CRYSTAL FALLS — The Crystal Falls District Community Library will have two events as part of the Crystal Christmas Celebration this year. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 safety concerns, the library has made some modifications.

The first 25 children who visit the library from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday will get a free holiday book and a craft kit to take home to make.

“Unfortunately, the story hours will be cancelled, but we are hoping they will return next Christmas. The books are lovely, and we have some for all different ages,” library Director Evelyn Gathu said.

The second-annual Authorpalooza will be 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. They will not host the traditional group author talk; the four featured authors instead will be spaced apart in the library selling their books.

“I have read all four of the books, and they are outstanding,” Gathu said. “The authors are great and are very excited to meet people to talk about their books.”

The authors will autograph any book purchased.

“The books make excellent gifts for all the readers on your gift list,” she said. “Getting an autographed book is a truly personalized gift, which makes a cherished keepsake — give the gift of reading.”

Iron River’s own J.K. Rohde will sell her book “Bitter Cold Holiday.” This book is a holiday mystery set in the Upper Peninsula. In this caper, main character Lexi Marx and her girlfriends help their gal pal Della as Della’s family flings into town to fight her for ownership of the family estate.

There is a missing will, late-night intruders, rumors of ghosts and plenty of time spent drinking warm drinks by the fire with the ladies, unraveling the clues.

“This book is a must for any mystery lover on your shopping list,” Gathu said.

Iron Mountain High School and Michigan Technological University graduate Tom Flaminio will sell his comedic memoir, “Spaghetti on Mondays.”

“I could not put this book down — it was hilarious,” Gathu said.

Tom’s mother gave birth to four sets of twins, along with a few more children. His book is a romp about growing up in Iron Mountain during the late ’60s and early ’70s.

As might be expected, Tom and his siblings got into plenty of shenanigans. Those going through his upbringing will likely need a box of tissues as they laugh until they cry, Gathu said.

“This is a great book of nostalgia for anyone on your list who loves humor and/or grew up before the digital age,” she added.

For elementary-age children on the holiday shopping list, consider coming to meet Nikki Mitchell and purchase her book “Nightshade Forest.”

This is the Iron River resident’s first book and the first installment in her series “Eleanor Mason’s Literary Adventures.”

Eleven-year-old Eleanor receives a book from her father that opens a portal to a fairytale world. This book really demonstrates how magical the fictional world can be. The book is suitable for both boys and girls.

“Even though I am much older than the target reading audience in which this book was written for, I loved it,” Gathu said. “I am really looking forward to reading the complete series,”

The last author will be Florence, Wis., resident Beanie Leffler. She will be at the library to talk about and sell her book, “Never Give Up!… Beanie’s Story.”

This picture book is about the lifetime adventure she has been on to be a reader. She has a remarkable story about how her struggles with reading led her to go to vision therapy while in her 50s, which did help her vastly improve her reading abilities.

Leffler’s goal in writing this book is to help educate parents to be aware of reading problems and hopefully to prevent their children from going through what she endured.

Leffler recently spoke to first- through third-grade students at Forest Park Schools in Crystal Falls. She welcomes and encourages anyone with reading struggles or any parent of a child with reading difficulties to come and speak to her.

“Beanie is an amazing person. Her book is beautifully illustrated, and its message of having courage and never giving up, is a lesson for children despite what they struggle with, whether it be reading or something else,” Gathu said.

This book would make a nice gift for younger children this holiday season, she said.

“The Crystal Christmas is a wonderful local tradition, and the library is so happy to be a part of it every year,” Gathu said.