What to Read This Week
Greenglass House by Kate Milford
Prologue
I’m switching it up and recommending something a little different this week—I couldn’t pass up the opportunity, with a snowstorm heading imminently for large swaths of the Midwest, I had the perfect opportunity to recommend a cozy, snowstorm, warm and fuzzy read. As you can see, it’s won some major awards and has been a bestseller—not what I’m usually recommending—but since this is middle grade and really only popular among librarians and those with young children, I think a lot of people are missing out who would really love this one. So even if you don’t usually read middle grade (books for eight- to thirteen-year-olds), hear me out!
What It’s About
It’s finally Christmas break, and Milo is so excited to spend time at home with his family doing all the traditional Christmas things: drinking hot cocoa, building snowmen, and sitting by the fire. But immediately that plan is thrown out the window: Milo’s parents run a boarding house, and what is usually their empty time has suddenly become the opposite. Guest after guest appears, hoping to find lodging at Greenglass House to wait out the snowstorm.
What’s weirder, each guest that shows up seems to have a strange story and a strange way they’re connected to Greenglass House. It’s up to Milo and his new friend, Meddy, to figure out what’s going on and who all these people are once and for all.
Who Will Like It
Like I said earlier, I know a lot of adults who are not librarians, teachers, or who have children may not typically pick up a book like this. But at a whopping 400-something pages and with an intricate mystery and compelling setting, this will appeal to all kinds of readers, even if you haven’t picked up a middle grade book before. It’s also set in the middle of a huge snowstorm, so if, like me, you’re going to be buried under some snow over the next few days and want something totally fun and cozy to read, this is the perfect thing. (And if you’re somewhere with sunshine, please enjoy some of it for me!)
If you loved The Westing Game as a kid, or are a fan of books like Truly Devious or even adult cozy mysteries, this book will captivate you in the same way those did.
Next Up
I’m actually in between books right now, waiting on some library holds to come in and trying to decide what to read next. You can help! Here’s my stack: There Plant Eyes by M. Leona Godin, A Good Family by A. H. Kim, The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell.
Is there anything you’ve been wanting to read in this stack, or anything here you’d like to see reviewed and featured in an upcoming newsletter? Hit the comment button and let me know what to read next!
More Books
Can’t get enough, or looking for a different recommendation? Browse the archives, or check out some popular past recommendations:
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This sounds amazing! Anything with the words "Westing Game" is winner for me.
I was handed a luxury this week, two days off work because of the snow/ice. Unfortunately, when there is ice I can't get out of my apartment complex, sometimes I can't get past the bottom of the stairs on the way to my car. I think I've found my read for this weekend; I was able to download this book through Libby. I love middle-grade books; I'm excited to start this one later on today. Thanks for the recommendation.