More good winter reads

When the weather is cold I always love to curl up with a thought provoking read and a nice hot cup of tea. Below are two to consider.



Desmond and the Very Mean Word is a picture book autobiography about an incident in Archbishop Desmond Tutu's childhood that inspired a life dedicated to peace and compassion. When he was a small boy, Desmond was taunted by a local bully who used a very bad word. Desmond is coached by Father Trevor, the man who was to become his lifelong mentor, to forgive, because "when you forgive someone, you free yourself from what they have said or done., It's like magic." This is a beautiful book about anger, forgiveness, and being human.    


Kate Messner's newest science thriller, Wake Up Missing,  is about genetic engineering on a group of unsuspecting 12-year-olds who think they are coming to a state-of-the-art hospital to heal their head injuries. The facilities are almost luxurious, the doctor is charming, and the treatments seems to produce real results. But then Cat, who is there because of a concussion sustained when she fell from a tree, overhears a curious and scary conversation. This is followed by the disappearance of two of the "patients". Slowly, more pieces of the puzzle fall into place until the 4 remaining kids know they must escape or die. If you are a Margaret Peterson Haddix Fan, this books is definitely for you.

Recipes for a cold winter's eve

Good-Luck Soup

(you have to love potatoes)

INGREDIENTS

Lots of potatoes peeled and sliced

(see what I mean)

A couple of leeks (No leeks? Chop up a little onion.)

Some good stock

A chunk of lard

WHAT TO DO

Melt the lard. Don't let it burn.

Don't let your fingers burn either.

Add the leeks and simmer a little.

Add the stock and all those potatoes.

Cook for only about twenty minutes.

(It's lucky that it's all so fast)

How about a little salt? A little pepper?

Done!

(From Gingersnap, by Patricia Reilly Giff , Wendy Lamb publisher 2013)

Why does Jayna need luck? She is trying to find some family. Her parents are both dead. She has been living with her brother who has been called into action during Work War II, and Jayna is supposed to live with her landlady while she waits for him to return. When she learns he has gone missing in action she sets out on a quest to find the woman she believes to be her grandmother. Armed with plenty of wonderful soup recipes (that you can find sprinkled like flavoring throughout this book), and a lot of perseverance, personality and luck, Jayna finds what she needs, though it isn't exactly as she thought it would be. This quiet and sweet book is a lovely winter read and if you like to eat soup, you will be finding yourself in the kitchen. 

Books for a cold winter's eve

Books for a Cold Winter's Eve

Snowy nights are perfect to snuggle up together with a warm cup of something and a good story. Here are three books that are great for sharing, all available at the library.

Snowflakes Fall by Patricia MacLachlan and Steven Kellogg

In a tribute to the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newbery Medalist Patricia MacLachlan and award-winning artist Steven Kellogg portray life’s natural cycle: its beauty, its joy, and its sorrow. Together, the words and pictures offer the promise of renewal that can be found in our lives—snowflakes fall, and return again as raindrops so that flowers can grow.

                                              

The Arabian Nights

by Wafa Tarnowska

Lebanese author Wafa Tarnowska opens a window onto the Arab world with her magnificent translation of eight stories from A Thousand and One Nights. This edition is notable for combining favorites such as Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp with less familiar tales such as The Diamond Anklet and The Speaking Bird and the Singing Tree. The collection also features the frame stories about Shahriyar and Shahrazade.

Fireside Stories

by Caitlin Matthews and Helen Cann

Drawn from countries and cultures around the world, these wonderful wintry stories express the magnificence of the season. From a group of courageous Russian animals to a legend about a bag of warmth that can keep winter away forever, these cozy stories will keep out the winter chill.