Not sure what to read for the Winter Reading Challenge? We have recommendations for all categories, and all ages! Pick up a Winter Reading bingo sheet at the library. Check out our adult, youth, and picture books recommendations!

All the books listed here are available at the library. Stop in, give us a call, or use the online catalog to place a hold and check one out. All book descriptions are provided by librarians here at the library, the publisher on the back of the book, on Goodreads, or through the library catalog.

Read a book that was recommended by someone.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley: This book does so many things–mystery, drama, romance, tragedy–and it does them all brilliantly. Daunis’s story has moments of darkness, but her strength and love of her community always win out in the end. As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in—both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When her family is struck by tragedy, Daunis puts her dreams on hold to care for her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team. After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known? Available on Boundless (audio/e-book), Libby (audio), and Hoopla (audio)

We Are Not Free by Traci Chee: This book absolutely blew me away. Each chapter is told from a different point of view, but their stories all merge together. I knew almost nothing about the Japanese Internment camps enforced in the United States during World War II, and this novel taught me so much. We Are Not Free is the collective account of a tight-knit group of young Nisei, second-generation Japanese American citizens, whose lives are irrevocably changed by the mass U.S. incarcerations of World War II. Fourteen teens who have grown up together in Japantown, San Francisco. Fourteen teens who form a community and a family, as interconnected as they are conflicted. Fourteen teens whose lives are turned upside down when over 100,000 people of Japanese ancestry are removed from their homes and forced into desolate incarceration camps. In a world that seems determined to hate them, these young Nisei must rally together as racism and injustice threaten to pull them apart. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book) and Libby (e-book)

Scythe by Neal Shusterman: Dystopian fiction has been one of my favorite subgenres since I was a kid, and there are more books than ever to choose from! The Arc of a Scythe trilogy is a uniquely brilliant look at a dark–but not altogether unimaginable–future. A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control. Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own. Available on Boundless (e-book) and Libby (e-book)

Read a book about a character who doesn’t look or live like you.

Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram: This is one of the best books I read this year! An earnest, funny story about friendship, family, and taking care of one’s mental health. Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He’s a Fractional Persian—half, his mom’s side—and his first-ever trip to Iran is about to change his life. Darius has never really fit in at home, and he’s sure things are going to be the same in Iran. His clinical depression doesn’t exactly help matters, and trying to explain his medication to his grandparents only makes things harder. Then Darius meets Sohrab, the boy next door, and everything changes. Soon, they’re spending their days together, playing soccer, eating faludeh, and talking for hours on a secret rooftop overlooking the city’s skyline. Sohrab calls him Darioush—the original Persian version of his name—and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he’s Darioush to Sohrab. When it’s time to go home to America, he’ll have to find a way to be Darioush on his own. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book)

Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Mostowitz: This sweet, funny novel about two Jewish kids who live with chronic illness doesn’t shy away from heavy topics around relationships and mental health. Isabel has one rule: no dating. It’s easier–It’s safer–It’s better–for the other person. She’s got issues. She’s got secrets. She’s got rheumatoid arthritis. But then she meets another sick kid. He’s got a chronic illness Isabel’s never heard of, something she can’t even pronounce. He understands what it means to be sick. He understands her more than her healthy friends. He understands her more than her own father who’s a doctor. He’s gorgeous, fun, and foul-mouthed. And totally into her. Isabel has one rule: no dating. It’s complicated–It’s dangerous–It’s never felt better–to consider breaking that rule for him. Available on Hoopla (audio)

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon: I love Nicola Yoon’s YA books, because I can always read them in one sitting. Her writing is as smart as it is swoon-worthy. Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story. Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us. The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true? Available on Boundless (audio/e-book) and Libby (e-book)

Read a book written in verse.

Starfish by Lisa Fipps: An achingly honest story about Ellie, a young girl living in a bigger body. She must go on a journey to learn how to advocate for herself when her mom, and others around her, continually make her feel less than worthy because of her weight. Even in a world that keeps telling her to shrink, Ellie learns to love and stand up for herself, exactly as she is. Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she’s been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules–like “no making waves,” “avoid eating in public,” and “don’t move so fast that your body jiggles.” And she’s found her safe space–her swimming pool–where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It’s also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie’s weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life–by unapologetically being her own fabulous self. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book)

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds: Jason Reynolds is a highly esteemed Young Adult author by readers and teachers alike. In my opinion, this is one of his most powerful works, and it has won a dozen awards since its publication in 2017. …A hammer…A tool…Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he? And so it goes, the whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, and at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if Will gets off that elevator. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book) and Libby (audio)

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jaqueline Woodson: Jacqueline Woodson’s beautiful memoir will resonate with anyone who has found a place to belong through a love of the written word. Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book) and Libby (audio/e-book)

Read a food-related book, or check out a cookbook and try a recipe.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo: Another of my absolute favorite YA novels! Acevedo is a brilliant, empathetic writer who will have you falling in love with her characters and craving the delicious foods they make. With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. The one place she can let her responsibilities go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain—and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life—and all the rules everyone expects her to play by—once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book), Libby (audio/e-book), and Hoopla (audio/e-book)

Off Menu by Oliver Gerlach and Kelsi Jo Silva: This fantasy graphic novel addresses the very real issues of working for a toxic boss, and celebrates the impact of coming together as a community. At seventeen, Soup is at a crossroads, eager to make her mark on the world, yet reluctant to leave the restaurant she calls home–the place where she was found as a baby, the place where she grew up, the place where she learned to cook. It’s only when her elven boss snaps at her that she begins to see his pattern of abuse, starting in the kitchen and extending all across town. Something’s got to give, and the answer is simple: a cooking competition for the restaurant. If Soup wins, she’ll claim the business and protect her village from destructive expansion. But if she loses, she’ll have to leave her home and stand by as the food community she loves is razed to the ground. With friends and chosen family rallying around her, Soup has a chance to win. Yet, everyone knows villains don’t fight fair, and this restaurateur is not going to give up his throne so easily…

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le: Personally, there are few things I love more than a good rivals-to-lovers romance novel. And one that takes place in the restaurant world? Say less. If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition. But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories? Available on Boundless (audio/e-book)

Read a book involving a winter holiday.

Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge: This adorable holiday romance sounds like the perfect book to cozy up with this winter–with or without the itchy sweater! New Yorker Hannah Levin is allergic to exactly two things, horses and tinsel. Unfortunately, she’s surrounded by both when she’s snowed in at her grandmother’s home in a small Texas town. Super lonely, missing latkes and reliable Wi-Fi, Hannah wanders into an old deli where she meets the only other Jewish teen around, Noah, who happens to be equal parts adorable and full of annoying, over the top festival of lights spirit that he’s determined to share with Hannah one itchy Hanukkah sweater at a time. As the days pass—and a spectacularly memorable kiss following Noah’s made up game of truth or dare dreidel takes place—Hannah begins to wonder if maybe there’s more to Hanukkah than she thought…

Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton, et al: I always think that short story anthologies deserve more attention than they receive. They tend to be quick reads, and it’s so impressive how some authors can pull you in with so few pages. I especially enjoy books like Whiteout, where multiple writers come together to construct a larger narrative with each of their stories. Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of interwoven narratives, Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance, featuring stories by Tiffany D. Jackson, Angie Thomas, Nic Stone, and more! As the city grinds to a halt, twelve teens band together to help a friend pull off the most epic apology of her life. But will they be able to make it happen, in spite of the storm? No one is prepared for this whiteout. But then, we can’t always prepare for the magical moments that change everything. Available on Libby (e-book) and Hoopla (audio/e-book)

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham: Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham’s gorgeous illustrations elevate this emotional graphic novel to a serious work of art. Val is ready to give up on love. It’s led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she’s pretty sure she’s cursed—no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love. But then a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. Is it real love? Could this be her chance to break the family curse? Or is she destined to live with a broken heart forever? Available on Boundless (e-book)

Read a book that makes you feel cozy.

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz: Nothing makes me feel cozier inside than a good rom-com, especially when it’s this adorable. The online description for this graphic novel says it best: “A romantic comedy about mistaken identity, true love, and lots of grilled cheese.” Lady Camembert wants to live life on her own terms, without marriage. Well, without marrying a man, that is. But the law of the land is that women cannot inherit. So when her father passes away, she does the only thing she can: She disguises herself as a man and moves to the capital city of the Kingdom of Fromage to start over as Count Camembert. But it’s hard to keep a low profile when the beautiful Princess Brie, with her fierce activism and great sense of fashion, catches her attention. Camembert can’t resist getting to know the princess, but as the two grow closer, will she able to keep her secret? Available on Boundless (e-book) and Libby (e-book)

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh: A cozy fantasy is generally thought of as low stakes–basically, the reader is never in doubt that the protagonists will be alright in the end. Most of this story takes place in the land of the spirits, and the Korean folklore-inspired setting and characters have a cozy, Studio Ghibli vibe. Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering. Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village―and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon―may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead. Available on Hoopla (audio) and Libby (e-book)

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: Many of the books I go back to again and again feel like home because of the characters who inhabit their pages. The Raven Cycle is one such series, as Maggie Stiefvater is a master of making her dynamic, lovable characters come to life. Part of a clairvoyant family, Blue has spent sixteen years being told that if she kisses her true love, he will die. So when she meets Gansey’s spirit on the corpse road, Blue knows that either he is her true love – or she has killed him. The boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and he is a student at Aglionby, a wealthy local private school. With three other mysterious and privileged boys, he is on a quest to find the grave of Glendower – a Welsh king buried somewhere on a Virginia ley line. Whoever finds him will be granted a supernatural favor. Never before has Blue felt such magic around her. But is Gansey really her true love – the one she is destined to kill? Blue never fully believed in the prophecy. But as she is caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore. Available on Boundless (audio), Libby (audio), and Hoopla (audio/e-book)

Read a book that got made into a movie or TV show.

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green: John Green has long been one of my go-to authors. I personally don’t live with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but this book does a fantastic job depicting the mind of a young woman who does. Aza Holmes is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. Aza never intended to pursue the disappearance of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Pickett’s son Davis. Available on Boundless (audio/e-book) and Libby (audio/e-book)

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy: This coming-of-age novel–and its film adaptation–is filled with humor, heart, and themes of self-acceptance. Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back. Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the heck out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all. Available on Boundless (audio), Libby (e-book), and Hoopla (audio/e-book)

Nimona by N.D. Stevenson: Years before the popular Netflix movie, Nimona was a beloved webcomic published as a graphic novel. ND Stevenson’s distinctive art style and an emotionally complex storyline make this an excellent read. Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are. But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona’s powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit. Available on Boundless (audio) and Hoopla (audio/e-book)

Read something from the new shelves.

Thanks for Listening by Molly Horan: Stories that feature a teenager trying to give advice to other teenagers always lead to the best kind of chaos. I can’t wait to check this one out! Mia knows what she’s talking about. Class schedules, significant others, existential life crises—you name it, she’s talked someone through it. The problem? No one actually takes her advice. So when her latest round of (very sensible!) guidance is ignored, resulting in a class flyer stapled to her best friend’s arm and her brother going steady with a girl he doesn’t have feelings for, Mia is done talking. Instead, she creates HereToHelp, an anonymous account to give advice. If her friends don’t know it’s her behind the account, maybe they’ll finally listen for once. Throw in the girl of her dreams, a plethora of sound (and not-so-sound) advice, and a couple of best friends who seem to have a lot more to hide than Mia knows…and Mia could use some advice of her own to make it through this senior year.

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis: As a reader who loved Artemis Fowl and The Inheritance Games, I can already tell that I’m going to love this series!At only seventeen years old, Ross Quest is already a master thief, especially adept at escape plans. Until her plan to run away from her legendary family of thieves takes an unexpected turn, leaving her mother’s life hanging in the balance. In a desperate bid, she enters the Thieves’ Gambit, a series of dangerous, international heists where killing the competition isn’t exactly off limits, but the grand prize is a wish for anything in the world–a wish that could save her mom. When she learns two of her competitors include her childhood nemesis and a handsome, smooth-talking guy who might also want to steal her heart, winning the Gambit becomes trickier than she imagined. Ross tries her best to stick to the family creed: trust no one whose last name isn’t Quest. But with the stakes this high, Ross will have to decide who to con and who to trust before time runs out. After all, only one of them can win. Available on Boundless (e-book) and Libby (e-book)

Side Quest: A Visual History of Roleplaying Games by Samuel Sattin: If you (like me) have people in your life who love tabletop games but don’t know much about them, this is the perfect primer! I’m so looking forward to this interesting introduction to this popular pastime. With a meld of history, fantasy, and memoir, Side Quest: A Visual History of Roleplaying Games gives existing fans of tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) insight into the history of the medium—and provides a gateway for anyone new to the phenomenon. This is an inviting introduction to what TTRPGs are, why they matter, and how readers can get involved. And like any popular guide to arcana, this book is geared toward an audience of gamers, non-gamers, and general readers alike. Equal parts enlightening, adventurous, and approachable, this appealing graphic nonfiction book is one that everyone can enjoy!