The year is drawing to a close. Some of us are glad that this bumpy year is giving way to a new year, but will 2017 be any better? Well, we must wait and see how it fares. But we sure are glad that a bunch of new books was released recently. Also, because Christmas season is just around the corner, there’s more reason to cheer.
Like Magic by Elaine Vickers
Three 10-year-old girls are looking to find meaning and fill a void in their lives as they grow up. Grace, Jada and Malia feel quite lonely. Grace is unsure how things are going to be like for her now that her best friend has moved away. Jada wants to find her mother who left her years ago. Malia is going through what some of us feel when there’s a new addition to the family — the fear that it will change the family we love. But these wonderful girls are about to discover something beautiful as they find a mysterious box in their library and start filling it up with their little treasures — the joys of friendship.
The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart by Lauren DeStefano
If you’re an introvert, chances are you will easily relate to Lionel. He is more comfortable in the company of animals than his fellow human beings. Except Marybeth. She and Lionel are best friends, and they live in an orphanage with a bunch of other kids not so different from them. Most people would refer to these kids as ones who won’t be missed if they disappeared. However, Lionel is not about to give up when a blue spirit possesses Marybeth. He is willing to stop this mysterious entity to save Marybeth before she disappears.
Maple and Willow’s Christmas Tree by Lori Nichols
What’s a reading list for December without Christmas books in it? This delightful book follows two sister, Maple and Willow, who are excited about getting their first Christmas tree. They want this to be the best Christmas ever. They manage to pick out the perfect tree, but there is a catch. Whenever Maple gets near the tree to put up the decorations, she starts sneezing! This little allergic reaction puts a hold on to the best Christmas.
Young Scrooge: A Very Scary Christmas Story by R.L. Stine
Something vaguely familiar about this one? Well, it should be as it is based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol . We recommended that one last year. You read that, didn’t you? Catch up on that too, if you haven’t! Anyway, this book is about Rick Scroogeman. You don’t need to be a genius to figure out he hates Christmas. He hates everything related to the holiday — carols, lights, trees, mistletoes, and most of all, “A Christmas Carol” the movie. Then three ghosts visit him. You might think it’s the same old story, but Rick Scrooge is trapped in a nightmare that may very well be real.
