Winter Recess is finally here, and with it comes the perfect time to rest, relax, and (most importantly) read! These winter and holiday book recommendations are perfect to cozy up with on a cold day during your time off.
We hope you enjoy them as much as we do, and are wishing your family a very happy and healthy holiday season!
Early Readers (3K–Grade 2)
- Charlotte and the Nutcracker: The True Story of a Girl Who Made Ballet History, by Charlotte Nebres; illustrated by Alea Marley
- Ice Cycle: Poems About the Life of Ice, by Maria Gianferrari; illustrated by Jieting Chen
- Miracle on 133rd Street, by Sonia Manzano; illustrated by Marjorie Priceman
- My Footprints, by Bao Phi; illustrated by Basia Tran
- The People Remember, by Ibi Zoboi; illustrated by Loveis Wise
- Winter Walk in the City, by Cathy Goldberg Fishman; illustrated by Melanie Hall
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- Escape from Aurora, by Jamie Littler
- The Forgotten Girl, by India Hill Brown
- Lake Placid Miracle, by Blake Hoena; illustrated by Eduardo Garcia
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
- The Lost Frost Girl, by Amy Wilson
- The Storyteller’s Candle, by Lucía González; illustrated by Lulu Delacre
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- The Cardboard Kingdom: Snow and Sorcery, by Chad Sell
- The Grace of Wild Things, by Heather Fawcett
- Greenglass House, by Kate Milford; illustrated by Jaime Zollars
- One Way or Another, by Kara McDowel
- The Stars Beneath Our Feet, by David Barclay Moore
- Tilly and the Bookwanderers, by Anna James
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
- My True Love Gave to Me, edited by Stephanie Perkins <
- Recommended for You, by Laura Silverman
- The Resolutions, by Mia Garcia
- Stealing Snow, by Danielle Paige
- Whiteout, by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon
You can find these books and many more great reads on Sora, our Citywide Digital Library, which provides free access to thousands of digital e-books and audiobooks for our students. You can also find even more reading recommendations in the Celebrate Winter and the Holiday Season Collection on Sora!
Missed our previous book recommendations?
Check them out in the "What We're Reading" Archive!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS
On this month's edition of the Spotlight, we're looking back on November's Climate Action Day, when schools across the five boroughs got their communities involved in helping to make our City cleaner and greener.
We're also looking back on the 2025 Arts in Schools Report Showcase, held on December 9 at Tweed Courthouse, which highlighted and celebrated NYCPS' annual release of data and information concerning the status of arts instruction in City schools.
On behalf of NYCPS, we thank everyone who participated in these events!
