Reading Roundup: 2025 December
Last year proved a banner year for my Good Reads reading challenge having far surpassed my usual 101 books with 191 books. Will 2026 be the year of 200? 201?
December ended on a high note of 5 five star reads—a mixture of kid lit to popular requests.
City Spies by James Ponti
The usual trope of orphaned children with exceptional skills being recruited as M16 operatives has been popularized by books such as Horowitz’s Alex Rider series making it difficult to provide something unique to the middle grade genre. And yet Ponti does add enough twists to create a creative read.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brouwer
Understated humor, Victorian culture, British class/historical fiction, with a smidge of mystery all come together for a charming read that is less journal entry and more novel in approach.
No wonder the library can’t keep them on the shelf.
The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox
A story how birds, one of God’s most precious creations, can help restore faith in oneself and in others.This reader gladly endured the hold list wait as it was a lovely read.
Marshmallow and Jordan by Alina Chau
An uplifting graphic novel that features Jordan, a middle-school girl in a wheelchair who used to be a basketball star. She befriends a stray baby elephant and they become inseparable, naming him Marshmallow. Marshmallow helps Jordan boost her swimming skills enough to join the school’s water polo team.
Your Inner Hedgehog by Alexander McCall Smith
This fifth entry into the series captures the subtle wit and charming irony McCall-Smith is known for. As he continues his gentle poke at academia the story takes on the sublime found in books by Jasper Fforde and Douglas Adams.
Reading books continues to be the fundamental enjoyment of retirement. It even rates higher than dark chocolate.
Pam Webb 
Great job, Pam. Your Inner Hedgehog sounds like the type of humor I look for.
Alexander is a witty writer. This one has fun poking at academia. Let me know if you read it.
I’ve been thinking about your comment about “adding something new” to the mix of a familiar trope. As much as we prefer to see new things, I think that a lot of kids like seeing the familiar, especially once they find something they like. Not that change isn’t good, it just seems that the familiar often appeals. Just think of all those Magic Tree House series books! My eyes would glaze over, but my son snarfed them and a ton of other series up. It did make him a voracious reader, so I’m grateful for that.
True—that Something new became somewhat stale as time wore on. I do agree the familiar is comforting.