December Book Recommendations

Looking for something to read this month? Check out some of these hidden gems and popular winter titles! All available for checkout at the library.

Holiday Fiction: 

Always in December by Emily Stone
The Mistletoe Murder : and other stories
The Gift by Nora Roberts
Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand

Always in December by Emily Stone: Perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber, this PG holiday romance is full of all kinds of love; familial, friendship, and romantic. There will be plenty of smiles and swoons, and you might even shed a couple of tears.

The Mistletoe Murder, and other Stories by PD James: A delightful collection of short, holiday, murder mysteries. PD James is the author of multiple mystery novels and first introduced us to Adam Dalgleish of Scotland Yard.

The Gift by Nora Roberts: There are two novellas included in this book from Nora Roberts, Home for Christmas and All I Want for Christmas. Home for Christmas is a sweet second-chance romance while All I want for Christmas captures the spirit of gift giving for the holiday season.

Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand: Full of family drama and a large cast of characters, Winter Street is a quick read perfect for the holiday season. This is the first book in the Winter Street series. 

Cookbooks:

The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook
The Pioneer Woman Cooks : a Year of Holidays
Tim Burton
Salt & Straw ice cream cookbook

Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz: A collection of vegan recipes for holiday entertaining and family celebrations. Pumpkin cornbread, eggnog pancakes, sweet potato latkes, and much much more!

The Pioneer Woman Cooks, a Year of Holidays by Ree Drummond: Holiday favorites for all year round! Best-selling cookbook author and Food Network personality, Ree Drummond, provides you with 140+ recipes perfect for the holidays.

The Nightmare before Christmas, the Official Cookbook and Entertaining Guide by Kim Laidlaw: Can’t get enough of Jack Skellington and want to share a beloved movie with friends and family? This cookbook and entertaining guide includes themed food and drink recipes, party decorations, and crafts.

Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook by Tyler Malek: Celebrate the snowy and icy season with some flavorful ice cream. There are classic, unique, and even some controversial flavors included in this book!

Christmas Books (that are also movies):

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Disney
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
Christmas with the Kranks
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Suess
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Merry Christmas, Eloise! by Marc Cheshire
Eloise at Christmastime

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: A Christmas classic. With multiple different movie adaptations, A Christmas Carol can be celebrated all throughout the season.

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham: You might not have known that Christmas with the Kranks was based on a novel. Skipping Christmas is the book that inspired the movie, and it follows the Kranks who decide to forgo the Christmas traditions for a year but end up with some hilarious consequences.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss: Spend time with Dr. Seuss’s cranky, holiday grump, the Grinch. This holiday classic is perfect for reading aloud to your favorite little Whos.

Merry Christmas, Eloise! by Marc Cheshire: Another good read aloud for children. Eloise lives at the Plaza Hotel, and she’s getting ready for Christmas. Join her for her adventures around the hotel.

Nonfiction: 

The art of patience : seeking the snow leopard in Tibet by Sylvain Tesson
The winter garden : create a garden that shines through the forgotten season by Val Bourne
Holiday crafts : 50 projects for year-round family fun by Linda Reece
Christmas in Illinois by James Ballowe

The Art of Patience, Seeking the Snow Leopard in Tibet by Sylvain Tesson: Learn about the art of patience and an expedition through the mountains in Tibet in search of snow leopards. 

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris: Read about the right trees, shrubs, seedheads, berries, and evergreens that will bring life to your garden through the dreary winter months.

Holiday Crafts by Linda Reece: Looking for some gift ideas and want to be creative! This book includes unique crafts for holidays throughout the year.

Christmas in Illinois by James Ballowe: Read about how Illinoisans spend their holiday season with an eclectic collection of tales, poems, news reports, memoirs, recipes, and images.