At the beginning of December, to mark colder temperatures and inspire cooking at home, we asked the Harvard Book Store to recommend some of their favorite cookbooks. With winter officially beginning this week, we decided to continue with the seasonally appropriate questions. As we fully embrace the moment, we asked Cambridge librarians: What’s your favorite cozy book for winter reading? We’ve included lighted edited blurbs from the publishers to explain each title.
“The Wolves of Willoughby Chase” by Joan Aiken
“This book has all the winter must-haves: ice skating on a frozen river, overnight train journeys, fireside possets and wild carriage rides through the snow. It’s also an engaging tale about the power of friendship and the inherent strength of young girls.” – Catherine
Wicked wolves and a grim governess threaten Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia when Bonnie’s parents leave Willoughby Chase for a sea voyage. Left in the care of the cruel Miss Slighcarp, the girls can hardly believe what is happening to their once happy home. The servants are dismissed, the furniture is sold and Bonnie and Sylvia are sent to a prisonlike orphan school. It seems as if the endless hours of drudgery will never cease. With the help of Simon the gooseboy and his flock, they escape. But how will they get Willoughby Chase free?
“Howl’s Moving Castle” by Diana Wynne Jones
“Nothing says cozy like a hearth with a powerful fire demon. This book is a timeless classic that will have you roaring with laughter. (I usually tell people the Ghibli film is the story from Howl’s perspective, but the book is from Sophie’s point-of-view.)” – Imani
Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl’s castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon and meet the witch head-on. She discovers there’s more to Howl – and herself – than meets the eye.
“The Snowy Nap” by Jan Brett
“A classic read-aloud with a lot to notice in the illustrations. During the winter I want nothing more than to hide from the cold in a cozy burrow … this book reminds me that there are lots of things I’d miss if I took my own snowy nap.” – Helen
A chill is in the air, and Brett’s hedgehog Hedgie trundles around the farm as friends tell him of the wintertime fun he will miss as he hibernates. Hedgie decides to stay awake instead of going to his burrow – but then a snowstorm starts. Luckily, he is found and brought home so Hedgie gets to see the wonders of winter from inside a cozy house.
“Tales of the City” series by Armistead Maupin
“Sitting inside on a cold, dark New England evening is made much more lively by escaping to the San Francisco of the ’70s. The stories in these books are captivating, heartwarming and hilarious – the perfect antidote for the winter blues.” – Lauren
San Francisco, 1976. A naïve young secretary, fresh out of Cleveland, tumbles into a world of laundromat Lotharios, pot-growing landladies, cutthroat debutantes and Jockey Shorts dance contests. What ensues is manic, romantic, tawdry, touching, and outrageous.
“The Collected Ghost Stories of M.R. James”
“I love cozying up at night with a good ghost story, and James himself had a tradition of telling these stories to his friends and colleagues at Eton College on Christmas Eve, which makes them feel even more seasonally appropriate (they may keep you up at night, though).” – Michael R.
M.R. James is widely regarded as the father of the modern ghost story, and his tales have influenced horror writers from H.P. Lovecraft to Stephen King. First published in the early 1900s, they have never been out of print and are recognized as classics of the genre. This collection contains some of his most chilling tales, including “A View from a Hill,” “Rats,” “A School Story,” “The Ash Tree” and “The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance.”
“Murderbot Diaries” series by Martha Wells
“I don’t know that I would consider it cozy, but I have a very special love for the ‘Murderbot Diaries.’ I listen to the audiobooks yearly, often putting them on to fall asleep to. Kevin R. Free has a great voice, and he fits the wry, sarcastic tone of the Murderbot perfectly. I love the books, snark and violence are my happy place in fiction, and the overarching theme of learning how to be a person and have friends and family and be vulnerable and safe is beautiful.” – Kerri
A murderous android discovers itself in adventures that interrogate the roots of consciousness through Artificial Intelligence. In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ’droid, a self-aware unit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself (though never aloud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is. But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.
“Cujo” by Stephen King
“Stephen King writes New England characters and settings very well. This is a go-to read for me in the depths of January because it is set in the middle of hot, hot summer. Also has a fairly good ending for an early King novel.” – Steve
Outside a peaceful town in central Maine, a monster is waiting. Cujo is a 200-pound Saint Bernard, the best friend Brett Camber has ever had. One day, Cujo chases a rabbit into a cave inhabited by sick bats and emerges as something new altogether. Meanwhile, Vic and Donna Trenton and their young son Tad move to Maine. They are seeking peace and quiet, but life in this small town is not what it seems. As Tad tries to fend off the terror that comes to him at night from his bedroom closet, and as Vic and Donna face their own nightmare of a marriage on the rocks, there is no way they can know that a monster, infinitely sinister, waits in the daylight.
“It’s a Magical World: A Calvin and Hobbes Collection” by Bill Watterson
“I usually reach for something nostalgic when it’s cold and dark outside, and the final ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ collection is perfect for the occasion. Every time I revisit this comic, there’s a strip that’s newly hilarious to me. If you need something for a dreary evening, put on your PJs and spend some time with Spaceman Spiff or some of Calvin’s deranged snowman creations. It’s never failed me.” – Michael M.
When cartoonist Watterson announced his phenomenally popular cartoon strip would be discontinued, fans went into mourning. “It’s a Magical World” delivers all the satisfaction of visiting its characters once more. Calvin fans will be able to see their favorite mischief maker, long-suffering parents, classmate Susie Derkins, school teacher Miss Wormwood and Rosalyn the babysitter. “It’s a Magical World” includes full-color Sundays and has it all: Calvin-turned-firefly waking Hobbes with his flashlight glow; courageous Spaceman Spiff rocketing through alien galaxies as he battles Dad-turned-Bug-Being; and Calvin’s always inspired snowman art.
A stronger
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