Winter Reading Program 2025

Here we are in the month of December, also known as “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”! Or is it the most exhausting and busiest time of the year? And now I have the nerve to ask you to add one more thing to your to do list. WAIT! Before you reject my suggestion, please hear me out. It is time for the Winter Reading Program which runs December 15th to January 24th. We try to make participating both fun and easy and what better way to spend the cold winter months then curled up with a good book?! 

To participate, stop into any Mercer County Library Branch and pick up a Winter Reading Bingo Card or visit our website to print one. Do five activities in a row – up, down, across, or diagonal to complete a bingo card. Then return the bingo card to your local branch where kids and teens will automatically receive a prize and adults will be entered into a raffle for a prize. Each branch may also have additional incentives to keep you reading!

As the mom of adult children, I can tell you some of our fondest memories are from the times we spent reading out loud as a family. From the website of 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, remember it is never to early to start reading to your child! They suggest keeping it fun and enjoyable. Your child will associate reading with pleasure and will be more likely to enjoy reading as they get older. I would add that your children are never too old to read out loud as a family either!

Additional resources and suggestions are available at www.1000booksbeforekindergarten.org. All of the MCLS branches offer the program to our young patrons. The librarians would be so happy to help you get started on this journey. 

I will leave you with read out loud suggestions from my family to yours and may this season bring you joy and peace.

Miss Connie, Hopewell Branch

For Laughs

Knucklehead: Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka by Jon Scieszka

How did Jon Scieszka get so funny? He grew up as one of six brothers with Catholic school, lots of comic books, lazy summers at the lake with time to kill, babysitting misadventures, TV shows, and jokes told at family dinner.

How Angel Peterson Got His Name [book on cd]: and Other Outrageous Tales About Extreme Sports by Gary Paulsen

Author Gary Paulsen relates tales from his youth in a small town in northwestern Minnesota in the late 1940s and early 1950s, such as skiing behind a souped-up car and imitating daredevil Evel Knievel.

Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake by Barbara Park

Junie, a spunky, sometimes exasperating, kindergartener, looks forward to winning lots of prizes at the school carnival, but a fruit cake was not exactly what she had in mind.

 

 

Holiday Books

Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah! by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov 

An illustrated presentation of the well-known Hanukkah song. Includes note about the history of the song.

Nonna's Hanukkah Surprise by Karen Fisman 

When Rachel loses the special menorah her mother gave her so she could share Hanukkah with her cousins, Rachel's grandmother comes to the rescue with a creative and crafty solution.

Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schultz  

This storybook is based on the Peanuts special, A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Santa’s Stuck by Rhonda Gowler Green 

When Santa becomes stuck in the chimney of a house on Christmas Eve, the dog, the cat, the reindeer, and a mouse try to free him.

Room for a Little One – A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell 

Kind Ox welcomes Old Dog, Stray Cat, Small Mouse, Tired Donkey, and finally the baby Jesus into his stable on the first Christmas night.

My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz A girl describes how she and her family celebrate the seven days of Kwanzaa.

 

Snowy Day Stories

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day.

William's Winter Nap by Linda Ashman

"A cozy winter bedtime story, featuring a boy and animal characters, that touches on the concept of hibernation"-- Provided by publisher.

It's winter! By Renée Kurilla

"A celebration of the winter season, from tasty treats and snowball fights to holidays and spending time with family"-- Provided by publisher.

The Mitten: a Ukrainian Folktale by Jan Brett

Several animals sleep snugly in Nicki's lost mitten until the bear sneezes.

Under My Hood I Have a Hat by Karla Kuskin

A child describes the many layers of clothing needed to stay warm in the winter.

 

 

Chapter Books

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 

Four English schoolchildren find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling  

Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl 

Each of five children lucky enough to discover an entry ticket into Mr. Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory takes advantage of the situation in his own way.

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White 

"Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. Wilbur the pig wants to make a friend in the barn. Charlotte the spider wants a friend too! And with the words she makes in her web, she will make sure that everyone knows what a special pig Wilbur is."-- Provided by publisher.