With winter break around the corner, Cavaliers turn to their favorite holiday-related books to celebrate the season. Both old favorites and new discoveries can brighten any holiday, especially when it is necessary to replace more conventional family visits with more isolated yet still festive traditions. For many during winter break, reading is a great way to embrace the holiday spirit. 

Sophomore Brenden Rafferty prefers two favorites to any other. His fondness for the books is rooted in memories of reading them in years past.

“My favorite holiday or winter related book probably is either The Polar Express or How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Rafferty said. “I remember reading both of those when I was younger.”

For Librarian Cassidy Capuano, holiday books stir up beloved childhood memories. Her enjoyment of The Polar Express is also enhanced by the film adaptation. 

“The Polar Express is one of my favorite holiday books,” Capuano said. “I remember reading it when I was little, and I even had the version of the book that came with a real bell. As a child, [that] was so cool! Now, I enjoy re-reading it each year and then watch the movie. A lot of people don’t like the movie, but I really love it, and it brings back great childhood memories. I am also a huge fan of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and Let it Snow by John Green.”

According to English teacher Katie Kilby, readers can connect holiday-related books with the winter season. 

“Little Women has a cozy feel,” Kilby said. “There’s a lot of nostalgia and great imagery. If you’re reading a book during the season that you’re in, you can place yourself in the book easier. [For example, if] you’re looking out the window and it’s snowing, and in Little Women, it’s also snowing.”

Books provide a way to celebrate the holidays with friends and family, whether in person or virtually. Many believe holiday books are special because they provide a way to celebrate the season.

“It’s not really a tradition more as it was a childhood thing where because I got read to as a child,” Rafferty said. “During Christmas time, we would bring out those seasonal books and read them.” 

Reading books inspires Librarian Heidi Williams to celebrate the holidays with her family and friends. Her favorite books are an integral part of many treasured memories of the holiday season.

“I really enjoy the holidays,” Williams said. “I’m fortunate to have a family and friends to celebrate with and many happy memories surrounding this time, so when I read books that celebrate this season, I feel especially happy, excited, and warm inside.”

Holiday books are beloved by those who enjoy them because they are a consistent part of the season each year. 

“I think holiday books are special because they are often rooted in tradition,” Capuano said. “Many holiday books bring back old memories for adult readers or serve as a means of beginning a new tradition for younger readers. They’re also often heartwarming, and they help get readers in the holiday spirit!”

Winter break provides students with an opportunity to rest and recharge as the new year begins.

“I think you do have more time to sit down and read and get yourself off of the screen,” Kilby said. “It would be nice to take a break from all the screen time and physically open up a book. And why not make it a cozy holiday-themed book like we all love to read during this time.”

Capuano recommends her favorites, as well as other books, to Clover Hill students. Many are available in the school library. 

“We have both A Christmas Carol and Let it Snow in our collection, available for check out,” Capuano said. “In addition to A Christmas Carol and Let it Snow, we have many other holiday [and] seasonal books. We have a few holiday romance novels, a wide variety of wintry novels, and a mix of holiday nonfiction books that outline various holiday celebrations, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and others.” 

Students have several options to find a book that appeals to them, such as library check out and eBooks.

“Some holiday books, such as A Christmas Carol and Kiss Me in New York, are available as eBooks through MackinVia,” Capuano said. “Students can check these out anytime, anywhere. If students would like to check out print books, they can use the Curbside Pickup Request Form located on the Library Canvas page to request up to five books! They will then be able to pick them up from the building between 8:00-3:00 on Mondays, Tuesday, Thursday, or Fridays between now and the winter break!”