Title: “The Return” 

Author: Nicholas Sparks 

Reviewer: Sarah Laughmiller 

Trevor Benson plans to move back to New Bern, N.C., but when a blast outside of the hospital he worked in in Afghanistan sends him home, Trevor begins to heal in multiple ways.  

While tending to his grandfather’s beloved beehives he inherited, and while gearing up for a second stint in medical school, Trevor isn’t prepared to fall in love with a local – and yet, from their very first encounter, his connection with Natalie Masterson can’t be ignored.  

All while healing both mentally and physically, Trevor also crosses paths with a young neighbor girl, Callie. Callie keeps to herself and is very mysterious.  

With the help of his late grandfather and some kind locals, Trevor helps Callie with her own healing.  

This is not a typical Nicholas Sparks romance story. There’s still love and healing and life–changing relationships, written well by Sparks; however, the unanswered questions and the quest for those answers sucks you in as fast as his typical love affair stories.   

Title: “William’s Winter Nap” 

Author: Linda Ashman 

Illustrator: Chuck Groenink 

Reading Level: 1.9 

This my new favorite read–aloud book. The illustrations are expressive, and the author did a fantastic job using repetitive text in a fun, creative way.   

The story starts with a boy named William, who settles into a cozy bed on a cold, snowy winter night.  Just as he gets settled, he hears a tap, tap, tap on his window and is greeted by his first visitor asking for a warm place to sleep.   

William kindly welcomes his surprise guest with a “Yes, I’ll scooch a bit.”   

By the time he gets to his last surprise guest, his bed is very crowded. Can they make room for just one more?   

I love involving young readers when reading a story, and repetitive text is a perfect way to include listeners in a story. 

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that you have a happy and healthy new year.  Hope to see you soon at the library!