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Oxford University Press staff love to read, but we were kids once too, so we’ve gathered together a few recommendations from our staff to keep the little ones entertained through the long winter. (Books we’ve read, but may not have been published this year.)

Dogwalker by Arthur Bradford
Benny’s Brigade by Arthur Bradford
“Arthur Bradford is the co-director of Camp Jabberwocky, a summer camp for people with disabilities; he’s also the author of the unfairly neglected short story collection Dogwalker, along with a slew of cheerfully bizarre and wonderful fiction in magazines. Benny’s Brigade ties together these two threads, presenting an endearingly absurd tale about a courtly miniature walrus named Benny, fleshed out by Lisa Hanawalt’s lavish illustrations. I enjoy it every bit as much as I’m hoping my little half-siblings will (it’s their Christmas gift — don’t tell).”
–Owen Keiter, Publicity Assistant

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
“Great book about finding adventure in an unlikely place when a brother and a sister are trapped in a museum.” 
–Jeremy Wang-Iverson, Senior Publicist

Struwwelpeter by Heinrich Hoffman
The Happy Hocky Family by Lane Smith
“One book I recommend for cold-averse, snowbound readers this winter is Struwwelpeter, a classic collection of cautionary tales for readers of any age and humor. The original is written in German by Heinrich Hoffman, but the English translation is just as delightful and sure to make young, obstreperous children sit up and fly right. Another favorite children’s book that I think contains insightful lessons for the mature and miniature reader alike is The Happy Hocky Family by Lane Smith. The art and sentiment within is simple and exquisite.  he tale of the red balloon reminds me there are riches and joys to be thankful for and shared in the aftermath of adversity.”
–Purdy, Director of Publicity

A Stranger Came Ashore by Mollie Hunter
“This book has it all: shipwrecks, magic, and a villain who may or may not be a Selkie (a seal in human form). If there’s any justice for Mollie Hunter, Selkies will become the new vampires.”
–Jonathan Kroberger, Associate Publicist

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
“Harriet the Spy: For aspiring writers. The Phantom Tollbooth: Bored? So was Milo… The Hero and the Crown: A beautiful, short, surprisingly sexy coming-of-age girl’s adventure story.”
–Anonymous editorial submission

We Are In A Book by Mo Willems
It’s a Book by Lane Smith
“What’s better than holding a book? Perhaps being in one! Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie series always delivers a good laugh, but We Are In A Book takes a unique, meta approach to literature that will educate and delight children. For the mature sense of humor or technology-obsessed friend, check out Lane Smith’s It’s a Book.” 
–Alana Podolsky, Publicity Assistant

Oxford University Press staff like to spend their holidays reading.

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By Rebecca Lane

The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Stephen Fry. With his hilarious accents for all the different aliens I enjoyed it far more than if I’d read it. I’m glad I finally know why the number 42 is so important.

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

Beautifully written, this story centres around memory, reflections on the past, and the regret that comes with age. The first part recounts the narrator’s school days and idealistic expectations of life leads and then jumps ahead forty years when he is an unexceptional middle-aged divorcee, still learning about the past.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

The first book I read on my Kindle — one I’d struggle to lift in print at over 1,000 pages! This book has everything — love, adventure, rags to riches — but it’s the story of betrayal and revenge spanning a lifetime that I found so fascinating.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

As haunting as its reputation promises, I loved this eerie story of a second wife trying to deal with the suffocating presence of her predecessor and the mystery that unfolds.

When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

I thoroughly enjoyed this funny yet touching story of family life and the impact external events have on these vital relationships. It also includes a talking rabbit, which sounds odd, but it definitely works.

Rebecca Lane is a Commissioning Editor in Reference & Dictionaries at Oxford University Press.

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By Abby Gross

I read science and social science manuscripts for work, so in my off time I like to read other genres, from fiction and fantasy to cookbooks. Here were some of my favorite reads of the year.

I hadn’t read a young adult novel in years, and the jacket description of this book was enough to send me running in the opposite direction. But ignore the copy about the teenager struggling with cancer and her friend whom she meets in a support group. John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars is a magnificent and hilarious book about two young people who game the make-a-wish foundation to pursue a meeting with their favorite author, only to find out he is a crazy drunk.

After finishing the works of MFK Fisher, the godmother of writing about cooking, I was despondent — until I found Tamar Adler, whose new book, An Everlasting Meal, channels Fisher’s practical, no-nonsense style and wisdom. If you are like me, and you prefer to cook freestyle, without intricate recipes, this book will surprise you with ideas for using up the last bits of whatever you have on hand. More importantly, it teaches the reader — Adler is a natural instructor — about how to weave cooking into life without assuming that you have tons of cash or free time.

I wish I could go back in time to my 18-year-old self, bored in Biology 101, and hand over a copy of Homo Mysterious: Evolutionary Puzzles of Human Nature, by David Barash. (Disclosure: I helped OUP publish this book.) Barash addresses brow-furrowing questions like “why do humans create religion?” and “why do women menstruate?” He swiftly reasons through the possible arguments (with jokes, which helps non-scientists through the science) eventually leaving the questions unanswered, but the reader equipped to think more intelligently about why we are what we are and why we do what we do.

Abby Gross is a Medical editor at Oxford University Press.

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By Josh Landon

The Passage of Power by Robert Caro
The fourth volume in Caro’s (insert hyperbolic adjective here) Lyndon Johnson biography is a must-read for his depiction of Robert Kennedy alone. Wow, who knew he was such a [expletive deleted]?

Zona by Geoff Dyer
Ostensibly a shot-by-shot analysis Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1979 film “Stalker,” this book quickly spins off the rails (as is Geoff Dyer’s trademark) into long and fascinating discursions about the authors lifelong desires and regrets, and whether we actually, deep down, really want what we think we want. I should probably add that it’s also extremely funny.

Rule & Ruin by Geoffrey Kabaservice
Geoff Kabaservice’s supremely readable and entertaining book about the collapse of a moderate wing within the Republican Party couldn’t be more relevant in light of the country’s ongoing fiscal cliff/plan B/debt ceiling debates which are, apparently, never going away. Ever.

NW by Zadie Smith
Worth reading if only for Zadie Smith’s incredible ear for dialogue. An insightful, if frequently uncomfortable, look at urban life in the 21st century.

Arcadia by Lauren Groff
This story about the rise and fall of a fictional upstate New York commune in the 1970’s was my outside-my-comfort-zone read of the year. It’s the kind of book you get excited about by the time you get halfway through because you realize you now have the perfect Birthday/Mother’s Day/Christmas gift for the next year.

Bonus Book (originally published in 2008)
How to Be Useful: A Beginner’s Guide to Not Hating Work by Megan Hustad
I deeply regret not having the opportunity to read this book in my early/mid 20s. The book, which culls the best ideas from a century’s worth of “career” books (some brilliant, some tacky), is filled with ideas and suggestions that will flat-out make you a happier person.

Josh Landon is a National Account Representative to Barnes & Noble, Follett, & BAM for Oxford University Press, and the B&N Rookie of the Year 2012 Award winner.

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By Cornelia Haase

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Heart-breaking tale about nine-year-old Liesel who lives with a foster family in Nazi Germany after her parents have been taken to a concentration camp. Not just another dramatic World War II novel, but a brilliant book about family relationships, fear, and human strength.

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson, translated by Rod Bradbury

It’s Allan Karlsson’s 100th birthday when he decides to leave the old people’s home and goes on an eventful journey, involving a suitcase full of cash, accidental murder, and a pet elephant. The characters are lovable and the tone light and entertaining. My feel-good book of the year!

The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair

A young American woman of Indian ancestry revisits the events of a summer she spent in India as a child — a summer in which she uncovered her family’s biggest secret. Nair manages to keep up the suspense right until the end… a real page-turner!

White as Milk, Red as Blood by Alessandro D’Avenia

A typical teenager, 16-year-old Leo’s life changes completely when he finds out that his love interest Beatrice suffers from leukaemia. The characters are authentic and the story beautifully told. Unfortunately it hasn’t been translated into English (yet?).

The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak

Set in Istanbul, this book tells the story of the Kazanci family, where a mysterious family curse causes the men in the family to die in their early forties. As the story unfolds, old family secrets come to light. A great and compelling story!

Cornelia Haase is an Assistant Commissioning Editor in Reference at Oxford University Press.

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