Did light reading this past month, with a bunch of family in town for the holidays (whom are still here).  Tried to play catch up all month on my reviews still leftover from last month.  Here’s a recap of what happened this past month here at the Maw Books Blog:

Books Read in December

Fiction

• Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris (short stories)
  
• The Handmaiden and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg

Young Adult Fiction

• Wake by Lisa McMann
• The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante

Middle Readers

• The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
• Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
• A Midnight Clear, Selected Family Christmas Stories from Katherine Paterson

Picture Books

• The Lump of Coal by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist
• A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe, illustrated by Michael Glenn Monroe
• Room for a Little One, A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft
• Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibauoulline
• The Light of Christmas by Richard Paul Evans, illustrated by Daniel Craig
• Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt, illustrated by Loren Long
• A Very Marley Christmas by John Grogan
• Santa Claus, The Worlds Number One Toy Expert by Marla Frazee
• Mrs. Claus Explains it All (At Last) Answers to Questions Real Kids Ask! by Elisabeth Claus
• Amadi’s Snowman by Katia Novet Saint-Lot
• The Raucous Royals by Carlyn Beccia (Non-Fiction)

Non-Fiction

• none this month

Abandoned

• none this month

How I Recommend Them

Highly Recommended

(this recommendation usually for social issues)

• Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

I Enjoyed and Would Recommend

• Wake by Lisa McMann
• The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante
• The Handmaiden and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg
• The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
• A Midnight Clear, Selected Family Christmas Stories from Katherine Paterson
• The Lump of Coal by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist
• A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe, illustrated by Michael Glenn Monroe
• Room for a Little One, A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft
• Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibauoulline
• The Light of Christmas by Richard Paul Evans, illustrated by Daniel Craig
• Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt, illustrated by Loren Long
• A Very Marley Christmas by John Grogan
• Santa Claus, The Worlds Number One Toy Expert by Marla Frazee
• Mrs. Claus Explains it All (At Last) Answers to Questions Real Kids Ask! by Elisabeth Claus
• Amadi’s Snowman by Katia Novet Saint-Lot
• The Raucous Royals by Carlyn Beccia (Non-Fiction)

Good but Maybe You’ll Like It More Than Me?

• Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris (short stories)
  

Not Worth It

• none this month, but Holidays on Ice came very close to taking this spot

Author Interviews/Guest Posts

• Carlyn Beccia, author of The Raucous Royals

More Posts During December

• Identical by Ellen Hopkins
• Lessons From a Dead Girl by Johanna Knowles
• The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
• Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
• Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kristen Miller
• The Romantics by Gail Niederhoffer
• Stolen Innocence, My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride and Breaking Free by Elissa Wall
• Book Wish Foundation – Reading Relief for Refugees of Darfur
• A Merry Christmas Video Message From My Family to Yours
• Welcome to the 7th Edition of the Book Review Blog Carnival
• Giveaway Winner and a Book Review Carnival You Don’t Want to Miss
• There’s a Mouse in Our House and He Brings Us *gasp* Books
• New York Times Bestsellers – December 14th
• Literary Themed Christmas Trees
• New York Times Bestsellers – December 7th
• Twilight Movie News – Director, Catherine Hardwicke and Summit Entertainment Part Ways
• Craving Chocolate?  Cynthia Lord’s Whoopie Pies to the Rescue!
• Are You a Witch?  Find out with the Raucous Royals Website by Carlyn Beccia
• In Which We Say Goodbye to One of Our Own
• Winner! Winner!  Twilight Book Giveaway
• Reading and Blogging Review for December

Challenge Updates

Since it’s the end of the year, I’ve got a entire post dedicated to my 2008 challenges.  Coming up next.

Thanks for a great December.  And here’s hoping that January will start off with a bang!

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