Maine winter reading list

Cozying up with a book is one of the many joys of winter, and it’s even better when it’s a book about winter in Maine. Here are some seasonal selections from the catalog of Yarmouth-based Islandport Press that go great with a cup of tea and wintery scenery outside your window.

HOLIDAY

“All Is Calm”

Edited by Shannon Butler

This collection of essays, stories, and poetry looks at the lives of Mainers during the holidays from the mid-1800s through the Great Depression to modern day. Spanning two centuries, these stories show that, although Christmas traditions and trends may be changing, the warmth, gratitude and humility of the Maine spirit is evergreen.

“Who Would Like a Christmas Tree?”

Written by Ellen Bryan Obed, illustrated by Anne Hunter

The answer to the question posed in the title of this book may surprise you. All year long, these trees are food, shelter, nesting grounds and much more for diverse animals and insects. Readers will delight in turning the page to see what purpose the balsam fir serves for white-tailed deer, monarch butterflies and black-capped chickadees.

NONFICTION

“Evergreens”

By John Holyoke

There is nothing that outdoors writer John Holyoke loves more than a good story. “Evergreens” is a curated collection of his favorite essays featuring Maine people who are passionate about the outdoors, as well as his memorable encounters with creatures – from salmon to deer to moose to squirrels – that fascinate and confound him.

“Making Tracks”

By Matt Weber

A commercial fisherman and craft brewer takes up snowmobiling and recounts his adventures and misadventures learning the ropes. Matt Weber brings readers along on his journey, from buying his first snowmobile to exploring four snowmobiling regions of Maine in a series of rides that lead to much learning and laughter, and showcase the sheer joy of being outdoors in winter.

“Skiing with Henry Knox”

By Sam Brakeley

In 2015, Sam Brakeley stood at a crossroads in his life, so he took to the woods to consider his options. By exploring Revolutionary War hero Henry Knox’s 18th-century physical and emotional journey while undertaking his own 21st-century trip on the Catamount Trail, Brakeley reminds us that history has many lessons to offer the living.

FICTION

“Random Act”

By Gerry Boyle

Author Gerry Boyle’s iconic reporter turned amateur detective Jack McMorrow is back for the 12th time in “Random Act,” a mystery that takes readers to a darker side of Down East Maine. In this follow-up to the award-winning “Straw Man,” Jack’s routine errand to a local hardware store finds him witnessing a senseless murder that will have vicious reprecussions.

MEMOIR

“Whatever it Takes: Seven Decades of True Love, Hard Work, and No Regrets”

By May Davidson

For nearly 70 years, May and Jim Davidson shared an unbreakable love of Maine and a relentless drive to do whatever it took to live their dream life. Their story reads like a history of Maine hardwork – whether lobster fishing, raising chickens and sheep, operating a trap mill, driving a long-haul truck or inventing Maine Country Wind Bells, theirs is a story of true love and perseverance.

CHILDREN

“Mud, Sand, and Snow”

By Charlotte Agell

“Snow is so deep and white. We walk into a cold winter’s night.” In this celebration of four seasons, a young girl explores the mud of spring, sand and wind in the summer, leaves and pumpkins in the fall, and the joys of snow in winter. We feel grass tickling our toes, hear bees buzzing, and see our breath steam in the cold of winter.