Cozy Christmas Reads

We all know the classic Christmas stories and enjoy reading them every year but I thought I would highlight some more “cozy” reads as you curl up for the holidays. Here are some books to keep you warm through the chilly yule time.

For a warm and delightful picture book I recommend The Lion and the Bird by Marianne Dubuc. The story shows the unlikely friendship between a bird and a lion who meet in the fall and spend a comfy winter together in Lion’s cottage. The beautiful and luminous illustrations will brighten any dreary winter night.

Another picture book with another unlikely friendship I recommend is A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker. Also beautifully illustrated but has more quirky humor than The Lion and the Bird. Bear is an ornery bear who likes his solitude and routine, which are both disturbed by the unwelcomed little mouse who decides he is a guest in Bear’s home.

For the kids cooped up inside during holiday break I recommend a vivid and imaginative chapter book The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente. The story of a little girl who chooses adventure and goes on an unbelievable adventure through fairyland, a colorful mixture of Alice in Wonderland and classic fairytales will challenge a young reader. Valente uses a rich vocabulary and intricate detail; perfect for lovers of Harry Potter who need a new series to get lost in.

Nobody enjoys being frigid during the holidays but some readers love the dreary and morose during winter month. For those I recommend Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand by Louise Hawes. These dark and morbid fairy tale retellings are equally haunting with the austere yet sensuous illustrations by Rebecca Guay. The gruesome fairy tales are perfect for a cold dismal winter night . . . with a hot cup of tea, of course.
 
Lastly, for any adult readers, I am choosing what may seem like an odd holiday choice in Lost & Found by Brooke Davis: The bittersweet story of Millie Bird, a 7-year-old who recently lost her father and has been abandoned by her grief-stricken mother. She teams up with two lonely senior citizens and makes an unlikely trio that go on the search for Millie’s mother. This story beautifully illustrates that friendship can transcend age and circumstance and that families can be any shape and size. It’s a truly heartwarming story that will show the joyous spirit we associate with the holidays. 
 
I hope you enjoy the holidays cozied up with a good book, because nothing is cozier than the comfort of a book.