Let your heart be light this holiday season by reading one (or all; there are no restrictions) of these cozy reads. These are books that tell stories of relatable, sometimes quirky characters and the relationships they build between each other without much, if any, explicitly graphic content. The term cozy is probably most well-known when referring to cozy mysteries but has expanded to use with many other genres and books for all ages.

Cozy reads may seem pretty straightforward with endings that finish all neat and tidy but the real strength of these books are the warm, close relationships, comforting messages, and mostly happy endings. Immerse yourself in these books whenever you have time or need a second to yourself, and let them brighten your holidays. Happy reading and warm wishes for this holiday season!

DB 98951 The house in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune 
As a case worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, Linus Baker spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. He is unexpectedly given a highly classified assignment: travel to a remote island orphanage where six dangerous children reside. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.

DB 110401 The very secret society of irregular witches by Sangu Mandanna 
"As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously. But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and...Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he's concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat. As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when peril comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn't know she was looking for." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 111420 Legends & lattes: a novel of high fantasy and low stakes by Travis Baldree 
"Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv, the orc barbarian, cashes out of the warrior's life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start filling mugs instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune's shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners, and a different kind of resolve." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Strong language, some violence. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

DB 56114 Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery 
Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm in Canada. There she proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her. Complete and unabridged text. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1908.

DB 22906 Where the wild things are by Maurice Sendak 
After being sent to bed without supper for misbehaving, Max puts on his wolf suit and sails away 'through night and day and in and out of weeks and almost over a year' to where the wild things are. An imaginative fantasy for grades K-3. Caldecott Medal 1964.

DB 44101 The BFG by Roald Dahl 
Sophie is taken from her orphanage by a big friendly giant ("BFG") who enjoys "dream blowing"-- sending happy dreams to children with his magical trumpet. Together they devise a plan to save the world from nine people-eating "cannybull" giants. For grades 3-6.

DB 31831 Stuart Little by E. B. White 
When Mrs. Little's second son is born, everybody notices that he is not much bigger than a mouse. In fact, they soon discover that he is a mouse! Because of his size, Stuart is always getting lost, but this is the least of his unique problems. For grades 4-7.

DB 106691 Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather S. Webber 
Anna Kate returns to a small Alabama town to bury her beloved Granny Zee, owner of the Blackbird Café. Despite her best intentions, Anna is drawn to the town her mother fled. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.

DB 84392 A man called Ove by Fredrik Backman 
Ove has always been a grumpy man, and when he loses his wife and his job, he decides to commit suicide. But a lively family of new neighbors and a stray cat might give Ove a reason to keep living. First published in Swedish in 2012. 2013.

DB 107924 Remarkably bright creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 
After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift cleaning at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Some strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2022.

DB 104764 A psalm for the wild-built by Becky Chambers 
Centuries ago, the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and disappeared into the wilderness. When Sibling Dex, a tea monk, meets Splendid Speckled Mosscap, a robot, they are the first person to encounter a robot in years. Dex and Mosscap travel through the woods together, engaging in philosophical conversation. Strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

DB 78978 The storied life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 
When his most prized possession, a rare volume of poetry by Edgar Allan Poe, is stolen, bookstore owner A.J. Fikry begins isolating himself from his friends, family, and associates. Then he receives a mysterious package that compels him to remake his life. Strong language. Bestseller. 2014.

DB 115232 The wishing game by Meg Schaffer 
"Make a wish. . . . Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it's like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher's aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability. But be careful what you wish for. . . . Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he's finally written a new book. Even better, he's holding a contest at his home on the real Clock Island, and Lucy is one of the four lucky contestants chosen to compete to win the one and only copy. For Lucy, the chance of winning the most sought-after book in the world means everything to her and Christopher. But first she must contend with ruthless book collectors, wily opponents, and the distractingly handsome (and grumpy) Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books. Meanwhile, Jack "the Mastermind" Masterson is plotting the ultimate twist ending that could change all their lives forever. . . . You might just get it." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 119077 Sophie Go's lonely hearts club by Roselle Lim 
"Newly minted professional matchmaker Sophie Go has returned to Toronto, her hometown, after spending three years in Shanghai. Her job is made quite difficult, however, when she is revealed as a fraud-she never actually graduated from matchmaking school. In a competitive market like Toronto, no one wants to take a chance on an inexperienced and unaccredited matchmaker, and soon Sophie becomes an outcast. In dire search of clients, Sophie stumbles upon a secret club within her condo complex: the Old Ducks, seven septuagenarian Chinese bachelors who never found love. Somehow, she convinces them to hire her, but her matchmaking skills are put to the test as she learns the depths of loneliness, heartbreak, and love by attempting to make the hardest matches of her life." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 23625 The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg 
On a dark Christmas Eve, a boy who believes in Santa Claus boards a mysterious train, the Polar Express. He and the other children, still in their nightclothes, drink hot chocolate and sing carols as the train races through snowy landscapes carrying them to a huge city at the North Pole to visit Santa Claus. For preschool-grade 2 and older readers. Caldecott Medal. 1985.

DB 85266 The city baker's guide to country living by Louise Miller 
After pastry chef Olivia Rawlings accidentally sets fire to the Boston supper club where she works, she heads off to visit her best friend in rural Vermont. Olivia gets a job at the local inn and finds herself falling for fiddle player Martin McCracken. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2016.

DB 25892 Howl's moving castle by Diana Wynne Jones 
As the eldest of three daughters, Sophie Hatter knows that--according to fairy-tale convention--she's expected to fail first and worst when she sets out to seek her fortune. When the Ingarian countryside is threatened by both the moving castle of Wizard Howl and the schemes of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds a kind of courage and determination she's never known before. A magical fantasy for grades 6-9.

DB 67526 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows 
London, 1946. Writer Juliet Ashton corresponds with Dawsey Adams and other members of a literary society created as a front during the Nazi occupation of the British channel island Guernsey. Through letters, Juliet learns about their wartime experiences. Intrigued, Juliet sails to Guernsey, where she finds new inspiration. Bestseller. 2008.

DB 89990 The story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg 
Grieving widower Arthur eats lunch in the cemetery every day, to be near his wife's grave. There he meets troubled teenage Maddy, and the pair form a friendship that helps them both out of their isolation. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2017.