Cozy Holiday Reads
When the weather outside is frightful, curl up with one of these delightful wintry tales. Full of feel-good stories, holiday cheer, and snowy settings, this collection is perfect for chilly days and long winter nights. Pair your reading with a mug of hot chocolate and one of our curated vocabulary lists to ensure you’re not left out in the cold.
The Vanderbeekers of 141st StreetAfter learning that they are going to be evicted from their Brooklyn home, the five Vanderbeeker children come up with a scheme to convince their landlord to allow them to stay.
Little WomenMeg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March are sisters whose personalities couldn't be more different. They share joy and heartbreak growing up in the shadow of the Civil War.
BreadcrumbsIn this modernized fairy tale, Hazel must journey into an icy forest to rescue her best friend Jack from a snow queen.
A Christmas CarolOn Christmas Eve, cruel penny-pincher Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three spirits who show him visions of his past, present, and future.
The Golden CompassThis first book of His Dark Materials trilogy starts off at Oxford's Jordan College, where eleven-year-old Lyra Belacqua and her dæmon Pantalaimon are given a device called an alethiometer that Lyra learns to interpret in order to discover truths, especially in connection to the kidnapping of children.
Miracles on Maple HillMarly's family moves to the country to help her father, a World War II veteran, find peace and joy.
Mr. Popper’s PenguinsMr. Popper, who dreams of exploring the polar regions, receives a penguin as a gift — and soon he training an entire penguin family to be part of Popper's Performing Penguins.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireIn the fourth book of the Harry Potter series, the Triwizard Tournament brings foreign students — and unexpected dangers — to Hogwarts.
Catherine, Called BirdyIn medieval England, an unconventional teenage girl records events in her daily life, including her attempts to thwart her father's plans to marry her off.
Sir Gawain and the Green KnightIn this medieval poem, originally composed in Middle English in the 14th century, a mysterious green knight issues a challenge to the knights of King Arthur's court. Learn these words from the translation by J.R.R. Tolkien.
HeidiIn this classic novel, an orphaned girl goes to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. Learn these words from the translation by Elisabeth P. Stork.
The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeWhile exploring an unfamiliar house, four siblings discover a portal to the mystical kingdom of Narnia, a perpetually frozen land under the control of a powerful witch.
A Little PrincessTen-year-old Sara Crewe is treated like a princess at her boarding school. When her father dies unexpectedly in India, Sara must live in the attic and work as a maid and errand girl. With the help of her vivid imagination — and a mysterious benefactor — she learns to survive and thrive.
The MarvelsTwo separate stories — the first told in illustrations and the second in prose — combine to create a marvelous whole in this book from the Caldecott-winning author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneOn his eleventh birthday, orphan Harry Potter learns the shocking truth: he's a wizard about to begin his education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The Call of the WildIn this action-packed adventure story, a domesticated dog must shed his civilized ways to become a proper sled dog during the Yukon Gold Rush.
The Left Hand of DarknessIn Ursula Le Guin's classic science fiction novel, a human emissary travels to Winter, an alien world with a culture very different from his own.
The Incredible JourneyThis classic novel tells the story of three pets who go on a quest through the wilderness to reunite with their owner.
The Invention of Hugo CabretHugo is an orphan living in a train station in Paris when he meets two strangers who will change his life. Learn these words from Brian Selznick's captivating mystery, told through a combination of images and words.
PaxAfter a war breaks out, Peter is forced to abandon Pax, his beloved pet fox — but Peter and Pax are determined to find one another again.
The Sea in WinterAfter a knee injury dashes her dreams of becoming a ballerina, twelve-year-old Maisie struggles with recovery during a midwinter family road trip.
Eight CousinsAfter her parents' death, Rose tries to find a home with various relatives, including her wealthy aunts, her eccentric uncle, and her many cousins.
Fantastic Mr. FoxA clever fox tries to outwit three beastly farmers.
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