I’ve been thinking about winter and wondering what kind of weather we’ll have this year. Remember that ice storm from last winter that seemed to last forever? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s climate prediction center outlook for this winter is calling for La Niña conditions, in which cold water is brought to the surface of the Pacific off the west coast of the U.S. It generally leads to cooler, wetter weather in the Pacific Northwest with lots of snow in the Cascades. We don’t know how much snow that might mean, if any, at our lower elevations, but it’s a real possibility. If it happens, I’ll let you know if libraries are closed, so check this website for the latest updates. In the meantime, here are some fiction and nonfiction books about snow to get you in the mood. There’s nothing better than curling up with a hot drink and a good read while watching the white stuff float down.
- How to winter : harness your mindset to thrive on cold, dark, or difficult days by Kari Leibowitz. Do you dread the end of Daylight Saving Time and the long, chilly season of gray skies? Do you find yourself in a slump every January and February? Psychologist and winter expert Kari Leibowitz uses mindset science to help readers embrace winter as a season to be enjoyed, not endured--and in turn, learn powerful lessons that can impact our mental wellbeing throughout the year.
- Northeaster : a story of courage and survival in the blizzard of 1952 by Cathie Pelletier. A vivid and gripping recounting of an epic Maine snowstorm that trapped people in their cars, broke ships in half, and covered entire towns, testing the limits of human endurance.
- Blizzard by Marie Vingtras. (Fiction) A local Alaskan man and a California girl search in a terrible snowstorm for a lost boy with the help of several unsavory and out-of-place helpers each carrying a dark secret in this award-winning French novel.
- Snow falling on cedars by David Guterson. (Fiction) The story opens in 1954 when a local fisherman is found dead in his net. The following murder trial reveals the deep-seated racism and prejudice that has festered in the small island community in the Pacific Northwest since the war when Japanese-Americans were forcibly removed from their homes and placed in internment camps. The movie version is also available on DVD.
- The snow child by Eowyn Ivey. (Fiction) It’s Alaska in 1920, and childless couple Jack and Mabel are struggling to get through the winter. Jack is breaking under the work of their farm while Mabel is crushed by loneliness. Then their lives are changed forever by the arrival of a little girl, wild and secretive, on their doorstep.
Library tip of the month: Are you getting together with friends for New Year’s Eve? Check out a couple of board games from the library. Search our catalog and place holds, or browse what’s available at the library. Call 360-906-5000 if you need assistance.
