Unexpected Gifts of Imagination: December Booklist From KCLS For Kids & Teens

Gifts are not always found wrapped in paper and ribbon on special occasions. Rather, gifts can come at any time during the year in many different forms. In this list, the ‘gifts’ I find in the books are as varied as the discovery of a magical ability, a new friendship, a reward a long time coming, a loving relationship or a pretty object made out of something mundane and every-day. May all of our lives be enriched with unexpected gifts.

Kids

The Talking Eggs: A Folktale from the American South retold by Robert D. San Souci and pictures by Jerry Pinkney. Two sisters, one kind and good and the other nasty and cruel meet with an odd, magical old woman who gives them each a justly deserved reward for the work that they do for her. This story has its roots in European folktales. In this version, the story has immigrated to the United States, where it takes on a very Southern feel. San Souci captures this feeling in his lively text, while Pinkney’s illustrations are (as always) a joy to look at.

The Rainbabies by Laura Krauss Melmed and Jim LaMarche. A couple who long for children find a dozen tiny babies after a rare and lucky moonshower (a rain during a full moon). After several trials where the woman and the man must protect and care for the babies, the rainbabies’ parent comes to claim her children and reward the happy couple for their virtue. This book is a beautiful modern folktale with stunning painted illustrations.

The Snow Spider by Jenny Nimmo. Gwyn has dreaded celebrating the day of his birth ever since his older sister, Bethan, disappeared on the night of his birthday many years before. However, on Gwyn’s special ninth birthday his grandmother reveals that he is a magician and gives him five peculiar gifts that turn out to have magical qualities. Will Gwyn be able to use his new powers to find his long lost sibling?

Horton Halfpott, or, the Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor, or, the Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset by Tom Angleberger. You would never think that the loosening of a tight piece of clothing would be the cause of major upset at Smugwick Manor, but indeed, it is the cataclysmic event known as The Loosening that allows Smugwick Manor’s most downtrodden kitchen boy, Horton Halfpott, to aid in solving a diabolical mystery, deal with nefarious land bound pirates and fall in love with an eligible young heiress.

Teens

Sandry’s Book by Tamora Pierce. Sandry, a noble who lives in a fantastical world, was tested for the gift of magic and told she did not have any. After a tragedy in which she loses her entire family, Sandry is discovered by one of the most powerful mages in her world and told she has an unusual type of magic. After a series of mishaps, Sandry moves into a small house with three other children who also have rare gifts. Sandry and her new friends must learn to use their extraordinary skills to benefit their own lives and be of use to the world.

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen. Sixteen-year-old Jessica has always felt that she was born to run. She never feels as alive or as happy as when she is running around her town with her dog, Sherlock. Jessica has long been one of the top runners on her track team and is looking forward to winning another meet. All of this ends abruptly when the track team bus is involved in a terrible accident that leaves one of Jessica’s teammates dead and Jessica an amputee, with only one remaining leg. Jessica is certain her life is over. It will take a special gift from Jessica’s friends and family to help her realize her running dream.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson. Ginny has always been in awe of her giddy, artistic Aunt Peg. After her aunt passes away due to brain cancer Ginny receives a ticket to London and 13 blue envelopes, to be opened when Ginny reaches specific destinations. As Ginny travels from place to place, following her late aunt’s instructions, she discovers more about her aunt and herself than she could have ever imagined.

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud. Nathaniel is a magician’s apprentice that is just beginning his magical education. Before Nathaniel can get too far, an older, more experienced and very nasty magician named Simon Lovelace humiliates him in front of his teachers. Determined to get revenge, Nathaniel summons a djinni named Bartimaeus and sends him to steal a powerful artifact from Lovelace. The real gift in this book is Bartimaeus himself, both to the reader and to Nathaniel. The djinni’s wisecracks and hilarious side comments make him the star of the show. A colleague also highly recommends this book in audio format, which she says is amazing for family road trips.