Why books? Long after the wrapping paper, ribbon and boxes are gone,  books will be pulled out again and again. These stories will help us go to sleep, calm our fears and make us dream. The characters found in the books we share become part of our family and their stories become part of our own. Best of all, these books work their magic, bringing us always closer together. 

"When you not only hear a treasured story, but also are pressed against the most important person in the world, a connection is made that cannot be severed." - Maurice Sendak

Nothing compares to the joy of giving and sharing books with those you love. So, come to storytime, check out some books to make your holidays brighter or curl up at home with a good book. 

Happy Holidays from Your RCPL!

Great Books for Babies
 

 Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers

“More, More, More,” Said the Baby:  3 Love Stories by Vera B. Williams

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox

Where is Baby’s Dreidel? by Karen Katz

Who’s Hiding in the Garden?  A Lift-the-Flap Book  by Christiane Gunzi

What Do You See? by Martine Perrin

Great Books for Toddlers

 
Brownie & Pearl Step Out by Cynthia Rylant

Creature ABC by Andrew Zuckerman

My Car by Byron Barton

My First Kwanzaa   by Karen Katz

Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin, Jr.; ill. by Lois Ehlert

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Jane Taylor; ill. by Jerry Pinkney

Great Books for Preschoolers

Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow? by Susan Shea

Rrralph by Lois Ehlert

Life-Size Aquarium by Barbara Haukey Kempe

 Me! by Philip Waechter 

Press Here by Herve Tullet   

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Great Books for Kindergarten through Second Grade

 Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo

Bumble-ardy by Maurice Sendak

Nina in That Makes Me Mad! by Hilary Knight

Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Stieg

Toys Come Home:  Being the Early Experiences of an Intelligent Stingray, a Brave Buffalo and a Brand-New Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins

Great Books for Third through Fifth Grade 

The Annotated Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster 

Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book by Tom Angleberger

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill 

How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships by Steve Jenkins 

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick 

Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke

Great Books for Middle School

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos 

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson 

Inside Out and Back Again by Thannha Lin 

Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan 

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

13 Gifts by Wendy Mass

Great Books for Teens 

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Crossed by Allyson Braithwaite Condie 

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld  

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard by David Petersen