BOOKS TO BORROW

"The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey" by Susan Wojciechowski, illustrated by P.J. Lynch

Read aloud: age 5 and older

Read yourself: age 8 and older

The children in the village call him "Mr. Gloomy," but his name is Jonathan Toomey. Mr. Toomey is a miserable man who keeps to himself. He has come to live in the village after the deaths of his wife and baby. A magnificent woodcarver by trade, it is the only good thing people can say about the man.

Newcomers to town, the widow McDowel and her son Thomas, go to Mr. Toomey's door one day in early December. The widow asks Mr. Toomey if he will carve a new crèche for her for Christmas. Theirs had been lost during their move.

Mr. Toomey takes the job, but with no guarantee on when it will be complete; he is not a man who believes in miracles. But of all the miracles of that Christmas season, none is so grand for Jonathan Toomey as the happy hours he passes carving those figures with Thomas by his side.

LIBRARIAN'S CHOICE

Library: Ledyard Public Libraries, 718 Colonel Ledyard Hwy., Ledyard

Library Director: Gale Bradbury

Children's Librarian: Nancy Brewer

Choices this week: "Old Black Fly" by Jim Aylesworth; "Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree" by Gail Gibbons; "Brother Eagle, Sister Sky" by Chief Seattle

AT THE BOOKSTORE

“In My Heart: A Book of Feelings" by Jo Witek, illustrated by Christine Roussey, Abrams Appleseed

Read aloud: age 2, 3 and older

Read yourself: age 6 and 7

A celebration of a wide range of feelings and how they feel physically, this choice is lovely.

Exploring many emotions from happy to strong, mad, hopeful, sad, shy and more, the brief, clear text and whimsical illustrations add just the right pitch to this book. A die-cut heart extends through each spread, adding a fun dimension to the book.

"Peanut Butter & Cupcake!" by Terry Border, Philomel, 2014, 32 pages, $17.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 3 and older

Read yourself: age 6 and 7

Peanut Butter is new to town and goes in search of a friend. He takes along his soccer ball, and although he meets many potential friends along the way, each is busy doing something else. Hamburger is busy walking the (hot) dogs, Cupcake is making a sprinkle castle, and Meatball is busy trying to set a record for the greatest number of jumps with his spaghetti jump rope. Will Peanut Butter ever find a friend?

kendal@sunlink.net