The University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies prepares graduate students for the practice of librarianship, and one of the responsibilities of some librarians is providing “readers’ advisory services.” In short, librarians are often called upon to recommend books to their patrons as well as to their friends and colleagues. SLIS offer the following list of books for holiday reading.
“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens (1843)
First published in 1843, this classic tale is available in many editions and on the Internet. Readers who’ve only seen this produced as a play or on television will enjoy reading it nonetheless. “A Christmas Carol” is the favorite of several SLIS faculty members and students.
“The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore (1844)
This favorite is available in many editions, from fine older editions with classic illustrations to Web-based coloring books. In fact, in 2002, retired librarian Nancy H. Marshall, who collects editions of this work, published “The Night Before Christmas: A Descriptive Bibliography of Clement Clarke Moore’s Immortal Poem.” This work is a worthy read on the history of the favorite Christmas poem as well as a look at the history of a publication spanning from the poem’s original publication in the 1840s. The poem with various illustrations is available in its entirety on the Web.
Christmas in the Deep South is the subject of many seasonal books, so we offer just a few recent publications for holiday reading:
“Christmas Gift!” by Ferrol Sams (1991)
“A Christmas Memory, One Christmas, & The Thanksgiving Visitor” by Truman Capote (1996)
“Christmas in Plains: Memories” by Jimmy Carter, illustrated by Amy Carter (2001)
“Christmas Stories from Mississippi” edited by Judy H. Tucker and Charline R. McCord, illustrated by Wyatt Waters (2001)
“A Redbird Christmas: A Novel” by Fannie Flagg (2004)
In addition to the classic favorites, we recommend the following titles for readers who wish to broaden their cultural perspectives:
“Christmas Gif – An Anthology of Christmas Poems, Songs, and Stories written by and about African-Americans” compiled by Charlemae Hill Rollins, illustrated by Ashley Bryan (1963)
“The Christmas Gift” (El regalo de Navidad) by Francisco Jimenez, illustrated by Claire B. Cotts (2000)
Books about the spirit of giving and sharing are for all seasons, so to round out our 12 days of Christmas reading list, we offer the following trans-seasonal titles:
“The Gift of the Magi” by O’Henry (1906)
“The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein (1964)
“Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose” by Dr. Seuss (1948)
Finally, no list would be complete without a mention of the Bible, in its various editions, probably the most-read of all, with special attention to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. And, we also were reminded to add a book of Christmas carols to our list, so the following title has 14 favorites to play and sing: “Christmas Carols” by John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company (1960).
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