Christmas Gift Recommendations What a fall! We wrapped up our last few events, finished much of our renovations, and are gearing up for the holidays

Christmas Gift Recommendations

What a fall! We wrapped up our last few events, finished much of our renovations, and are gearing up for the holidays quite quickly. As always, we have some signed books from a number of our event guests which make great gifts (books from authors such as Ian Rankin, Elizabeth George, Wayne Johnston, and others). However, if you're stuck and looking for other ideas, we have some great recommendations below!

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Holiday Hours

Our seasonal hours are 8:30 am - 10:00 pm Monday-Saturday, and 10:00 am - 9:00 pm Sunday. For the last portion of December and New Year's Day, our hours will be as follows:

Sunday, December 22: 8:30 am - 9:00 pm

Tuesday, December 24: 8:30 am - 6:00 pm

Wednesday, December 25: -Closed-

Thursday, December 26: 9:30 am - 6:00 pm

Friday, December 27: 8:30 am - 9:00 pm

Saturday, December 28: 8:30 am - 9:00 pm

Sunday, December 29: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Monday, December 30: 8:30 am - 10:00 pm

Tuesday, December 31: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Wednesday, January 1: 11:30 am - 5:30 pm

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Thirteen days of Christmas

Maddy Recommends

The Thirteen Days of Christmas by Jenny Overton

“On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...a partridge in a pear tree!”

The opening lines of this centuries-old carol are as familiar to us as Jingle Bells—if, perhaps, less irritating. But how many of us have stopped to consider what is really going on in this song—or what would happen if someone really did get all those presents? Jenny Overton’s holiday masterpiece offers a chance to find out, in a Christmas romance that is as comical as it is beautiful.

Annaple Kitson is a lovely girl and her family adores her...but sometimes they really do wish she’d get married. You see, while it must be said that her heart’s in the right place, she really is extremely bossy, and far too concerned with keeping things clean, and as for her cooking…well, the less said about that the better. Fortunately, there's a charming young man who's absolutely mad about her--but he's just not romantic enough for Annaple. However, when Annaple’s younger siblings decide to force this budding romance into bloom, things very quickly start to get out of hand, and what starts as a romantic, if fanciful, gesture, soon turns a quiet English town upside down.

Interwoven throughout this festive pageant are a myriad Christmas traditions, carols, and rituals—from the gathering of holly and ivy, to St. Stephen’s day revelry, to Dancing Day and Twelfth Night—that enchant and inspire, and invite readers to embrace the full glory of the twelve days of Christmas. Funny, moving, and splendidly imagined (not to mention illustrated by the inimitable Shirley Hughes!) The Thirteen Days of Christmas is without question the finest holiday book I have ever read in my entire life.

There are very few books that I can recommend with such unrestrained exuberance in the absolute certainty that they will transform your holiday season, but The Thirteen Days of Christmas is one such: a Christmas story for all ages that is sure to become an annual treasure. Read it aloud over the holidays while savouring some mulled wine or apple cider, and revel in all the beauty and the spirit that this marvellous book, and this magical season, has to offer.

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DeathStarOwner

Dan Recommends

Death Star Owner's Workshop Manual by Ryder Windham
Many Bothans died to bring us this book! You probably know at least one person who would enjoy having the owner's manual to the Death Star!

Assasssination! by Brendan Smith Powell
Lovers of history and/or Lego, rejoice! The Lego book of presidential assassinations is educational and colourful... despite the morbid subject matter.

Kingdom of fungi

Multi-cellular life is typically divided into three kingdoms: animal, plant, and fungus. If you're shopping for a nature buff, try these:

Animal Earth by Ross Piper is a gorgeous guide to our many diverse relatives.

Kingdom of Fungi by Jens Petersen is an illuminating and very well-illustrated guide to fungus and mold!

Ancient Trees by Lewington & Parker is your guide to trees living today that are older than the modern English language!

Uzumaki

Viz's 3-in-1 line lets you dive into some of the most popular comics being made in Japan at a fraction of the price of the individual volumes. Junji Ito is hands-down one of the best horror authors working in comics. The hardcover omnibus of Uzumaki is a one-of-a-kind for fans of the macabre.

To Be Or Not To Be is noteworthy simply by being a choose-your-own-adventure version of Hamlet. However, a wide variety of contributing authors & illustrators makes this book novel & entertaining. Perfect for the Shakespeare fan who's not too serious.

Adventure Time is a terrific TV show. The Adventure Time Bind-Up affordably collects the first three volumes of the also-great comic. Ideal for fans of the show.

Making Comics by Scott McCloud is the quintessential guide to writing and drawing comics. Great gift for beginners and experts!

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Humans of New York

Clare Recommends

If you're hard-pressed to find a book for the person who's hard to shop for, try one of these!

A Reader's Book of Days by Tom Nissley
A fun new take on a yearly almanac for the reader (or writer). Each page is devoted to a day of the year, events in the lives of great writers, and fictional events that took place within beloved books.

Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton
Based off of the blog of the same name, this book is a fascinating photographic census of New York City whereby Brandon Stanton crisscrossed the city, camera in hand, to capture New Yorkers and their stories.

Cast Iron Skillet by Sharon Kramis
The cast iron skillet is seen by many chefs as an indispensable tool in the kitchen. This cookbook boasts 95 recipes, from the savoury to the sweet, that help you make the best of this oft-underutilised tool.

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Dark Is Rising

Recommendations From The Kids' Staff

It can be tough to find good Christmas-themed books for kids. Luckily, our kids' staff have curated a small list of some of the books they deem to be standouts!

Christmas in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
Three farms and seven children make for a cheerfully noisy Christmas in this tale of togetherness. By the author of Pippi Longstocking.

Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
A stunning tale set in midwinter, in which a boy named Will and his horse must go in search of the Walker, and Will's destiny.

Father Christmas

Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs
The annual journey of Father Christmas, told with irreverent humor and colourful style.

Alfie's Christmas by Shirley Hughes
Alfie spends Christmas with relatives visiting from Australia. Will Alfie get the present he asked for? Will it ever snow? A heartwarming addition to the beloved Alfie series.

The Christmas Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood
A sweetly illustrated collection of quiet moments at Christmas with the animals from "The Quiet Book". Perfect for reading aloud (with a hush).

Night Before Christmas

Night Before Christmas Book & DVD by Jan Brett
A gorgeous rendition of the famous poem, with a musical performance for all ages to enjoy.

Christmas Farm by Mary Lyn Ray
An excellent read-aloud book about Wilma and her five-year old neighbour Parker who decide to plant and nurture Christmas trees.

Christmas Mouse by Toby Forward
This delightful take on A Christmas Carol depicts Ben, a wealthy mouse, who is less than impressed with the gift that poor Tim brings him. A stranger appears to take Ben on a quest to find three people to show Ben the true meaning of Christmas.

Empty Stocking

Christmas Story with Nativity by Brian Wildsmith
As the events of the Nativity unfold, this story tells of the journey of a little girl and a donkey to Bethlehem

Empty Stocking by Richard Curtis
This funny Christmas story tells of twins Sam and Charlie, and the most important question of all... have they been good? Charlie has most certainly not, but a mistake by Santa leaves Charlie to put things right.

The More the Merrier by Anne Fine
Christmas is a time for family, however when that includes the weird adults and ghastly cousins, the stress can soon overtake the merriment. This mischievous tale goes to show that more is not always merrier.

Third Gift

String in the Harp by Nancy Bond
This novel blends fantasy with realism and Welsh mythology to tell of a teen dealing with a family tragedy who spends Christmas in Wales with her family.

The Third Gift by Linda Sue Park
Using the myth of the Three Wise Men as a starting point, this beautifully-illustrated book tells of a young boy and his father who harvest myrrh.

Tomten and the Fox by Astrid Lindgren
Another from the Pippi Longstocking author, this charming book evokes the winter beauty of a Swedish night.

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