Month January 2021

The picture depicts a boy sitting in a recliner with a fuzzy orange blanket over his lap, reading a book.

Stay Cozy with Elkridge – for kids

elianahcls Leave a comment
The picture depicts a boy sitting in a recliner with a fuzzy orange blanket over his lap, reading a book.

By Elkridge Branch staff

Winter is a great time to curl up with a cozy read. Cold and sometimes dreary weather begs for a blanket, a hot drink, and a fire. This month, the Elkridge branch staff members have collected a list of titles to encourage you to Stay Cozy! Keep an eye on the HCLS Facebook page to see titles for all ages highlighted throughout January, and make sure to track titles for the Winter Reading Challenge. Here are just a few of those titles. 

FOR LITTLE ONES:

Stormy Night written and illustrated by Salina Yoon
Bear is frightened by a storm, but singing to his toy, Floppy the bunny, and being with his parents helps comfort him. When the storm is over, he falls asleep. Share this story to help your youngest friends and family members understand that it’s normal to be scared, but we can find comfort in the familiar and move past those feelings. 

A Day So Gray by Marie Lamba, illustrated by Alea Marley
Join two friends as they explore and uncover the colors that can be found all around them on a seemingly gray, dreary, snowy day. Wonderful illustrations bring Marie Lamba’s words to life as as you discover different pops of color on every page. 

Shhh! This Book is Sleeping by Cédric Ramadier and Vincent Bourgeau
Instead of getting cozy with a good book, this time help a good book get cozy. Shhh! This Book is Sleeping is a fun way to help children feel more involved in their bedtime routine. The book’s cute facial expressions make this story charming and delightful.

My Mommy Medicine by Edwidge Danticat
For anytime we’re feeling down or not-so-well, this sweet book is full of ways to comfort each other. With bright illustrations, a young girl tells us about the yummy, playful, loving things her mother does to help her feel better. Whether you see some favorites or discover creative new ideas, this soothing hug of a story is sure to give warm fuzzies.

FOR BIGGER KIDS: 

You’re Snug With Me by Chitra Soundar
Cuddle up for this tender story of reassurances from mother polar bear to her dear little cubs as they wonder about growing up and setting forth from their cozy winter den. With warmth and wisdom, Mama gently guides her curious cubs to know and care for the awe-inspiring natural world. The intricate illustrations are mesmerizing and sure to inspire just as much wonder.

Winterhouse by Ben Gunterson – also available as an eaudiobook on OverDrive
Elizabeth Somers is sent to live at the Winterhouse Hotel by her unpleasant aunt and uncle. In the hotel’s vast library, she discovers a magical book of puzzles that will unlock the secrets of the hotel and the sinister family that owns the property. The first book in a trilogy, Winterhouse is filled with mystery, adventure, and a sharp cast of characters. 

Cool Knitting for Kids: A Fun and Creative Introduction to Fiber Art by Alex Kuskowski
A great book for beginning knitters with an abundance of pictures and step-by-step instructions. This book teaches the basic skills needed to craft with yarn, and shows you how to create hand-dyed yarn to get any color you need. Children can learn to knit scarf and mittens – perfect for keeping cozy during the chilly winter months. 

The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue – also available as an audiobook on CD
Jump into the Lottery family’s cozy household in this fun story. Four parents, seven kids, and five pets are unexpectedly joined by a surly grandfather who isn’t used to the way their home operates. He has never been a part of the children’s lives, after being estranged from his son years ago, and the whole family has a lot of adjusting to do. Nine-year-old Sumac, in particular, has to give up her room to this new addition and is not happy about his arrival. Can she help him find a home where he belongs? 

The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs by America’s Test Kitchen – also available as an ebook on OverDrive 
Want to make your own soft pretzels or a showstopping pie? Or wow your friends with homemade empanadas? During winter, you can make some delicious snacks and bring a touch of warmth to family and friends. From breakfast to breads, from cookies to cakes (yes, even cupcakes!), learn to bake it all here. You can do this, and it’s fun! 

The Elkridge Branch + DIY Education Center opened the doors of its new building in March 2018. All our staff wish that we could see you in person, but we are happy to help you discover new reads while we are apart.

Wintery Tales for Winter Reading Challenge

Kristen B. Leave a comment

By Kristen B.

Sometimes, as the days get dark and cold, I prefer to read books that reflect the world around me. I’m not as drawn to these sorts of books in the summer, those are the marvelous, warm days of beach-y reads. HCLS has kicked off its Winter Reading challenge, which asks you to track what you read online. All ages can participate. Here are a couple of recent favorites with a fairy tale flavor that make the best use of their snowy settings to get you started.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

A dark haired woman dressed in black pours coins from one hand to the other, and they change from silver to gold. Side images include a bag of coin, a man's face, and more coins falling. The title and author appear below the images.

Set in a Baltic look-alike world called Lithvas, this fantasy novel loosely retells Rumplestiltskin through the points of view of three strong but very different women: the daughter of a village money lender, her indentured servant, and a landowner’s daughter who becomes tsarina. Miryem has a much better head for business than her father and begins to require repayment of local loans so her own family doesn’t starve and freeze. This is how she ends up with an indentured servant, Wanda, who wants a better life for herself and her brothers. Irina, the reluctant princess, discovers that all is not as it seems at the highest levels of society, with the tsar secretly possessed by a fire demon. She discovers that she can escape into a strange winter world via old magic and jewelry made of Staryk silver. She also realizes that she’s much better at politics than her husband.

Miryem’s ability to make money seemingly from nothing brings her to the attention of the Staryk – the immortal fairy creatures who live and thrive in a world of winter. The Staryk’s highly rigid, structured culture comes as a shock and mystery to Miriam when she marries their ruler. Her growing enlightenment brings together all the many threads of this story, which weave an enchanting tale filled with mountains of snow and ice, demons and magical jewels, tsars and servants, and most of all the power of names and of family. I loved each woman separately, as they discover their own talents and try to carve a place to thrive in a world ruled by men who use them but only rarely see them.

Also available in ebook and eaudiobook.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

A cabin shines golden light into a snowy forest, as a figure makes its way toward the open door.

Continuing in the Slavic traditions: The first book in a trilogy, The Bear and the Nightingale repositions the traditional Russian Vasya the Brave tales for our heroine Vasilisa. The youngest daughter of a local boyar (landowner), she grows up idolizing and working alongside her older brothers after her mother dies. When her father goes to Moscow to find a young wife, Vasya’s world changes as her step-mother brings new rules to the house (mostly about wayward girl children) and a new faith, Christianity. Vasya lives very much attached to the old ways and the local spirits of the hearth and the woods. She befriends the spirit of death (or maybe winter), Morozko, and his magical horse as she battles an ancient evil bear/trickster spirit. As the two worldviews come into increasing conflict, neither the pagan traditions or the newer church are portrayed as completely good or evil. There’s a good bit of grey area for the characters to explore and reconcile as Vasya struggles to find a way to stay true to herself and save her family. The storytelling is masterful and the language beautiful, and you root for this wild, willful but somehow lost little girl to find her way home. The story continues in The Girl in the Tower and finishes spectacularly in The Winter of the Witch.

Also available in ebook and eaudiobook.

Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

Snowflakes fall in front of a girl with long brown hair dressed in white. She is holding a small angry blue man with a red beard brandishing a sword.

Last but by no means least: The third book in a YA series about young witch Tiffany Aching, Wintersmith is among my favorite installments of the sprawling Discworld universe. Discworld (the creation of genius satirist and prolific storyteller Terry Pratchett) really deserves its own blog post in the future. Please explore as you have time and interest, but you don’t necessarily have to read the first two Tiffany Aching books (The Wee Free Men and A Hat Full of Sky) to enjoy this one.

Tiffany Aching decides to become a witch because she is definitely not a princess and can’t be a woodcutter. Besides, witches get things done. In Wintersmith, as she becomes the firmly established apprentice to Granny Weatherwax, Tiffany accidentally draws the attention of the Wintersmith. The godling mistakes her for the never met but greatly desired spirit of summer, and he proceeds to court Tiffany with romantic notions like personalized snowflakes wearing her face. Pratchett’s turn of phrase often makes me snort with humor, then sit back and admire his way with words. Whether describing no-nonsense older witches or the joys of making good cheese, all of his master craftsmanship shines in this book. It takes Tiffany and her friends some doing, and some dancing, to make everything come right in the end of this lovely wintery caper about finding balance and maintaining boundaries (or maybe it’s maintaining balance and finding boundaries).

One last note: Tiffany’s accomplices on her adventures are the Nac Mac Feegle (see book cover above), who are bright blue, fierce, miniature, larcenous creatures with broad Scots accents (think combative Smurfs with major attitudes) that are simply the best thing ever. Given the Feegles’ dialect, the Tiffany Aching books are also terrific to read aloud or listen to.

Also available in ebook and eaudiobook.

I hope you enjoy one or all of these, or maybe have some of your own seasonal stories to enjoy. Feel free to share your favorites in the comments.

Kristen B. is a devoted bookworm lucky enough to work as the graphic designer for HCLS. She likes to spend winter reading, baking, and waiting for baseball to return.