Shannon's Library

Are you wondering what to give your loved ones for Christmas this year? Do you want to give books as gifts but need some ideas? Well, I’m here to help!

I’ve divided these book ideas into 6 categories with 2 suggestions in each. (But obviously these books can be given to anyone, depending on your individual needs!)

So here we go!

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MIDDLE-GRADE CHILDREN

When Felicity and her mother arrive in Midnight Gulch, Felicity feels her luck begin to change. For the first time, she’s found a place where she can grow some good memories…and maybe even make a friend. That’s because Midnight Gulch used to be magical – a town where people could dance up thunderstorms and bake secrets into pies – until a curse drove the magic away. At least, that’s what most people think. Felicity can tell there’s still a snicker of magic in Midnight Gulch. it hasn’t disappeared; it’s just been playing hide-and-seek for a very long time. All she has to do is find the right words to turn it loose. (PG)

Peter is a ten-year-old blind orphan who has been forced into a life of crime. One fateful afternoon, Peter steals a mysterious box that contains three magical pairs of eyes. When he tries the first pair, he is instantly transported to a hidden island where he is presented with a special quest; to travel beyond the known world and rescue a lost kingdom from its treacherous ruler. With the help of the Fantastic Eyes and some unlikely friends, Peter embarks on an unforgettable, swashbuckling adventure to save a people in need – and to discover his true identity. (PG)

(Both of these books are full of friendship and magic. A perfect combination!)

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TEENS

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life – and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control. Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe – a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own. (PG-13)

(I know the premise of this book seems a bit brutal, but trust me, it’s handled in a non-brutal way. All three of my teenagers loved this series! As did I!)

One Prince. One Witch. One Fate. Sable is a witch and the daughter of Fate. Tauren, is a handsome prince. When Sable reads Tauren’s fortune, Fate shows her that his life is in danger and it is up to her to save him. The prince is due to choose a bride and Sable, being a witch, cannot marry. With his life in danger, the prince extends an invitation to Sable to be one of the women he will choose his bride from. Sable agrees, as it is the only way she can protect him from the danger he faces. Will Sable be able to stop Fate and save the prince? (PG-13)

(If you have a teenager that loved “The Selection Series,” this is similar – only with some witchyness thrown in!)

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MOTHERS / MOTHER-IN-LAWS / GRANDMOTHERS

Sixty-nine-year-old Arthur Pepper lives a simple life. But on the one-year anniversary of his wife’s death, something changes. Sorting through Miriam’s possessions, Arthur finds an exquisite gold charm bracelet he’s never seen before. What follows is a surprising and unforgettable odyssey that takes Arthur from London to Paris and as far as India in an epic quest to find out the truth about his wife’s secret life before they met – a journey that leads him to find hope, healing and self-discovery in the most unexpected places. (PG-13)

Music narrates this tale of its most beloved disciple, Frankie Presto, a Spanish war orphan raised by a blind music teacher. At nine years old, Frankie is sent to America in the bottom of a boat. His only possession is an old guitar and six magical strings. Frankie’s talent is touched by the gods, and it weaves him through the musical landscape of the twentieth century, from classical to jazz to rock and roll. Frankie elevates to a rock star himself, yet his gift becomes a burden, as he realizes that he can actually affect people’s futures; his guitar strings turn blue whenever a life is altered. Overwhelmed by life, loss, and this power, he disappears for many years, only to emerge in a spectacular and mysterious farewell. (PG-13)

(Both of these books are charming, easy, feel-good reads!)

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HUSBANDS / FATHERS / GRANDFATHERS

In 1906, the western states of America have been suffering from an extraordinary crime spree: a string of bank robberies by a single man who then cold-bloodedly murders any and all witnesses and vanishes without a trace. Fed up by the depredations of “The Butcher Bandit,” the U.S. government brings in the best man it can find — a no-nonsense detective named Isaac Bell, who has caught thieves and killers from coast to coast. But he has never had a challenge like this one. From Arizona to Colorado to the streets of San Francisco, he pursues what quickly becomes clear to him is the best criminal mind he has ever encountered, and the woman who seems to hold the key to the man’s identity. Eventually, the hunter becomes the hunted. And soon, it will take all of Bell’s skills not merely to prevail…but to survive. (PG-13)

(For the lovers of action-packed thrillers!)

Berkeley, California, 1933. In a lab filled with curiosities – beakers, Bunsen burners, and hundreds upon hundreds of books – sat an investigator who would go on to crack at least two thousand cases in his forty-year career. Known as the “American Sherlock Holmes,” Edward Oscar Heinrich was one of America’s first forensic scientists, with an uncanny knack for finding clues, establishing evidence, and deducing answers with a skill that seemed almost supernatural. Heinrich spearheaded the invention of a myriad of new forensic tools that police still use today, including bloodstain pattern analysis, ballistics, lie detector tests, and the use of fingerprints as courtroom evidence. His work changed the course of American criminal investigation. (PG-13)

(If you know someone who loves criminal forensic podcasts or TV shows, this would be the perfect book for them!)

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FRIENDS

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of money-lenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty – until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold. When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk – grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh – Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and her unlikely allies embark on a desperate quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power and love. (PG-13)

(For the friend who has never outgrown fairy tales!)

Balthazar Jones lives in the Tower of London with his wife, Hebe, and his one-hundred-eighty-one-year-old pet tortoise, Mrs. Cook. That’s right; he is a Beefeater (they really do live there). It’s no easy job navigating the trials and tribulations that come with living and working in the largest tourist attraction in present-day London. Balthazar and Hebe’s marriage is teetering on the brink when Balthazar is tasked with opening an elaborate menagerie within the Tower walls to house the unusual animal gifts the queen is given by foreign dignitaries. Life at the Tower is about to get all the more interesting. The penguins escape, the giraffes are stolen, the lovebirds hate each other… Balthazar is in charge, and things are not exactly running smoothly. It is at this point that his beloved tortoise “runs” away and Hebe decides to leave. What’s a Beefeater to do? (PG-13)

(For the friend who loves books with beautiful covers and quirky characters!)

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TEACHERS / NEIGHBORS

This is a simple, yet beautiful, picture book that would make a special gift. It tells the Christmas story of the birth of the Savior through scripture verse. But this book is really all about the gorgeous artwork. I absolutely love it!

This is a keepsake box set containing three books from the “What Do You Do With…” series. “What Do You Do With an Idea?” “What Do You Do With a Problem?” “What Do You Do With a Chance?” Any of these books separately would make a wonderful gift, especially for a teacher. Their Nordic inspired illustrations make them perfect gifts for the Christmas season!