (audiobook)
Meet Crumpet the Elf, the most cynical elf to ever work in Macy’s SantaLand. In Holidays on Ice, David Sedaris’s hilarious holiday audiobook compilation, he recounts the absurdity and obnoxiousness of both his fellow workers and the customers inside Macy’s NYC during Christmas time. Among the visitors are the woman who sneaks her cat in to sit on Santa’s lap and the foreigners who come alone to meet Santa; as well as the pageant parents who comb and spray their child’s hair while sitting on Santa’s lap. In addition to the SantaLand Diaries, there are five more comical stories included in this compilation. Highlights include Front Row Center with Thaddeus Bristol, where a professional critic harshly reviews a middle school Christmas pageant and Christmas Means Giving, where neighbors try to outdo each other with overly generous Christmas gifts. If you need just one good reason to check out this audiobook, here it is: a chance to hear David Sedaris sing “Away in a Manger” in the style of Billie Holiday just to spite Santa.
Carrie, Hoover
The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry
In 1960 in the town of Asquont, New York, young Doug Barnes is preparing to play one of the wise men in the church Christmas pageant. Hilarity ensues as one of his fellow wise men brings a small radio and plays it under his cloak just to get a rise out of Doug and the other wise men. Ms. Elkin, the harsh stage director hears something but can’t quite put her finger on and it and thus, thinks she is going crazy. Other obstacles arise and it seems the Christmas pageant might be ruined, but there is a flicker of hope when Doug and his father adopt Walter the dog on Christmas Eve. This is highly recommended for fans of the movie A Christmas Story.
Carrie, Hoover
A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
Based on Capote’s childhood, A Christmas Memory, follows the young child Buddy and his much older (and child-like) cousin Sook as they gather ingredients to make fruitcakes to send out at Christmas time. To procure one ingredient, they must visit the local Native-American Haha Jones to purchase bootleg whisky. Buddy and his cousin send the fruitcakes to acquaintances and strangers, including President Franklin Roosevelt. Each year, the pair anticipates their gifts to each other; even though, they always make each other kites. Nonetheless, they are pleased to receive these gifts each year. The ending is quite sad, but as most Capote tales go, it is very poignant, too.
Carrie, Hoover
Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews
It's the week before Christmas, and antiques dealer Weezie Foley is in a frenzy to garnish her shop for the Savannah historical district decorating contest, which she intends to win. Weezie is ready to shoot herself with her glue gun by the time she's done, but the results are stunning. She's certainly one-upped the owners of the trendy boutique around the corner, but suddenly things start to go missing from her display, and there seems to be a mysterious midnight visitor to her shop.
Still, Weezie has high hopes for the holiday—maybe in the form of an engagement ring from her chef boyfriend. But Daniel, always moody at the holidays, seems more distant than usual. Throw in Weezie's decidedly odd family, a 1950s Christmas tree pin, and even a little help from the King himself (Elvis, that is), and maybe there will be a pocketful of miracles for Weezie this Christmas Eve. (amazon.com)
Mondretta, Leeds
Christmas Bliss by Mary Kay Andrews
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and Savannah was breezy
But there's trouble afoot - and it's heading toward Weezie.
Seems BeBe’s been holding a big secret back
that would make Santa’s reindeer stop dead in their tracks.
Can these two best friends wriggle out of these twists?
Will they do it in time to ensure CHRISTMAS BLISS?
Return to the wonderful world of Mary Kay Andrews' Savannah with Christmas Bliss (amazon.com)
Mondretta, Leeds
The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
One of America's most critically acclaimed storytellers, David Baldacci has enthralled millions of readers with his popular novels. Now in a special new gift edition, here is Baldacci's beloved holiday classic-a work that showcases his remarkable versatility as he brings us a uniquely entertaining tale...the christmas train Disillusioned journalist Tom Langdon must get from Washington to L.A. in time for Christmas. Forced to take the train across the country because of a slight "misunderstanding" at airport security, he begins a journey of self-discovery and rude awakenings, mysterious goings-on and thrilling adventures, screwball escapades and holiday magic. He has no idea that the locomotives pulling him across America will actually take him into the rugged terrain of his own heart, as he rediscovers people's essential goodness and someone very special he believed he had lost. Equal parts hilarious, poignant, suspenseful, and thrilling. David Baldacci's THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN is filled with memorable characters who have packed their bags with as much wisdom as mischief...and shows how we do get second chances to fulfill our deepest hopes and dreams, especially during this season of miracles. (amazon.com)
Mondretta, Leeds
A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
With the same incomparable style and warm, inviting voice that have made her beloved by millions of readers far and wide, New York Times bestselling author Fannie Flagg has written an enchanting Christmas story of faith and hope for all ages that is sure to become a classic.
Deep in the southernmost part of Alabama, along the banks of a lazy winding river, lies the sleepy little community known as Lost River, a place that time itself seems to have forgotten. After a startling diagnosis from his doctor, Oswald T. Campbell leaves behind the cold and damp of the oncoming Chicago winter to spend what he believes will be his last Christmas in the warm and welcoming town of Lost River. There he meets the postman who delivers mail by boat, the store owner who nurses a broken heart, the ladies of the Mystic Order of the Royal Polka Dots Secret Society, who do clandestine good works. And he meets a little redbird named Jack, who is at the center of this tale of a magical Christmas when something so amazing happened that those who witnessed it have never forgotten it. Once you experience the wonder, you too will never forget A Redbird Christmas. (amazon.com)
Mondretta, Leeds
Santa's Twin by Dean Koontz
Combining the tongue-in-cheek charm of a modern classic with the timeless magic of cherished holiday tradition, here is a new Christmas story guaranteed to delight children of all ages--including those who pretend to have not grown up. At the request of his fans, bestselling novelist Dean Koontz has created a contemporary masterpiece that is destined to take place alongside "The Night Before Christmas" and Christmas Carol as a perennial Yuletide favorite.
Santa's Twin is the hilarious and heartwarming story of two little girls, Charlotte and Emily, who set out to save Santa from his mischievious twin--Bob Claus--who has not only stolen Santa's sleigh, but has stuffed his toy bag with mud pies, cat poop, and broccoli! Plus, he's threatening to turn Donner, Blitzen and the rest of the reindeer into soup! And look at the messhe's leaving under the tree! How the brave but foolhardy sisters fly to the north pole and rescue Santa from his "deeply troubled" twin is an utterly charming and unforgettable story that will add sparkle to your holiday season. The first major new Christmas story in decades, Santa's Twin is sure to bring joy that parents can share with their children. Lavishly illustrated with spectacular paintings by Phil Parks, this thoroughly modern masterpiece breathes new life and warmth into the world's most beloved legend. Read it aloud, preferably to someone whose laugh you love to hear. And Merry Christmas! (amazon.com)
Mondretta, Leeds
Holmes for the Holidays edited by Martin H. Greenberg, Jon L. Lellenberg, and Carol-Lynn Waugh
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle only wrote one Christmas-themed Sherlock Holmes story, “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle,” which consistently appears on “best of” lists compiled by fans of the great detective. Holmes for the Holidays is a veritable Christmas revel for readers who can’t get enough of Holmes and the festive season. In contributions by such distinguished mystery writers as Anne Perry, Loren Estleman, Carole Nelson Douglas, we see Holmes doing what he does best: protecting the weak, defending the wrongly-accused, and bringing the guilty to justice—or sometimes allowing the guilty to go their way with a stern warning, because it is, after all, the season of forgiveness. The stories range in tone from comedy to breath-taking suspense---as Holmes points out in one of the tales, “Evil takes no holidays, Watson. Therefore, neither can those who would stop it.” This anthology would be an excellent gift for the Sherlockian on your Christmas list. There is also a follow-up collection entitled More Holmes for the Holidays.
Mary Anne, BPL Southern History
The Festive Table: Recipes and Stories for Creating Your Own Holiday Traditions by Ronni Lundy
If you feel like you’ve run out of ideas for celebrating holidays, have a look through Ronni Lundy’s The Festive Table. In the introduction she tells the story of how she cooked her first full Thanksgiving dinner and how her guests had all insisted that it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without (fill in your favorite dish here). “And from that first Thanksgiving I learned two very important things. One: Sauerkraut is really tasty with turkey. Two: Tradition is what you make of it.” That second principle is on full display in this book, with ideas and recipes ranging from a hot tamale party for New Year’s to Do-It-Yourself-Sundae-Making for Fourth of July to a tree-decorating party for Christmas. The recipes range from easy to moderately difficult and the ideas will start you thinking about reviving old family traditions or starting new ones. And you don’t have to wait for a holiday, because any time is a good time for making Orange Blossom Pralines to crumble over ice cream or a comfort-food bowl of Last-of-the-Garden Soup. Read, remember, experiment, and enjoy.
Mary Anne, BPL Southern History
A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
Bring out the tall tales now that we told by the fire as the gaslight bubbled like a diver. . . .
There are always Uncles at Christmas. And Aunts, of course, who might sing a little loudly after dinner. There are the neighborhood cats "sleek and long as jaguars and horrible-whiskered," the carols to sing at eerie houses, the Useful Presents and the Useless Presents, and the endless snow "shawling out of the ground." First published in HARPER'S BAZAAR some fifty years ago, A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS IN WALES showcases Dylan Thomas's genius for language and remains the poet's most popular prose work in the United States. Chris Raschka's fluid torn-paper illustrations honor the poet's words, evoking their musical cadences and bringing us a fresh appreciation for this most lyric work. (amazon.com)
Maura, Trussville
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays: 140 Step-by-Step Recipes for Simple, Scrumptious Celebrations by Ree Drummond
Ree Drummond—accidental country girl, award-winning blogger, Food Network personality, and #1 New York Times bestselling author—presents The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays, a fantastic collection of recipes, photos, and homespun humor to help you celebrate all through the year.
Ree shows you how to ring in your favorite holidays with inspired menus for breakfasts, brunches, lunches, dinners, parties, deliveries, and feasts, accompanied by fun instructions and hundreds of her signature step-by-step photos. Filled with creative and flavorful ideas for intimate dinners, group gatherings, and family meals, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays includes dozens of mouthwatering dishes (with nineteen recipes for Thanksgiving alone!), helping home cooks create a variety of delights.
Whip up a Resolution Smoothie on New Year’s Day; Whiskey BBQ Sliders and Dr Pepper Cupcakes for The Big Game; Glazed Ham for Easter; Watermelon Sangria for a sizzling Fourth of July cookout; and perfect Popcorn Balls on Halloween. For Christmas, Ree includes special homemade treats, including Caramel Apple Rolls, Christmas Rum Cake, and a selection of smile-inducing cookies, perfect for Christmas deliveries to family and friends. Enjoy holidays all year ’round...Pioneer Woman style! (amazon.com)
April, Pinson
What are YOU reading this holiday season?
Holley
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