As we really get into the swing of the holiday season, you are no doubt on the hunt for the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Luckily for all us that are still shopping, The Collective Retail and Artisan Shops in downtown Williamson offers a variety of great local shops to give our business to. One of these businesses, Maple Grove Books has been kind enough to share a list of book recommendations with Williamson Forward.
Starting with the kids, Maryann Leandaro, owner of Maple Grove Books, has some great recommendations. “Bigfoot Baby”, a board flip book for the littles, features the adventures of a young bigfoot, and his interactions with his friends in the woods, while “A Friend Like You” focuses on different forms of friendship. She also recommends “Mr. Thatcher’s House,” a story that she says explores “the pressures we put on ourselves and how sometimes that blinds us to what is important in life.”
She also has some recommendations for kids in an older age group, such as Robert Winston’s “My Amazing Body Machine,” which she describes as “engaging from cover to cover” in its aims to teach kids about how their bodies work. She also points to “Frizzy” by Claribel A Ortega, which depicts a young woman in “a quest to find herself through her hair” and care for her natural coils. Jeff Kinney’s “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” is another recommendation that she believes kids will enjoy.
For teens and fans of YA, “Graceling by Kristin Cashore is near and dear to my heart,” She says. “Kasta is a graceling who goes on a journey to find truth, and she learns about herself and finds friendship along the way.” More recommendations are Big Ethel Energy, which follows a former laughingstock of Riverdale high, and A Consuming Fire by Laura E. Weymouth, which follows “a riveting tale of a sister’s quest for answers about the death of her sister.”
Her final suggestion for readers of YA is a classic: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. “It will always be a favorite,” She says. “Adventure, magic, plot twists, and our favorite wizards! You get such a rush from reading about Harry’s adventures and the friends he makes along the way.”
Plenty of Options for Grown-Ups
Her suggestions for adults are even more genre-diverse. “All the Broken Places” by John Boyne is described by Maryann as “a stunning tale” about a woman who must confront the sins of the past, while “The Butcher and the Wren” by Alaina Urquhart is a horror/thriller that “will grip you from the start.”
She also suggests “Act Your Age Eve Brown” by Talia Hibbert, one of her favorite books. “I laughed out loud with this book, and loved every minute of it,” She says. Meanwhile, the fantasy lover in your life is bound to enjoy “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J Maas, which Maryann says “touches on everything you could ever want in a great book.”
For Folks Who Prefer the Real World
For folks who prefer memoir and biography, she also has some suggestions. First, “The Grimkes” by Kerri K. Greenridge tells the story of sisters Sarah and Angelina Grimke, and she describes it as an “outstanding deep dive into the history and intricacies of racial and gender equality.” She also suggests a recent hit, Jennette McCurdy’s “I’m Glad My Mom Died.” “Jenette is so transparent about her experiences,” Maryann says. “It is brave, honest, and heart-wrenching.” Her final suggestion is “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” by John ‘Chick’ Donohue and J.T Molly, which follows Chick on an epic journey to bring friends beer during the Vietnam War.
A book is a fantastic Christmas gift which will allow folks to dive into new worlds and new experiences, and Maple Grove Books is certainly a great place to grab a great read!
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