We have an extended holiday break ahead of us. That means lots of time to reconnect with your loved here in China or abroad. Wherever you are celebrating the festive season this year, we hope you will take some time to curl up with a good book. As ever, our Wellington Shanghai Librarian Mrs Jacobi has compiled a list of recommendations for readers of all ages. Enjoy your long break!    

Discover a wonderful word every day! This book features a year’s worth of intriguing words, including ones that reflect the changing seasons and link to the date or month on which they appear, like:

• suffragette on International Women’s Day

• rewild on Earth Day

• empathise on International Day of Friendship

It is beautifully illustrated by Julia Murray with a ribbon marker. It explains what the words mean, how to say them and where they came from.

On a dark winter’s evening at the end of December, something strange is happening in the school playground. Lessons finished long ago, but there are lots of children still at school and they are all carrying...clocks! Clocks of every shape and size — big, small, round and square, heart-shaped, star-shaped. What is going on? Join the children and find out as they celebrate the winter solstice on the shortest day of the year, marching through the town for the Carnival of the Clocks!

Setting off on a camping adventure with her cousin, Aliyah soon discovers that numbers are everywhere, whether she is counting out money at the shops, planning trips on the train or even stargazing in a forest. As Aliyah solves some sums of her own, she learns about the brilliant mathematicians who have helped us understand our world. Soon she cannot wait to become a maths wiz too!

This is the perfect picture book to snuggle up with and share at Christmas. Gorgeous, atmospheric illustrations whisk you from frozen forests to the sparkling city square in a beautiful, moving story of festivity and hope. The Christmas Pine is based on a true story. It celebrates a special tradition that stretches back over 70 years. Every year, the mayor of Oslo in Norway presents the British people with a spectacular Christmas tree. The tree is a symbol of peace and friendship, and a thank you for the UK's support during World War II. The UK Poetry Society asks a poet to write a poem to welcome the treen as well. Julia Donaldson originally wroteThe Christmas Pine to celebrate the 2020 Christmas tree. The poem was performed by London school children and displayed in Trafalgar Square.

This is the perfect introduction to the very best books of childhood, those books that have a special place in the heart of every reader. It introduces a wonderfully rich world of literature to parents and their children, offering both new titles and much-loved classics that many generations have read and enjoyed. From wordless picture books and books introducing the first words and sounds of the alphabet through to hard-hitting and edgy teenage fiction, the titles featured in this book reflect the wealth of reading opportunities for children. Browsing these titles will take you on a journey of discovery into fantasy, adventure, history, contemporary life and much more. These books will enable you to travel to imaginary worlds. You may fall down a rabbit hole, as Alice does on her way to Wonderland, or go through the back of a wardrobe to reach the snowy wastes of Narnia.

Stuck on a remote farm with her awful aunt, 12-year-old orphan Ruth spends every night gazing at the stars, dreaming of adventure. One night, she spots a flying saucer blazing across the sky before it crash-lands in a field. When the spaceship opens and reveals a mysterious alien, all Ruth’s dreams come true. But does this visitor from another planet have a giant secret? Spaceboy is a hilarious and action-packed tale for readers in any solar system.

What Do You Think? will help young readers to discover what is influencing their ideas, from peer pressure to fake news. They will learn how to form and change opinions and how to debate their views with empathy. Readers will see how debates and disagreements can lead to new ideas, stronger friendships and help change the world for the better. Practical and positive, this is the book to help children build confidence in their own thoughts, so they can grow into awesome adults who can listen, be listened to and can agree to disagree while still being friends.

As the son of the world's most famous tech billionaire, spoiled Jett Baranov has always gotten what he wanted. So, when his father's private jet drops him in the middle of the Arkansas wilderness, at a place called the Oasis, Jett cannot believe it. He is forced to hand over his mobile phone, eat grainy veggie patties and participate in wholesome activities with the other kids, who he has absolutely no interest in hanging out with. As the weeks go on, Jett starts to get used to the unplugged life and even bonds with the other kids over their discovery of a baby-lizard-turned-pet, Needles. But he canot help noticing that the adults at the Oasis are acting really strange. Jett is determined to get to the bottom of things, but can he convince everybody that he is no longer just a spoiled brat who is making trouble?

Max is a hedgehog who lives with his family in a nice little home, but it is on the wrong side of the road from the park where there is a beautiful lily pond and plenty of juicy slugs, worms and snails! The busy road is dangerous, but Max is determined to make his way across. If humans can do it, why can't hedgehogs? His first attempt ends in a nasty bump on the head and, when Max tries to speak, he realises his words are all mixed up. He is no longer a hedgehog but a hodgeheg! Still determined to fulfil his mission, Max discovers the best way to cross the road: with the help of the lollipop lady and some careful detective work.  

It was Benjamin Postlethwaite's job all his long life to make sure the light shone brightly high up in the lighthouse on Puffin Island. Not once in all his years as the lighthouse keeper had he ever let his light go out. But sometimes even the brightest light on a lighthouse cannot save a ship.

This is a story of a life-changing friendship, a lost puffin and a lonely artist. It is the story of an entire lifetime and how one event can change a life forever. From masterful storyteller, Michael Morpurgo, and world-class illustrator, Benji Davies, comes a magical new story. This truly beautiful tale will enchant readers of all ages.

This is a write-in book which will allow children to pen their very own adventure story. With lots of hints and tips on how to create characters, plan plots, write dialogue and stage all-important action scenes, this book will start budding writers off with simple exercises, and build them up until they are racing through their own short stories.

Ana Dakkar is a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, renowned for producing the best marine scientists, naval warriors and underwater explorers in the world. But, unlike the other students, the water is personal for Ana. After losing both of her parents on a scientific expedition, her older brother Dev is now the only family she has. Ready to prove herself, Ana and her class are off to a top-secret weekend trial at sea. But, on the bus ride to the ship, Ana and her schoolmates witness a tragedy that will change the trajectory of their lives forever. Rick Riordan's trademark humour, fast-paced action and wide cast of characters are on full display in this undersea adventure.

September 11, 2001, New York City: Brandon is visiting his dad at work, on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center. Out of nowhere, an airplane slams into the tower, creating a fiery nightmare of terror and confusion. And Brandon is in the middle of it all. Can he survive and escape?

September 11, 2020, Afghanistan: Reshmina has grown up in the shadow of war, but she dreams of peace and progress. When a battle erupts in her village, Reshmina stumbles upon a wounded American soldier named Taz. Should she help Taz and put herself and her family in mortal danger?

Sasha Savage is in love with Jack Greenway, a handsome, charming, clever... vegetarian. Which would be acceptable were it not for the fact that Sasha's family are very 'carnivorous', with strong views to boot. Behind the respectable family façade, all is not as it seems. Sasha's father Titus rules his clan with an iron fist, and although her mother Angelica never has a hair out of place, her credit card bills are shocking and her culinary skills are getting more... adventurous by the day. As for Sasha's demonic brother Ivan? Well, after accidentally decapitating a supermodel in their family bathroom his golden boy image is looking wobbly. To the outsider, the Savages might look like the perfect family, but there is more to them than meets the eye. When the too-curious private detective Vernon English starts to dig for darker truths, this tight knit family starts to unravel — as does their sinister and predatory taste in people.

Perfectly reflecting the thoughts, feelings and imaginings of young people, these beautifully crafted poems are poignant, playful, heartfelt and hopeful. From friendship, family and separation to school experiences and fitting in, this moving collection touches on the relatable aspects of growing up. It delicately balances emotion with light relief and humour. It is sure to captivate any young person.

It seemed like any other season on Mount Everest. 10 expeditions from around the world were preparing for their summit push, gathered together to try for mountaineering's ultimate prize. 24 hours later, eight of those climbers were dead, victims of the most devastating storm ever to hit Everest. On the north face of the mountain, a British expedition found itself in the thick of the drama. Against all odds, filmmaker Matt Dickinson and professional climber Alan Hinkes managed to battle through hurricane-force winds to reach the summit. In Death Zone, Matt Dickinson describes the extraordinary event that put the disaster on the front cover of Time and Newsweek. The desperate attempts of teams on the southern side of the mountain, fatal errors that led to the deaths of three Indian climbers on the north ridge and the moving story of Rob Hall, the New Zealand guide who stayed with his stricken client and paid with his life. Based on interviews with the surviving climbers and the firsthand experience of having lived through the killer storm, this gripping non-fiction book tackles issues at the very heart of mountaineering. Death Zone is an extraordinary story of human triumph, folly and disaster.

Jammy and Sonny McGann are brothers, but that is where the similarities end. One is calm when the other is angry. One has a plan while the other lives purely in the moment.

When Jammy returns from Afghanistan a very different man to the one who left, it is Sonny who is left to hold things together. But just how far will he go to save the brother who always put him first? Inspired by S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders and by the battles facing young soldiers all over the world, this is a devastating novel about brotherhood and sacrifice. 

Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students' dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he cannot escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka is not afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they are planning much more than a high school game.mUnputdownable and utterly compulsive, this high-octane thriller takes a powerful look at institutionalized racism. 

People think that when you want to change your life, you need to think big. But world-renowned habits expert James Clear has discovered another way. He knows that real change comes from the compound effect of hundreds of small decisions: doing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes early or holding a single short phone call. He calls them atomic habits. In this ground-breaking book, Clears reveals exactly how these minuscule changes can grow into such life-altering outcomes. He uncovers a handful of simple life hacks (the forgotten art of Habit Stacking, the unexpected power of the Two Minute Rule, or the trick to entering the Goldilocks Zone), and delves into cutting-edge psychology and neuroscience to explain why they matter. Along the way, he tells inspiring stories of Olympic gold medallists, leading CEOs, and distinguished scientists who have used the science of tiny habits to stay productive, motivated.  and happy.

Ben Jewell has hit a breaking point. His 10-year-old son, Jonah, has severe autism. He and his wife, Emma, are struggling to cope. When Ben and Emma fake a separation — a strategic decision to further Jonah's case in an upcoming tribunal — Ben and Jonah move in with Georg, Ben's elderly father. In a small house in North London, three generations of men — one who cannot talk, two who will not — are thrown together. As Ben battles single fatherhood, a string of well-meaning social workers and his own demons, he learns some difficult home truths. Jonah, blissful in his innocence, becomes the prism through which all the complicated strands of personal identity, family history and misunderstanding are finally untangled.

At the heart of Born to Run lies a mysterious tribe of Mexican Indians, the Tarahumara, who live quietly in canyons and are reputed to be the best distance runners in the world. In 1993, one of them, aged 57, came first in a prestigious 100-mile race wearing a toga and sandals. A small group of the world's top ultra-runners (and the awe-inspiring author) make the treacherous journey into the canyons to try to learn the tribe's secrets and then take them on over a course 50 miles long. With incredible energy and smart observation, McDougall tells this story while asking what the secrets are to being an incredible runner. Travelling to labs at Harvard, Nike and elsewhere, he comes across an incredible cast of characters, including the woman who recently broke the world record for 100 miles and for her encore ran a 2:50 marathon in a bikini, pausing to down a beer at the 20-mile mark.

In this revelatory book, Tim Marshall explores 10 regions that are set to shape global politics in a new age of great-power rivalry: Australia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Greece, Turkey, the Sahel, Ethiopia, Spain and space. Find out why Europe’s next refugee crisis is closer than it thinks as trouble brews in the Sahel; why the Middle East must look beyond oil and sand to secure its future; why the eastern Mediterranean is one of the most volatile flashpoints of the 21st century; and why the Earth’s atmosphere is set to become the world’s next battleground. Delivered with Marshall’s trademark wit and insight, this is a lucid and gripping exploration of the power of geography to shape humanity’s past, present and future.

From award-winning actor and food obsessive Stanley Tucci comes an intimate and charming memoir of life in and out of the kitchen. Before Stanley Tucci became a household name with The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games, and the perfect Negroni, he grew up in an Italian American family that spent every night around the table. He shared the magic of those meals with us in The Tucci Cookbook and The Tucci Table, and now he takes us beyond the recipes and into the stories behind them. Taste is a reflection on the intersection of food and life, filled with anecdotes about growing up in Westchester, New York, preparing for and filming the foodie films Big Night and Julie & Julia, falling in love over dinner and teaming up with his wife to create conversation-starting meals for their children. Each morsel of this gastronomic journey through good times and bad, five-star meals and burnt dishes, is as heartfelt and delicious as the last. Written with Stanley's signature wry humour and nostalgia, Taste is a heartwarming read that will be irresistible for anyone who knows the power of a home-cooked meal.

The Comfort Book is a collection of consolations learned in hard times and suggestions for making the bad days better. Drawing on maxims, memoir and the inspirational lives of others, these meditations offer new ways of seeing ourselves and the world. This is the book to pick up when you need the wisdom of a friend, the comfort of a hug or a reminder that hope comes from unexpected places.

In China she was the daughter of professors. In Brooklyn her family is 'illegal.' Qian is just seven when she moves to America, the 'Beautiful Country', where she and her parents find that the roads of New York City are not paved with gold, but crushing fear and scarcity. Unable to speak English at first, Qian and her parents must work wherever they can to survive, all while she battles hunger and loneliness at school. Qian Julie Wang's memoir is an unforgettable account of what it means to live under the perpetual threat of deportation and the small joys and sheer determination that kept her family afloat in a new land. Told from a child's perspective, in a voice that is intimate, poignant and startlingly lyrical, Beautiful Country is the story of a girl who learns first to live — and then escape — an invisible life.

An acclaimed Chinese writer makes his English-language debut with this heart-stopping literary noir, a richly atmospheric tale of espionage and international intrigue. Set in Shanghai in 1931, French Concession portrays an electrifying and decadent world of love, violence and betrayal filled with femme fatales, criminals, revolutionaries and spies.

A boat arrives in Shanghai harbour, carrying an important official in the Nationalist Party and his striking wife, Leng. Amid the raucous sound of firecrackers, gunshots ring out. An assassin has shot the official and then himself. Leng disappears in the chaos. Hsueh, a Franco-Chinese photographer aboard the same boat, becomes captivated by Leng’s beauty and unconcealed misery. Now, she is missing. But Hsueh is plagued by a mystery closer to home. He suspects his White Russian lover, Therese, is unfaithful. Why else would she disappear so often on their recent vacation? When he is arrested for mysterious reasons in the French Concession and forced to become a police collaborator, he realises that in the seamy, devious world of Shanghai, no one is who they appear to be.

Mitza Maric has always been a little different from other girls. Most twenty-year-olds are wives by now, not studying physics at an elite Zurich university with only male students trying to outdo her clever calculations. But Mitza is smart enough to know that, for her, math is an easier path than marriage. Then fellow student Albert Einstein takes an interest in her, and the world turns sideways. Theirs becomes a partnership of the mind and of the heart, but there might not be room for more than one genius in a marriage. Marie Benedict illuminates one pioneering woman in STEM, returning her to the forefront of history's most famous scientists.

Within the concealing walls of an elegant forty-storey tower block, the affluent tenants are hell-bent on an orgy of destruction. Cocktail parties degenerate into marauding attacks on ‘enemy’ floors and the once-luxurious amenities become an arena for riots and technological mayhem.

In this visionary tale of urban disillusionment society slips into a violent reverse as the isolated inhabitants of the high-rise, driven by primal urges, create a dystopian world ruled by the laws of the jungle.