Stories that are perfect for a cold wintry day

#1) “The Summer Book” by Tove Jansson is a lighthearted book that encaptures the nostalgic feeling of summer in only 184 pages. Jansson details the events lived out by six-year-old Sophia and her grandmother on a small untouched island in the Gulf of Finland. While reading, it’s easy to get engrossed in the playful antics and adventures of the two on the island, where Jansson’s detailed sounds and feelings of the island that come from her own island summers bring the story to life. It’s a very quick read that only took me a couple hours, making it perfect for a light book to add to your list.

#2) “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop” is also a short read of 160 pages written by Satoshi Yagisawa. The book is narrated in the first person by Takako, a young woman who has had her own share of hardships after discovering Hideaki, the man she thought she was going to marry, is cheating on her and is marrying the other woman. Takako falls into a depressive spiral, where her uncle, Satoru, invites her to come and live with him in his second-hand bookshop in Tokyo’s book district. This is more of a modern read, having been published in 2023, but its currency gives it a relatable nature that a lot of books fail to integrate into their characters and plotline.

#3) “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom is a beautiful commentary on life, death and how we live. In this nonfiction book, Albom details his experiences with his old college professor, Morrie, who suffers from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. After he reconnects with him in the last months of his life, Albom spends every Tuesday with his old professor to be taught one final lesson about life. This book brings a feeling of nostalgia through its simple approach towards living: Do what you love to do, what you care for and embrace life in its entirety. 

#4) “Paper Towns” by John Green is a mystery coming of age novel that follows the life of Quentin Jacobsen and his search for the girl he has been infatuated with since his childhood, Margo Roth Spiegelman. It is a very engaging mystery book that really holds your attention to the end. In a sort of way it touches on the need for stability or reliability in our life and how every person can succumb to their own obsession with that consistency. I enjoyed this book quite a bit however, it is a slightly longer read of 305 pages, so it isn’t really a sit down and enjoy in a couple hours kind of book. However, this book is still incredible and the time it does take up is captivating with the continued mystery. “I think that winter is the best time to cozy up with a book,” said Colbie West ‘27, “Paper Towns was a really engaging book.”

#5) “Little Women” is a classic written by Louisa May Alcott. This book covers the relationships of the March sisters and their struggles in New England during the Civil War. It explores themes that are deeply rooted in current day-to-day strains, where personal ambition and family responsibility clash, and love, death, peace, war and conflict all are explored heavily. While some may say it emphasizes traditional roles for women, I personally view it as an empowerment for women to choose what they want to pursue in order to achieve the future they desire. Whether it be settling down, or writing to make a living, this book has a beautiful core lesson of learning to balance personal growth and independence with familial duty and sacrifice. 

#6) “Snow Child” by Eowyn Ivey is a historical fiction set in Alaska in 1920. The story follows Jack and Mabel, who are slowly drifting apart from their own issues and difficulties with work and loneliness. In a brisk moment of high spirits, the two build a child together out of snow. The next day, they find that she is not there, and that she has come to life, able to survive alone in the Alaskan wilderness. This book explores themes of loss, grief, and resilience, and the light of hope in spite of the world surrounding. English teacher Erin Jones recommended this book for the winter, saying, “The setting is in the snow. It is very much a wintry tale.”

#7) “Beartown” by Fredrick Backman is the first book of the Beartown series. This book details a tiny community called Beartown that is reignited through the junior ice hockey team. The team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, raising the hopes of the townsfolk, whilst also creating tension. The semi-final serves as the incitement of a violent act that tears the community down again. While this story focuses on a small town, it truly is applicable to the whole world through its commentary on pressure and expectations, along with the complexities of power and morality. Jones when recommending Beartown said, “It’s hockey related. And well, you get it. I don’t know if it is cold, but it [feels as if it] is.”

#8) “The Women” by Kristin Hannah is a historical fiction written about Frances McGrath, a nursing student who joins the Nurse Army Corps and follows her brother after he is shipped out to serve in Vietnam. It covers the overwhelming horrors of war and the destruction of victims’ lives and minds. The terrors Frances faces throughout the war are nauseatingly real, however, the true difficulty she faces is the struggle of a normal life once she returns home. This book is a horrifically meaningful journey of self sacrifice and healing that I absolutely adored from start to finish. If you haven’t read a single historical fiction or you aren’t really a fan of the genre, I can guarantee that you will love this book nonetheless.

#9) “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy is a postapocalyptic novel that follows a father and son walking on the desolate roads of a burnt America. Their plan is to make it to the coast, however, they aren’t sure if salvation awaits them there or not. This book covers the overwhelming feeling of despair and the glimmer of hope that can surpass it. It’s a touching story that divulges into the idea of good versus evil and the levels that men can stoop down to. This read is not lighthearted in any sense of the word, but while it may be heavy, it is a thought-provoking read that is perfect on a long, free day. 

#10) “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller tells the story of the romance between Patroclus and Achilles and the obstacles they face, from the wrath of the gods to the Trojan War itself. It touches on the fear of loss and the grief one experiences in the face of a preconceived sacrifice. It is a beautifully written story that, although set in ancient Greece, touches on present day feelings and experiences that ring true for almost every individual. It is a longer read of 408 pages however, they fly by with how invested in the story you become.