Curl up with your favorite little kid to read these beautiful books about winter holidays!

Williams, Nyasha. Once Upon a Kwanzaa. Philadelphia : Running Press Kids, 2025.

This book wins for the most beautiful cover of the season! This book will help your family learn about the celebration of Kwanzaa through 8 families who are lighting the Kinara, sharing meals, and talking about the principles Kwanzaa celebrates – Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith.

Snyder, Laurel. The Book of Candles: Eight Poems for Hanukkah. New York, NY : Clarion Books, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, 2025.

This book of simple poetry tells the story of celebrating Hanukkah through a child’s eyes.  Each poem shares a bit more about celebrating each of the eight nights, and why Jewish people say certain words or light the candles in a certain order. The illustrations feel warm, inviting everyone to join them in front of the menorah.

Rex, Adam. The 13^th Day of Christmas. [New York, New York] : Neal Porter Books, an imprint of Holiday House Publishing, Inc., 2025.

Singing the 12 Days of Christmas can be… well, boring. But this book about a young man receiving some strange gifts (who gives their boyfriend birds and a pear tree?) will make your kids (and you) laugh! It also shares a wonderful message about the true meaning of Christmas and the joy these gifts bring to the community.

Morris, Jordan. Merry Mittens: a Moontime Cats Christmas Story. Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2025.

When cat friends sneak out to cause a little mayhem, they find a thief’s stash, complete with tinsel, a star, ornaments, and other items. But there’s also a special gift wrapped up in a box that needs a home where it will be loved. This book has a lot of great noise words that kids will love hearing read as well as great illustrations of cats!

Gross, Kelsey E. Winter: A Solstice Story. New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, [2023].

This gorgeous book about the winter solstice in the forest will enchant your children, and you as well. The animals gather on the longest night of the year around a tree in the forest that is lit by the moon and the stars. The animals are there to share their message of hope and celebrate the solstice.

Kurpiel, Sarah. A Little Like Magic. New York : Rocky Pond Books, 2024.

A winter trip to an ice festival goes wrong when the young narrator loses her prized horse figurine. She didn’t want to go to that cold, uncomfortable festival anyway! But she and her mom go back the next night to see what the artists have created, and she finds the magic of winter.

Mary Beth A. is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries.

As the leaves fall and the days get shorter, I always love curling up with a good book. This time of year, I often find myself reaching for folklore-inspired stories alongside a warm mug of cider or hot cocoa to fend off the impending chill. Here are some excellent folkloric books to check out this fall!

Nethercott, GennaRose. Thistlefoot. New York : Anchor Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, 2022.
One of my favorite characters from folklore is Baba Yaga and her strange house on chicken legs, roaming the forests of eastern Europe. In Thistlefoot, GennaRose Nethercott breathes new life into the tale through estranged siblings Isaac and Bellatine Yaga, who can’t believe
their luck when they receive a mysterious inheritance: a sentient house on chicken legs called Thistlefoot. Only, someone—or something—else is hunting it, relentlessly stalking the Yagas and the house across the country as they embark on a last-stitch tour of their family’s traveling puppet theater. Nethercott’s writing is lush and lyrical, balancing theatrical humor with the haunting darkness of the Yaga’s family history.
Content Warnings: Violence, Antisemitism, Fire, Mentions of eugenics, Genocide, Child
death

Novik, Naomi. Uprooted. New York : Del Rey, [2015].
Inspired by Polish folklore, Naomi Novik’s Uprooted weaves together elements of traditional fairy tales—an ancient wizard, a girl in a tower, a forest of dark magic— to create a story that feels both familiar and fresh. Young Agnieszka lives in a small village in a kingdom that borders the Wood, a forest of sinister magic that destroys villages and drives villagers mad. Their only protector from the Wood is the Dragon, a centuries-old wizard who lives in a grand tower… but his protection comes at a cost. Every ten years, the Dragon demands a sacrifice: a village girl, who will serve him for ten years. When the Dragon reluctantly selects Agnieszka to serve him during the Choosing, it leads her down a long, twisting road to discovering her own power. Uprooted leans into the darkness of old fairy tales and twists reader expectations connected to fairy tale tropes. A trip through the Wood
is not for the faint of heart….
Content Warnings: Death, Violence, War, Vomit, Sexual content

Saft, Allison. A Dark and Drowning Tide. New York : Del Rey, [2024].
Folklore meets fantasy romance in this story where an expedition is thrown off course when the leader is murdered. As the expedition pushes onward, two rival students must work together to uncover the identity of the murderer and locate a site long believed to be myth as even more dangers lie ahead: mythical monsters, forests that rearrange themselves at night, and simmering tensions among the remaining members of the expedition. At its core, A Dark and Drowning Tide is a love letter to Bavarian folklore and a confrontation of the prejudices that lie at the center of many fairy tales—perfect for fans of
Leigh Bardugo and Ava Reid.

Content Warnings: Murder, Sexual content, Violence, Antisemitism

Sara D. is a Library Assistant at Graham Public Library.

With holidays and get togethers coming up, why not “invite” someone else to your celebrations? Here are some cookbooks from ACPL that will be a wonderful addition to your menus.

My Mexican Kitchen by Eva Longoria was inspired by her time traveling in Mexico for her show Searching for Mexico and trying all the cuisines that Mexican cooking can offer! Such finds were pollo asado (page 167), shrimp aguachile (page 105), and classic buñuelos (page 187). Eva also plays with Mexican flavors, rediscovering her love of food and her culture, making it a full circle moment.

For specifically plant-based dishes, try Radhi Devlukia-Shetty’s JoyFull where she presents a full Indian breakfast (pages 80-83) and her family’s masala chai (page 46), umm ali (page 276) an Egyptian bread pudding, and red lentil daal (page 123). Radhi just wanted to put forth a book that allowed those who read it and used the recipes given to transform their health through mindful habits and eating.

I Could Nosh by Jake Cohen is a collection of Jewish recipes that have been revamped to make it easier for every day convenience. There are recipes for kugel fries (page 98), a schmear smorgasbord (pages 54-59), and seasonal kashas (pages 176-185) among other tasty treats.

Famous TikToker, Barbara Costello, or Babs as her fans know her, wrote Every Day with Babs to give 101 family friendly dinners to easy access for your weekly meals. There are classic recipes like Bab’s famous chocolate chip cookies (pages 234-235), sheet pan snappy kielbasa with sauerkraut and potatoes (page 41), and Bab’s grandmother’s Greek chicken and potatoes (page 218). Bab’s takes her years as a mother, and now grandmother, to give more American twists on some recipes she grew up on and shares them with us with her cookbook.

Delicious Tonight is a cookbook by Nagi Maehashi with 150+ foolproof recipes to tackle on nights when you want something easy but delicious. Nagi has sections like “fastest meals” that includes things like halloumi burgers (page 66) and one-pan chorizo couscous (page 77). “Sunday suppers” that includes classics like slow-roasted lamb shoulder (page 251-253) and new options like Vietnamese pulled pork feast with options on how to serve it and what to serve with it (pages 282-289). And one whole section dedicated to Charlie, Nagi’s Chinese brown sauce to use in stir fires (pages 138-141 and other options in this section) and on porkchops (page 160).

Kardea Brown’s cookbook, The Way Home, is a celebration of food from the Sea Islands of South Carolina that are rooted in Gullah Geechee traditions and the base for Kardea’s Southern cooking. Such staples are Sea Island collard greens (page 52), red wine-braised oxtails (page 217), and Gullah gumbo (page 179). Some of her Southern classics have just the right amount of “oomph” to up your game if you’re feeling like you’re in a meal prepping rut!

Your Pasta Sucks: A “Cookbook” by Matteo Lane is the cookbook for those who kind of want a gossip session when making their pasta dishes. Matteo incorporates his humor alongside his limited (he says that himself!) culinary knowledge while sharing some family and learned recipes. Like the family meat sauce (pages 37-38), pasta alla Norma (pages 124-126),and Kate and Matteo’s Christmas raviolo (pages 69-70).

Kayleigh D. is a Library Technical Processing Assistant at May Memorial Library.

Get ready for school—one book at a time! Reading just 20 minutes a day can make a lifetime of difference. Join the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge and make reading a fun, imaginative, and rewarding part of your family’s daily routine.

Why 1,000 Books? One thousand books might sound like a lot—but you’ve got this! Whether your child is three months or three years old, there’s no better time to start. Every book you share builds your child’s language, social, and emotional skills, strengthens creativity, and prepares them for kindergarten success. The goal is to work reading aloud into your regular routine, and let the magic of stories do the rest. 

How to Participate:

• Register Online: Create a free account on Beanstack to easily log your child’s reading progress.
• Track Your Reading: Record every book you read together.
• Keep Reading! Reach 1,000 books before kindergarten and watch your child’s love of reading grow.

Celebrate Milestones: Enjoy reading while earning badges and prizes along the way!

• 100 books – Free Book
• 250 books – Library Swag (Spritzer Bottle)
• 500 Books – Puzzle
• 750 Books – Flashcards
• 1,000 Books – Mini LCD Tablet

Tips: Count any books that are read to your child, no matter who reads the books. Children learn through repetition – you can read the same book multiple times. Books read at storytime count, too. Learn about storytimes.

Ana A. is the Marketing Coordinator for Alamance County Public Libraries.

National StoryWalk® Week is November 9 – 15!

What is a StoryWalk®?

The StoryWalk® initiative was developed by Anne Ferguson in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, Vermont. A StoryWalk® is a book that has been disassembled, laminated, and presented page by page along a trail, bike path, or in store windows to promote reading and physical activity.

StoryWalks are a fun way for adults to engage with children through a serve and return interaction. As you stroll along reading the story, each page has information and or questions pertaining to the story that the adult will ask the child. After telling the child the title of the book, the adult may be prompted to ask the child, “What do you think this book or story will be about?” There are also activity prompts based on the action(s) of the character(s) featured on a page. For instance, the activity prompt may direct a child to “Run in slow motion to the next page.” These interactions are important for the healthy brain development and social communication of young children.

StoryWalk of Alamance County has four locations at North Park Walking Track, Beth Schmidt Park Walking Trail, Graham Middle School Walking Track, and the Mebane Arts and Community Center. Click https://library.alamancecountync.gov/services/storywalks/ to plan your visits to the StoryWalk of Alamance County locations.

In observance of National StoryWalk® Week, the Graham Public Library has a display of books for checkout that have been featured at the StoryWalk of Alamance County sites since the installation of its first StoryWalk® in the spring of 2016.

Risha B. is the Public Services Manager at Graham Public Library.

Barnes, Steven. Star Wars : the glass abyss : Mace Windu. [New York, New York] : Random House Worlds, [2024].

Mace Windu: Glass Abyss delivers exactly what many fans have wanted: a focused, character-driven look at Mace that still moves like a true Star Wars adventure. Picking up right after The Phantom Menace, it explores who Mace is—his discipline, his doubts, and his leadership—while thoughtfully engaging with the legacy of Qui-Gon Jinn. The result is a book that adds meaningful context to this era of the Jedi without spoiling future films or overwhelming casual readers with lore. The pacing balances introspection and action, making it a compelling pick for both longtime fans and anyone curious about the Jedi at a pivotal moment in the timeline.

May the Force be with you, always.

Tyler J. is a Library Assistant at Mebane Public Library.

Jackson, Tiffany D. Blood in the Water. New York : Scholastic Inc., 2025.

I had the privilege of meeting Tiffany D. Jackson at a conference a few years ago. She is a talented writer and a fascinating speaker. When I saw that she had released a middle-grade novel about a child witnessing the aftermath of a murder in Martha’s Vineyard, I was excited to read it, and Blood in the Water didn’t disappoint!

Kaylani’s dad is in prison, but she knows that he’s innocent. He would never steal money from the firm he worked for. She wants to take part in a prelaw camp in August to develop the skills to help him, but she’s too young. However, the teacher said she could come if she passes the entry test. If it were up to her, she’d spend the summer studying.

But her father’s family friends, the Watsons, have invited her to Martha’s Vineyard for a month, and her parents insist that she go and have fun. Her father’s parents were friends with the Watsons years ago, and when his father died, the Watsons helped him get into a great private school and go to college. Kaylani used to play with their granddaughter, London, before London’s family moved away from Brooklyn. However, they haven’t seen each other in years, and Kaylani isn’t sure this trip is going to be fun at all.

When they get to the Vineyard, some of Kaylani’s fears are realized. London isn’t nice – at all – and she feels awkward staying in the Watson’s giant house. London wants to hang out with her older sister, Cassie, talk about hair and makeup, and spend time on her phone. Kaylani wants to do summer things, like swim, play at the arcade, and ride the carousel. Thankfully, she meets Miles and Deon, who still are interested in being kids and having fun.

When a long-time summer resident of the Vineyard (and Cassie’s ex-boyfriend) dies after jumping off a bridge late at night, the whole island is in turmoil. Did he jump off the bridge or did someone help him over that railing? Was someone else there who watched him die? Was it an accident, or murder? Did a shark really bite him?

Kaylani and her friends need to solve the mystery of who killed Chadwick. Miles is Chadwick’s younger brother, and London wants to prove that her sister, who may have been the last person to see Chadwick alive, is innocent. Kaylani likes Miles and wants to help him.  London has given her cell phone number to Kaylani to share with her dad, so she needs to stay with her, so she doesn’t miss a call from him. Besides, Kaylani met Chadwick a couple of times and really liked him. He didn’t deserve to die.

This is a novel that doesn’t pull any punches about prejudice, privilege, and power. Jackson wove the history of wealthy African Americans summering at Martha’s Vineyard into the story, and it made me want to learn more. Some of the twists you’ll never see coming and I gasped a couple of times when listening to the audiobook. You might figure out who the villain is before the end of the novel, but you won’t care. The story is that compelling, and you’ll want to know how it will end.

Alamance County Public Libraries has this book in print, and it is available in ebook and eaudiobook form through Hoopla.

Mary Beth A. is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries.

Are you going on a long trip during the holiday season, and want your children to do something other than play video games? Books can be bulky to pack when you’re short on space. Luckily, you have options through Alamance County Public Libraries!

NC Kids and Level Up are e-book catalogs that are accessible with your library card.  They can read and listen to books through a browser, or send them to a Kindle or Kindle app.

NC Kids has picture books, e-books and e-audiobooks for PreK-4th grade, and Level Up has e-books and e-audiobooks for grades 4^th-8^th. Both catalogs have read-along books as well!

To access these catalogs, visit the Kids section of our website. Links to NC Kids and Level Up can be found there. Once you’ve chosen a book or audiobook, click to borrow it. You’ll enter your library card number and PIN (please call the library to reset your PIN if you’ve forgotten it). You then can choose to download the book, or send it to a Kindle or Kindle app.

Hoopla allows you to check out e-books, e-audiobooks, magazines, TV shows, movies, comic books, and music. It is easy to set Hoopla on your child’s device to Hoopla Kids. You can even set a PIN that must be entered to turn Kids Mode off. When Kids Mode is on, everything shown is appropriate for ages 12 and under. To enter Kids Mode, click on Kids at the top of the screen, then you can choose the PIN.

Like NC Kids, you can access Hoopla through our website’s Kids page, or you can download the Hoopla app. You’ll enter your library card number and PIN in the browser or app. There are both instant borrow items (you can access immediately; there are multiple copies available) and flex borrow items (only one copy is available, so you may have to put a copy on hold and wait for it).

If you have any questions, come into a branch or give us a call, and we’ll (hopefully) be able to help!

Mary Beth A. is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries.

Day, Christine. We Still Belong. New York : Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2023].

We Still Belong by Christine Day is such a beautiful, bite-sized story about a young girl whose big dreams for Indigenous People’s Day—people reading her poem about the holiday in the student newspaper and asking her crush, Ryan, out to the middle school dance—don’t go according to plan.

Seventh-grader Wesley Wilder is beyond nervous about her big day at school. As a descendant of the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, she feels proud of her Native heritage. Even if she sometimes struggles with feeling not “Native enough” because of the tribal laws that prevent her from being eligible for citizenship. So when her poem on Indigenous People’s Day is published in the school newspaper, Wesley feels like this is her moment.

Only, nothing seems to be going the way she expected…. No one at school seems to remember it’s Indigenous People’s Day or read her poem in the newspaper. To top it off, her crush is going with someone else to the dance!

However, at the inter-tribal powwow that evening, Wesley encounters some familiar faces that give her the push to use her voice. Set over the course of a single day, We Still Belong, at its heart, highlights the value of connection—to family, to friends, and to the community.

Christine Day writes in such a genuine and thoughtful way to where the heart of the main character just leaps off the page. Reading it feels like a warm hug and a promise of belonging, despite everything the world may say or throw at you. Like the title of Wesley’s poem, We Still Belong is an important reminder and a celebration of all the ways Native people and communities exist today.

It is available as a physical copy through Alamance County Public Libraries as well as an audiobook via NC Kids Level Up (Libby). It can also be found as an ebook through Hoopla.

Sara D. is a Library Assistant at Graham Public Library.

Fall is in full swing, and for North Carolina history and fantasy lovers, that means one thing – it’s ren fest season!  The NC Renaissance Festival just opened and runs on weekends through November 23rd.  Every year, thousands of visitors get dressed up in their finest historical costumes or their most whimsical fantasy garb and venture to what many lovingly shorten to the “ren fest”. Many people enjoy cosplaying as their favorite characters from various fandoms or even as their own originally created character from a roleplaying game (RPG), such as Dungeons & Dragons.  Get into the festive spirit with these fun romances where characters embrace the best of ren fest and RPG experiences with both friends and love interests!

Woods, Lenora. Roll for Romance. New York : Dell, 2025.

Sadie Brooks has always felt destined for the big city – the glamorous, fast-paced executive life where she can make a real impact.  So when she finds herself burnt-out, jobless, and couch-surfing at her best friend Liam’s for the summer in small-town Texas, it’s nothing short of devastating.  She gives into joining the Dungeons & Dragons campaign Liam’s been trying to form for years just to have something to do besides having an existential crisis while his cat looks on.  The group that forms brings new friends, including an attractive, freewheeling bartender named Noah Walker, who might just be able to show Sadie that there can be a certain joy in taking life one step at a time.  But when a glittering opportunity threatens to lure Sadie back to the big city, which kind of new adventure will she choose to walk towards?

DeLuca, Jen. Well Met. New York : Jove, 2019.

(1st in a series!) When newly single Emily moves in with her sister April to help her recover after a car accident, she expects to take on some responsibility.  What she doesn’t expect is for her teenage niece to rope her into volunteering at the local renaissance festival.  What she really doesn’t expect is to find it so hard to stop thinking about Simon, the uptight and unreadable schoolteacher who heads up the volunteers.  Emily’s new ideas for the festival shake up his traditionalist way of running things.  The two butt heads at every turn, but sparks of a more romantic kind fly once they’re in character.  Is the attraction only acting, or is there something between Emily and Simon worth staying for once the faire is over?

Glass, Seressia. The Love Con. New York : Jove, 2021.

Kenya Davenport knows that her creative talent for cosplay can become a career, and she’s finally getting the chance to prove it on the reality show competition Cosplay or No Way.  She’s weathered her parents’ disapproval of her choosing a non-STEM field.  She’s gritted her teeth through the judges’ microaggressions as a nerdy Black woman.  She’s almost to the finish line of winning it big.  Except now she’s hit a hurdle she might not be able to jump: for the final round, the judges want contestants’ significant others to participate in “iconic duos” cosplays….and Kenya has no significant other to speak of.  Fortunately, her best friend, Cameron Lassiter, agrees to be her fake boyfriend for the duration of the competition.  As the cameras roll, the pressure mounts to act as a loving couple, leading both Kenya and Cam to examine their feelings for each other.  Will they hide what they feel for fear of losing the friendship, or will they decide to be partners in more ways than one?

Yardley, Cathy. Role Playing. Seattle : Montlake Romance, 2023.

48-year-old Maggie is worried about her college-aged son, who’s something of a social recluse.  When he points out that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, she agrees to a deal: he’ll be more outgoing if she will, too.  Still not one to socialize in person, Maggie joins an online RPG gaming guild, naming her persona Bogwitch to ward off any would-be virtual pickup artists.  Behind Otter, the moniker of the guild’s leader, is Aiden, a fifty-year-old who plays to let off steam while caring for his aging mother.  Bogwitch and Otter become fast friends – but thanks to some classic rom-com miscommunication, she thinks he’s in college, while he thinks she’s in her eighties.  When they finally meet in real life, the pair get a chance to see each other for who they are, and sparks fly.  Can they work through their respective baggage from past relationships to have a chance at offline romance?

Joan H. is a Library Assistant at May Memorial Library