By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Senior

CLANTON — Library director Kelly Easterling used his favorite Christmas book as the inspiration for decorating the Chilton/Clanton Public Library this year.

“A Redbird Christmas” by Fannie Flagg is his favorite.

At the library, redbirds sit nestled in the library’s Christmas tree, while others are perched on a display table.

Easterling said he read “A Redbird Christmas” at the recommendation of a co-worker.

“It is about a fictional town that is based on Magnolia Springs [Alabama], about the mail that is delivered by river. It’s one of the few places … in the United States where they actually deliver the mail by riverboat. One of the main characters that owns the store has a pet red bird,” Easterling said.

He said the book was “so good … moving.”

“You get to know the characters, and you like the characters. She always has very interesting characters,” Easterling said.

Flagg is from Birmingham.

Easterling first read the book in 2009. Reading it inspired him to visit Magnolia Springs.

“A Redbird Christmas” is available at the Chilton/Clanton Public Library.

Easterling said a good Christmas book is one that “makes you realize the true spirit of Christmas.” He said the same is true for children’s books, along with good illustrations.

The library has pulled out several of its Christmas fiction for adults and children to display and entice people to read one this holiday season. Additional titles including Christmas cooking and craft books, are available in the holiday section.

“A lot of authors write Christmas books,” Easterling said.

He said the library has Christmas themed books in a variety of genres from mystery and suspense to historic and general fiction.

Easterling’s favorite Christmas book as a child was “The Night before Christmas: A Hallmark Pop-up Book.”

“Each page would have a big fold out pop-up … Every year I would drag that out,” Easterling said.

The book had been a gift from his parents. Easterling said his parents encouraged him to read.

“The Polar Express” is library worker Donna Velasquez’s favorite Christmas book.

She said it is her favorite “because ‘The Polar Express’ is about still believing no matter how old you are.”

During her teaching career, Velasquez read the story to her fourth-grade students each year.

Easterling said many Christmas themed books are a shorter length than other books making them the perfect size to be read during Christmas vacation.

The library is open through Dec. 23 until noon. It will re-open on Dec. 29. In addition, the library will close at noon on Dec. 30 and reopen Jan. 3.