Are you as ready to say goodbye to 2020 as I am? This month is the culmination of a year of unpredictability and chaos, so maybe it makes sense that I feel compelled to hunker down with a soft blanket, a hot cup of tea and a pile of “comfort reads” at the ready. Since the typical frantic Holiday pace has been subverted by stay-at-home advisories, I have the perfect excuse for staying put and indulging in my favorite pastime. I will wait until January to tackle challenging topics and weighty prose. Now is the time for rest, reflection and re-reads. What activities fit the bill for you? If you are reading this, I’ll bet that books are somewhere on your list. Maybe you can take some time this month to leaf through an old favorite or try one of the cozy new releases that come out this time of year. Don’t be shy about taking out a bunch of beloved children’s books that may hold some wonderful memories for you. Whatever you choose, these cold December days can be made warmer with some comforting stories as companions.

Here are a few suggestions that I want to revisit this month, some with links to reviews just in case they pique your interest:

	The inspiration for my blog’s title and a wonderfully charming tribute to "one of my favorite things." Bibliophile by Jane Mount fills me with delight whenever I pore through its pages.
	How to Fracture a Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen is like a secret decoder ring for understanding those classic tales that have influenced just about every work of fiction since they were first whispered at firesides. Yolen is truly an expert and her versions are refreshing and reminiscent all at once.
	If you are looking for a good laugh but don’t have much time to spare, you may want to try Look Alive Out There by Sloane Crosley. Her essays are sometimes controversial, often touching, and always hilarious.
	One of my favorite authors, Erin Morgenstern, released a new novel this year after a long hiatus and now The Starless Sea ranks among one of my favorite books of all time.

And I can’t resist mentioning:

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. One of my dearest loves from childhood and rife with lessons for adults as well. If you prefer you can also watch the movie version (but read the book first!).

I also pulled together some suggestions for bookish gifts to help with your shopping this season: A GPL BiblioFile Gift List: For The --- in Your Life. I know these types of lists abound, but I thought I would give my own two cents. This list is not designed to sell you anything, and the selections are not tied to any specific creed or tradition. I think it is fun to imagine a suitable book for the people you know—their reaction will quickly tell you if you have pegged them correctly or not!

Recent Readings

Right now, I am reading Group by Christie Tate, a memoir about a young lawyer’s transformational experience with group therapy. It is funny and poignant, and I am enjoying this frank discussion about her struggles and reluctant journey toward self-understanding. I am going to re-read Ready Player One (Ernest Cline) in anticipation of the sequel (Ready Player Two) currently on order at GPL, but I am going to listen to it on audio this time around. I have also just started Honeycomb (advance copy for review) by Jane Harris which is due to be published in May 2021.

As always, I love hearing from all of you (jnmegan@gpl.org). What books, movies or activities bring you “comfort and joy?” Will you spend this month bouncing between Zoom family gatherings? I wish all of you the best this season: peace, good health, and joy. 2021 is on its way!

Until next time: Be well and be well-read!

Joelle

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So, who am I, anyway? I am a resident of West Groton, with a husband, 4 teen aged children and a Samoyed puppy—all of whom are systematically destroying our house during the COVID crisis. I am currently working part time at the Groton Public Library and in a former life I was employed as a Director or PR/Marketing at a high-tech consulting firm. My BA is in Psychology, but most of my time was spent in college earning a Concentration on the Novel. That is all to say that I make no claims at being an expert of any kind and my thoughts, opinions and mistakes are solely my own. I am just a person whose passion for books has continued to grow from the moment I was first able to grip and gnaw on them, and I have been devouring them ever since.