Cozy up with these books, hand-picked by Margaret Leonard of Dotters Books in Eau Claire, that offer stories of bravery, love, acceptance and the meaning of home.
Home in the Woods, written and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler
Home in the Woods is one of my favorite new children’s books. It was written and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler, a Minneapolis-based writer and artist who went to school at UW-Stout. This is the second book that she has both written and illustrated, and it is exquisite. Beyond the fact that her illustrations are absolutely stunning, Wheeler tells the story of her grandmother’s childhood growing up during the Great Depression in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. After her father dies, Marvel, her six brothers and sisters and her mother are forced to move into a tar paper shack in the middle of the woods. At first glance, it’s difficult for the family to imagine that this shack could ever be home, but throughout the seasons, they work tirelessly to not just survive, but thrive in their home in the woods. This is a lovely story of family and the true meaning of home.
Sleep Tight, Farm by Eugenie Doyle, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander
Sleep Tight, Farm is the perfect, peaceful bedtime story to read when the seasons start to change. The book follows a family as they ready their farm for winter. With lovely illustrations and soothing prose, Doyle and Stadtlander create a magical picture of winter farmers markets, chickens in the roost, strawberry patches covered in hay and family dinners with homegrown vegetables and delicious berry pie. Our family absolutely loves this book. You can taste the delicious fruits and vegetables being harvested, and as the story comes to a close on the Winter Solstice, you’ll wish you were heading into their farmhouse to cozy up with some hot chocolate and a good book.
Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border by Mitali Perkins, illustrated by Sara Palacios
I know, I know — it’s October. But please permit me to recommend this Christmas book; it is so good. Maria and Juan live in California and their grandmother lives across the border in Mexico. The two children work together to create a beautiful Christmas gift to take to their grandmother at the border crossing, but once they get there, they are not allowed to pass anything through the border fence. Maria devises a plan to get their gift to their abuela, and the agents monitoring the border soften at the sight of two children connecting with people on both sides of the fence. This hopeful and emotionally moving story is fantastic for the upcoming holiday season, and also a great way to talk through current issues like immigration and the border with your children.
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
This middle grade book isn’t really about the seasons changing, but it is so good that I really want to share it with all of you. Aven is thirteen years old when her family moves from Kansas to Arizona after her parents take a job running a failing western-themed amusement park, Stagecoach Pass. She is not happy about leaving all of her friends to move to the desert. Aven was born without arms, and she feels nervous about finding a place to fit in at her new school. Eventually she meets some friends who have their own struggles with being different and together they work to solve a big mystery at Stagecoach Pass. Aven is a hilarious kid, and while she works hard to project confidence, she struggles not to feel insecure at her new school. This book provides parents with a fantastic resource to talk about friendship, confidence and acceptance. And if you fall in love with Aven, Connor and Zion, make sure you check out the new sequel, Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus.
– Margaret Leonard
Margaret Leonard is the owner, along with Jill Heinke Moen, of Dotters Books, an independent bookstore in Eau Claire. The shop, which specializes in books by a diverse range of authors, began as a book club and opened its doors in the fall of 2018. Follow Dotters Books on Instagram and Facebook.