Violetta Armour
If you’re wanting to place a good book under the Christmas tree for the readers in your family, I thought I’d share a few of the best books my book clubs read this past year. I belong to two clubs and often ask other clubs, “What was your favorite read?” The three titles I highly recommend were all favorites with many clubs.
One of my groups had an animal theme going—not intentional—it just happened. After each read, we all wanted to adopt a penguin, a giraffe, or an octopus.
How the Penguins Saved Veronica, by Hazel Prior. Veronica, a feisty, grumpy, and irrepressible 86-year-old, decides she must travel to Antarctica on a mission to save the penguins. But things don’t turn out quite as she expected. Author Prior said she wanted her heroine to be somebody who has been through a lot but is still willing to learn and, also, because penguins are charming and comical as they experience the harshest conditions on the planet yet take on every challenge with courage and gusto. It’s a book about survival and determination and hope, not just for the penguins, but for Veronica, too.
West With Giraffes, by Lynda Rutledge. An emotional rousing and romping adventure of a novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of America. Woodrow Wilson Nickel, at age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave. It’s 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, West With Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time, and a story told before it’s too late.
Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Vann Pelt, is an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope. The main characters are Tova, a 70-year-old widow who keeps her distance from others in order not to get hurt, and Marcellus, an octopus who makes snarky comments on human attendees at the aquarium where Tova works. Some of the story is told from Marcellus’ point of view. Yes, that’s weird, but I would recommend it to those who love reading about animals, friendships between them and humans, grief, and loss.
It was on The New York Times bestseller list for 64 weeks, and Netflix is scheduled to release the movie in 2026 starring Sally Field.
I said there was an animal theme, but I realize now that in each book there is also a senior citizen hero/heroine with lots of gumption, curiosity, and a desire to live life to the fullest. Sounds like the folks here in Sun Lakes.
Merry Christmas and Happy Reading! Hope someone puts a good book in your stocking this season.
Violetta Armour, a former bookstore owner, is the author of five novels, including the award-winning I’ll Always Be with You and her Dangerous Pastimes series of cozy mysteries. She resides in Sun Lakes with her pooch Lola.