Take the guesswork out of holiday shopping and give the gift that Garrison Keillor says “you can open again and again.” McDaniel College Associate Librarian Jane Sharpe offers a list of books that will bring joy this season to everyone on your list.

During her annual Books Sandwiched In on Nov. 20, Sharpe covered 40 books, including cookbooks, biography, a peekaboo book for babies, fiction and non-fiction for children and adults.

Here’s Jane Sharpe’s book gift list for the 2008 holidays:

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FOR ADULTS:

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
 
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
 
Shades of Gray: A novel of the Civil War in Virginia by Jessica James

The Oyster War by David Faulkner
 
Lucky in Love by Stacey Coverstone
 
An Irish Country Christmas by Patrick Taylor
 
Samuel Adams:A life by Ira Stoll
 
Ladies of Liberty: The women who shaped our nation by Cokie Roberts
 
Emily Post: Daughter of the gilded age, mistress of American manners by Laura Claridge

Dewey: The small-town cat who touched the world by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
                                                                                                                                             
This I believe II: More personal philosophies of remarkable men and women edited by Jay Allison & Dan Gediman

Bob Schieffer’s America by Bob Schieffer 

Choosing Civility: The 25 rules of considerate conduct by P.M. Forni 
 
Spooky Maryland: Tales of hauntings, strange happenings and other local lore retold by S.E. Schlosser and illustrated by Paul G. Hoffman
 
Being Dead Is No Excuse: The official Southern ladies guide to the perfect funeral by Gayden Metcalf & Charlotte Hays
 
Barefoot Contessa  Back to Basics: Fabulous flavor from simple ingredients by Ina Garten

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CHILDREN and YOUNG ADULTS

Paula Deen’s My First Cookbook by Paula Deen with Martha Nesbit and illustrated by Susan Mitchell

Our White House: Looking in, looking out created by 108 Renowned Authors and Illustrators & The National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance
    
Be Glad Your Nose Is On Your Face and Other Poems by Jack Prelutsky and illustrated by Brandon Dorman

Chalice by Robin McKinley
 
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Dave McKean
 
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
 
My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath
 
The Penderwicks of Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney 
 
Peter Pan: A pop-up adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s original tale by Robert Sabuda        
 
Owney, the mail-pouch pooch by Mona Kerby, pictures by Lynne Barnasch
 
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond

Bats at the Library by Brian Lies 
 
First Snow in the Woods by Carl R. Sams & Jean Stoick 

Bear Stays Up For Christmas by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jane Chapman
 
Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett
 
Santa Claws: The Christmas Crab by Priscilla Cummings and illustrated by Marcy Dunn Ramsey
 
Count My Blessings 1 through 10 by Sabina Yoon
 
Christmas Peekaboo! by DK Publishing        

A is for Annabelle: A doll’s alphabet by Tasha Tudor
 
A Friend is Someone Who Likes You by Joan Walsh Anglund

Amazing Peace by Maya Angelou and illustrated by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher
         
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore and illustrated by Jan Brett