Winter 2020 Newsletter

Dear Reader,

Right about now you may be agreeing with Shakespeare when he penned, “Now is the winter of our discontent.”

Yes, spring, summer, and fall this year have been difficult; and winter portends to be more of the same.

Like the old Calgon commercial, we all need something to take us away from our current woes.

According to Emily Dickinson, “There is no frigate like a book to take us lands away.”

My proposition to you, therefore, is to find a good book, curl up by the fire, and sail away to a place where you can focus on someone else’s troubles and forget your own.

C. S. Lewis: The Reading Life, edited by David C. Downing and Michael G. Maudlin, and My Reading Life by Pat Conroy both include wonderful book suggestions to suit various tastes.

In this newsletter I’d like to personally offer up some suggestions as well. Maybe you can still find room in your Christmas stockings for a few good books.

For moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, or anyone who reads to children:

My Christmas List by Amy Parker (A child selflessly wishes for “Christmas for the whole wide world.”)

M Is for Manger by Crystal Bowman (The alphabet helps children remember elements of the Christmas story. You might also consider Crystal Bowman’s The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers, a great way to begin the new year.)

Goodnight, Manger by Laura Sassi (In the midst of animal noises, Mary and Joseph try to lull their baby to sleep.)

Little Mole’s Christmas Gift by Glenys Nellist (This story is the second picture book in the Little Mole series.)

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (This is a classic and a Caldecott Medal winner.)

For readers in elementary grades:

Here’s Hank series by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver (In this link “The Fonz” himself introduces readers to the first book of the series.)

The Hank Zipzer series by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver (Henry Winkler shares his own struggles with dyslexia through the character of Hank.)

The My Weird School series by Dan Gutman (My young nephew loves laughing along with the funny characters in these books.)

Dan Gutman’s Baseball Card Adventure Series and tons of other sports books are great for athletic-minded young boys.

The Magic Treehouse: Christmas in Camelot by Mary Pope Osborne (This book introduces children to the magic of Medieval times.)

For readers in middle school:

The Maximum Ride series by James Patterson (I’ve had great success getting reluctant readers interested in these characters with avian DNA.)

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson (This is a wonderful fantasy series.)

The Merlin Saga by T. A. Barron (These books help kids explore the world of King Arthur.)

Selling Hope by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb (This is a coming-of-age story set in 1910.)

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt (A teenage boy is required to read Shakespeare every Wednesday afternoon.)

For readers in high school:

Hit and Run by Lurlene McDaniel (My high school students have loved everything by Lurlene McDaniel.)

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (This book explores a young girl’s struggle with anorexia.)

Skinny by Laura L. Smith (This book also explores a young girl’s struggle with her appearance.)

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys (This historical fiction book deals with refugees from East Prussia during WWII.)

The Amethyst Heart by Penelope Stokes (A rebellious young teen connects with her grandmother by tracing the history of a family heirloom.)

For adult females:

Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon (If you’ve never discovered Mitford, now is the time!)

Wrapped up in Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn  (This is the newest book in Janice Lynn’s Christmas series.)

The Perfect Love Song by Patti Callahan Henry (This is a love story with a little Christmas miracle.)

Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander (This historical fiction story takes you back to Franklin, Tennessee, during the Civil War.)

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah (This is a beautiful story about family and relationships.)

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher (This is a classic romance by the author of The Shell Seekers.)

The Noel Collection and the Mistletoe Collection by Richard Paul Evans (These are perfect Christmas feel-good stories.)

The Water Keeper by Charles Martin (This is on my nightstand waiting its turn. I’ve included it because I love Charles Martin’s books!)

For adult males (no specific titles here, just suggested authors):

Michael Connelly (mystery and suspense)

Dean Koontz (psychological thrillers)

Dan Brown (mystery and adventure)

David McCullough (biographies)

David Baldacci (thrillers)

These books are just a few of my all-time favorites, and I hope you will give them a try. Read with your child. Read with your spouse. Discuss story lines with your teens. Take a little time for yourself, and let Calgon and a good book take you away.

Feel free to download my winter and Christmas bookmarks to mark your place.

While you are finding room for a book in your stocking, make sure to find room in your inn and in your heart for the Christ Child.

This winter, make the gift of love a priority. As Jesus commands in John 15:12, “Love each other as I have loved you.”

Today, the first day of winter, is the shortest day of the year. Your skies may be grey. Fog may surround your home as it has mine this morning in Tennessee. Tomorrow, however, the days will begin to grow longer, and sunny skies are in the forecast. It’s all about perspective, timing, patience, hope.

“If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”—Percy Bysshe Shelley

“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”—Aristotle

“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.”—Kate DiCamillo

2 Timothy 2:15; Psalm 147:16

Happy winter reading,

The Literary Lyonesse