It’s finally the winter which gives us even more time to read. With so much time on our hands, it is the perfect time of year to be cosy and read as many books as you can! This list has the perfect recommendations to get you into the winter spirit.
4. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
This is a classic Christmas novella written by Charles Dickens. It follows the life of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man who despises Christmas. He hates everything to do with Christmas from giving to charities, to the presents and even the carols. His business partner Marley had passed away a few years ago and from then on Scrooge changes. He was greedy with his money, he never wanted to give to charity and only gave one day off to his clerk. Then one night Scrooge sees a ghost resembling Marley, who tells him that in the following days three spirits will come to visit. After each spirit arrives Scrooge is beginning to regret his actions and is starting to show some change in his behaviour. However, how long will this regret last?
3. Mistletoe and Murder, Robin Stevens
This book is the fifth in the Murder Most Unladylike series. Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are spending the Christmas holidays in Cambridge with Daisy’s older brother. No matter where the Detective Society goes a murder mystery always follows. This time it takes place in Maudlin College. Also in Cambridge are Alexander and George who Hazel and Daisy met on the Orient Express. The two boys also have their own detective society, the Junior Pinkertons. The two societies start by having a competition to see who can find the person who is behind the increasingly dangerous pranks being played in Maudlin. However, how far can the mystery person go until their pranks become dangerous?
2. The Snowman, Raymond Briggs
This picture book by Raymond Briggs is one that most people have heard of. It is about a boy who builds a snowman in his garden. The snowman then comes alive and follows the boy inside the house. Afterwards, the snowman and the boy fly to the North Pole where they meet Santa. This has even been turned into a hand-drawn animation which is shown on British television every Christmas as a cartoon and there is even a musical shown on stage. This is a story that is perfect for the winter season.
1. Murder On the Orient Express, Agatha Christie
This is the tenth Hercule Poirot mystery and is one of my favourites. This book is set on a train heading from Istanbul to London. Snow has built up, on the tracks and brings the train to a standstill. This is the time that the passengers discover the murder. Everybody on the train is a suspect. Poirot, Monsieur Bouc and Dr Constantine hold interviews and go through all of the clues together. With so many suspects the evidence just keeps getting more and more confusing. The ending was unexpected but started to make sense when Poirot started to piece all of the evidence together. I will definitely be reading more of Agatha Christie’s novels in the future since I was so shocked by the solution to the mystery.
I hope these book recommendations were helpful and if you read any of the books make sure to comment your thoughts about them!
Aaminah
telling tales 