Just in time for the holidays, librarian Kaite Stover answered every question as to what you should buy others — or even yourself — for Christmas.
Stover’s program, “Book Buzz: Books for the Winter Holiday Season” reminded audience members of the joy of reading and that the right book “makes people feel they are appreciated and understood,” Stover said. “It really shows thoughtfulness because you’re giving something that speaks to their interests. A book should not land on the Christmas gift list as the equivalent of underwear or socks, so make sure that you think about what someone would like.”
Though Tuesday night’s gathering at the Iola Public Library was small, Stover, who serves as director of readers’ services at Kansas City Public Library, left no stone unturned, covering books from Westerns to mysteries to children’s books.
Stover suggested that for readers who have read every John Grisham book, for example, to consult a librarian who can access the Novelist database to find other authors who write in a similar vein but “aren’t getting the big media push” the bestsellers enjoy.
Author Graham Moore could be Grisham’s double, Moore said, specializing in fast-paced legal thrillers. Moore’s “The Holdout,” is a “great weekend binge read,” said Stover.
“What’s great about Graham Moore is that he’s also a Hollywood screenwriter, so when it comes to fiction, this man has fantastic control over pacing and plotting and storytelling. With Moore, you’re going to get a fast-paced story that’s absorbing and it’s going to have lots of twists and turns.”
Stover also guided readers away from looking at only recently published books.
“Don’t feel you need to find something brand new. There are lots of wonderful books out there. You want to give something that’s good and matches your readers’ tastes.”
A good example is “A Child’s Christmas in Wales,” by Dylan Thomas.
“There are lots of versions of this book, but the reason I picked this one is because it’s an anniversary edition and it was illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, who has many Caldecott Medal awards to her name,” Stover said.
“This Christmas book is actually a lesser-known classic because it doesn’t have an animated TV special that goes with it,” Stover said. “It truly is an old-fashioned Christmas story where Dylan Thomas magically captured the warmth and the joy of the holiday and the spirit of family getting together,” Stover said. “It’s suitable for teens, it’s suitable for adults, it’s for little kids and the pictures are stunning.”
Staying with children’s books, Stover also recommended “Ocean Meets Sky,” by the Fan Brothers.
“This is a beautiful picture book that deals very quietly with the themes of grief and discovery. It opens with a little boy who learned he has lost his beloved grandfather. The story is not overbearing. This is a lovely book that lets little ones know that their elders are still with them even if they’re not,” Stover said.
The book’s illustrations are “gorgeous,” Stover said, making it also a good book “for budding artists.”
For strong young readers and teens, Stover suggested the Harry Potter read-alike, “Children of Blood and Bone” by Tomi Adeyemi.
