Looking for Books? Westford's Librarians Give Their Gift Ideas

Just in time for holiday shopping, Westford Patch has received a list of ideas on what books to give to your loved ones for this season from the staff at the J.V. Fletcher Library.

FICTION:

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver. "Flight Behavior" transfixes from its opening scene, when a young woman's narrow experience of life is thrown wide with the force of a raging fire. In the lyrical language of her native Appalachia, Barbara Kingsolver bares the rich, tarnished humanity of her novel's inhabitants and unearths the modern complexities of rural existence.”

Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn. “Flynn's toxic mix of sharp-edged wit with deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds readers at every turn. When his wife disappears on their anniversary, Nick starts having cringe-worthy daydreams and becomes oddly evasive, ...”

“Still Alice”, by Lisa Genova.  “A compelling debut novel about a 50-year-old woman's sudden descent into early onset Alzheimer's disease.  Reminiscent of "A Beautiful Mind" and "Ordinary People," this work packs an emotional punch.”

Tigers in Red Weather, by Liza Klaussman. “Brilliantly told from five points of view, with a magical elegance and suspenseful dark longing.  Gothic meets Martha's Vineyard in a thriller that captures a repressed generation and claustrophobic family relations....”

“Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” by Maria Semple.  “To her Microsoft-guru husband, Bernadette's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to her 15-year-old, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom. Then Bernadette disappears.”

NON-FICTION:

“The Great Partnership: Science, Religion, and the Search for Meaning,” by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. “An impassioned and beautifully reasoned book that argues not only that science and religion are compatible, but that they complement each other—and that the world needs both.”

“My Year in Meals,” by Rachael Ray. "My year in meals gives fans a glimpse into Rachael's own kitchen diary--what she herself cooked for her family for one whole year.”

“Saved by Beauty: An American Romantic,” in Iran by Roger Housdon.  "Saved by Beauty" weaves a richly textured story of many threads. It is a deeply poetic and perceptive appreciation of a culture that has endured for over three thousand years, while it also portrays the creative and spiritual cultures within contemporary Iran.”

“Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific West Trail,” by Cheryl Strayed. “A powerful, blazingly honest, inspiring memoir: the story of a 1,100 mile solo hike that broke down a young woman reeling from catastrophe--and built her back up again.”

CHILDREN’S

“Because of Mr. Terupt” by Rob Buyea.  Seven fifth-graders at Snow Hill School in Connecticut relate how their lives are changed for the better by "rookie teacher" Mr. Terupt. He makes the classroom a fun place, even if he doesn’t let them get away with much . . . until the snowy winter day when an accident changes everything—and everyone.”

“Cow Can't Sleep,” by Ken Baker. “Belle can’t sleep. The hay is too scratchy. So she tiptoes around the farm to find the perfect place to sleep. But what if the best sleeping spots are already taken?” (Picture book)

“Itsy Mitsy Runs Away”, by Elanna Allen. “No one likes bedtime, and Itsy Mitsy has had quite enough. So tonight’s the night she’s running away to the perfect place where there are no more bedtimes ever (not even one).”   (Picture book)

"Olivia & the Fairy Princess" by Ian Falconer.  “There are too many ruffly, sparkly princesses around these days, and Olivia has had quite enough.  She needs to stand out! She has to be special! What will she be?  Join Olivia on a quest for individuality in this latest book of the OLIVIA series.” (Picture book)

TEENS & ‘TWEENS

"The List,” by Siobhan Vivian. “It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.”

“Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes,” by Maureen Johnson. “When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. “

“The Diviners,” by Libba Bray. “Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult.When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation.”

“The Fault in Our Stars,” by John Green. “Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.”