Looking for some books to put you in a festive mood? Try one of these!*
The Mayflower and the Pilgrims' New World by Nathaniel Philbrick
: After a journey across the Atlantic, the Mayflower's passengers were saved from destruction with the help of the natives of the Plymouth region. For fifty years, peace was maintained as Pilgrims and Natives worked together. But that trust was broken with the next generation of leaders, and conflict erupted that nearly wiped out English and natives alike.
Teens Cook Dessert by Megan and Jill Carle: The only full-color dessert cookbook written by and for teenagers, with more than 75 recipes. Includes 120 photos showing step-by-step procedures and finished desserts so aspiring bakers can see exactly how things are done. YUM! If you check this one out, bring me a sample!
Constance: a Story of Early Plymouth by Patricia Clapp: The journal of a young girl tells of her daily life, hardships, and romances during the first years of the Pilgrim settlement at Plymouth. I know this picture is terrible. Apparently our edition's cover is rare online.
Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle: In three intertwining short stories, several high school couples experience the trials and tribulations along with the joys of romance during a Christmas Eve snowstorm in a small town.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: A miser learns the true meaning of Christmas when three ghostly visitors review his past and foretell his future. Everyone should read this book at least once!
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry: A husband and wife in their individual quests to buy each other Christmas presents.
A Very Dairy Christmas by Sylvia Hysen: Callie Michaels, the teenaged daughter of famous fashion photographer, Zoey Michaels appears to have it all—a private education, designer clothing, trips to exotic places, and opportunities to meet famous people. Still, she desperately longs for the one thing she doesn’t have—her mother’s attention! Mother-daughter tensions escalate when a work assignment foils Callie’s Christmas plans, forcing her to visit her estranged German grandparents on their small dairy farm in Deer Creek, Wisconsin.
What are YOUR favorite holiday books?
*All books are available for checkout at SPL, as long as someone else hasn't beaten you to them!
Robot Dreams by Sara Varon
I loved this story. Because it has no words, it is perfect for all you "lower intellect" people. It is the most emotional picture book I have ever read. It has a wonderful plot and the art in it is great.
I highly recommend it to anyone.
--Funky Alpaca Trey W.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The tale of The Hobbit begins in the quiet land of the Shire, where Bilbo Baggins is whisked into a perilous Journey by many dwarves, a mysterious wizard, and many other (possibly) mythical characters. Throughout the book, Bilbo is looking for lost gold, little did he know, he would find the greatest treasure of all...
This book filled me with images of dwarves, wizards, elves, and dragons. I highly recommend it to anyone.
--Funky Alpaca Trey W.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
This book is kind of a retelling of The Jungle Book, but with ghosts! It tells of Nobody Owens, a boy raised by ghosts. It kept me entirely entertained the whole time. It was interesting to learn about when Bod learned to fade and do things that usually only ghosts an do. My favorite character in the book was Silas, mainly because of his mysterious countenance.
I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good story.
--Funky Alpaca Trey W.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird, at first, struck me as another stupid classic. I didn't think I would enjoy it. I enjoyed the storyline and random comedy thrown in. I love the character development of Atticus, Jem, and Scout. Though the ending was sad, I think it was realistic.
--Bookymonster Zach M.
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire is probably one of my favorite books. It was an amazing page turner. I love the suspense and the feeling this author gives that makes you feel as though you're right beside the main character. This time, Suzanne collins took a whole new turn, more like twelve turns. I started reading this book in the mind set that it would be boring. I was extremely wrong. Not only was it not boring, it was better than The Hunger Games. I'm very excited for the final book in the series to come out.
--Bookymonster Zach M
YA Book reviews turned at The Great Teen Book Swap by the fabulous Magdalen: 
Jennifer Murphy's Toad by Bruce Coville
-A delightful combination of humor and "soppy stuff," Jennifer Murphy's Toad is a must-read!
Welcome to the BSC, Abby by Ann Martin
-I loved these books when I was younger, and I recommend them for ages 8-10.
Turning Up the Heat by Diane Muldrow
--One thing I enjoyed about this book was that although I had not read its predecessor, I had no trouble following the events of this book.
The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
--I disliked this book mainly because of the violence and how it was presented. The storyline would have been good, but it struck me as unoriginal.
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
--This book is very good. It combines romance seamlessly with the struggles of daily life, creating a book that would suit many.
Fantasy Stories
--A charming collection of past and present day fantasy, this would be found on many bookshelves.
Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercy by Wendelin Van Draanen
--A good point of this book was that even though religion was involved, it did not overly intrude in the book.
What Katy Did Next by Susan Coolidge
--I did not particularly enjoy reading this book. A flaw taht I might point out is that it shifted from topic to topic too much, and if you had not read its predecessors, there would be things you did not understand.
Teens Cook Dessert by Megan and Jill Carle: The only full-color dessert cookbook written by and for teenagers, with more than 75 recipes. Includes 120 photos showing step-by-step procedures and finished desserts so aspiring bakers can see exactly how things are done. YUM! If you check this one out, bring me a sample! 
Constance: a Story of Early Plymouth by Patricia Clapp: The journal of a young girl tells of her daily life, hardships, and romances during the first years of the Pilgrim settlement at Plymouth. I know this picture is terrible. Apparently our edition's cover is rare online.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: A miser learns the true meaning of Christmas when three ghostly visitors review his past and foretell his future. Everyone should read this book at least once! 
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry: A husband and wife in their individual quests to buy each other Christmas presents. 
A Very Dairy Christmas by Sylvia Hysen: Callie Michaels, the teenaged daughter of famous fashion photographer, Zoey Michaels appears to have it all—a private education, designer clothing, trips to exotic places, and opportunities to meet famous people. Still, she desperately longs for the one thing she doesn’t have—her mother’s attention! Mother-daughter tensions escalate when a work assignment foils Callie’s Christmas plans, forcing her to visit her estranged German grandparents on their small dairy farm in Deer Creek, Wisconsin. 
