JINGLE BELLS by Ben Kirchner Do you have a high octane youngster around your house, or a little one that would love a new rendition of the classic Jingle Bells song? If so, you'll want to check out Ben Kirchner's new Jingle Bells picture book. Instead of the traditional horse and sleigh ride, we have an intense race between animals in their chosen race mobiles. The text is kept in the traditional meter of the song, so you can sing the book aloud to your listeners if you so choose. (That's what I did with my daughter. It was super fun!) Start the book off guessing who will be the winner in the end, and then plunge right in! Note the end papers right inside the cover highlighting the race track, so as obstacles are encountered in the book you'll understand where they are. This book is lots of fun to read and will bring about some good chuckles as you check out all the great, action packed illustrations accompanying the story!

TAMALES FOR CHRISTMAS by Stephen Briseno. Illustrated by Sonia Sanchez I have several great pictures books to share with you in the upcoming days, but Tamales for Christmas is truly something special. If you love Christmas picture books you'll want to get your hands on this one! TAMALES FOR CHRISTMAS is a story based on the author, Stephen Briseno's, grandmother. This amazing woman would cook tamales to sell, beginning in the fall months all the way up to Christmas, to make money for purchasing Christmas gifts for her family and neighbors. She cooked an unbelievable number of these traditional Mexican delicacies. One year she cooked 1000 dozen. Yes, you read that correctly - 1000 dozen. Prepare to feel the love, dedication, and selflessness this incredible woman demonstrated to those around her. Be sure to check out the Author's Notes at the end of the story. They are well worth reading! Sonia Sanchez's illustrations are perfect for this book. There is a warm hominess to the pictures that fits the text and showcases the dedication to family and the work at hand. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITIES- What is a tamale? Do a little research about these loved delicacies.Where did they originate? When are they traditionally eaten? If you're feeling ambitious, there is a recipe in the Author's Notes!

SANTA'S FIRST CHRISTMAS by Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Sydney Smith Well known author, Mac Barnett, is back with a great picture book in time for the Christmas holiday. SANTA'S FIRST CHRISTMAS is a book that shares the first time Santa celebrates Christmas and doesn't just go directly back to work after his night of delivering toys. It's actually a polar bear that brings it to the Elves' attention that Santa never takes the time to enjoy the day himself. Embarrassed, the Elves decide it's time for a change, and a yearly tradition is born. Illustrator Sydney Smith does a fantastic job of bringing both a bit of whimsy and tradition to this Santa and the Elves' tale. The colors are beautiful . The joy is palpable as everyone experiences a lot of Christmas firsts. Santa's red face does not disappoint. Those cherry red cheeks are marvelous!

INA GARTEN A MEMOIR: BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS by Ina Garten Those of you who know me know that I enjoy cooking when I don't have to rush! Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa cookbooks are some of my favorite go tos. I love the idea of hearty comfort food with just a bit of fancy. Following her cooking career for a little while now, I would pick up bits and pieces of Ina's life story. She worked in the White House (not in the kitchen). She left that life and bought the Barefoot Contessa in the Hamptons. She's married to the love of her life, Jeffrey. You get the drift. I have to admit I was curious to hear her story. How appropriate that I enjoyed reading her memoir while combing a couple of her turkey recipes together to cook my Thanksgiving turkey this year. I'm not going to spill the beans on a lot of Ina's story. She was raised in a well-to-do family that looked perfect on the outside while being very verbally and emotionally abusive on the inside. There was only one level of acceptance - perfection - and Ina rarely measured up. After graduating college, she worked for two presidents. (You'll have to read the book to find out what she did!) She finally needed a change. With no formal cooking training at all, she bought The Barefoot Contessa in the Hamptons. It was sink or swim time, Baby! The rest you'll have to read on your own. There is a lot I admire about Ina Garten. I am often asked what I'll do once I'm done homeschooling even though I've got a while to figure that out. It is inspiring to read about successful major changes in life like she has done! There are definitely some areas that we wouldn't see eye to eye on, but I'd say that's probably true with most people. Overall though, I enjoyed the read. HEADS UP- There is a small amount of language. However, that does include 2-3 f-bombs.

ROOK'S RUSE (BOOK 4 IN THE BLACKGAARD CHRONICLES) by Phil Lollar Now that Dr. Blackgaard has opened Blackgaard's Castle in the heart of Odyssey to attract the kids away from Whit's End, he has a home base to work from. Meanwhile Richard Maxwell is close to hacking Whit's computer system. When an accident occurs as a result of the hack and a child is injured, Richard realizes how far BLACKGAARD is willing to go to gain Applesauce. Richard knows he needs to get out, but is he in too deep to even consider that now? Rook's Ruse has a great peek into Dr. Blackgaards's history for those of you who enjoy Odyssey extras! We also meet Donovan and Tasha for the first time!

LITTLE MOLE'S CHRISTMAS GIFT by Glenys Nellist. Illustrated by Sally Garland. It's time to start sharing some of the beautiful picture books I have found this year to add to my family's personal Christmas book collection! My first share is the precious book LITTLE MOLE'S CHRISTMAS GIFT. You'll want to cuddle up with a little one and share this darling book! Sweet Little Mole wants to give his Momma the perfect gift this year, the biggest mushroom in the woods. After picking it and heading towards home, he encounters several little woodland creatures that need help that require giving large pieces of his marvelous gift away. By the time he reaches home there is only a small piece of his magnificent mushroom left to give to his Momma. Little Mole is disappointed with his meager offering, but his delighted momma tells him he has given her an even better gift than the gigantic mushroom. Illustrator Sally Garland has paired the delightful words of this picture book with very vintage feeling illustrations. They add another level of sweetness to this already overflowingly fantastic story.

HERCULE POIROT'S CHRISTMAS by Agatha Christie Simeon Lee has summoned all his grown children home for Christmas. Older and an invalid, he can't stir things up the way he loved to in his younger years. He decides to shake things up at the expense of his family. What better way than to announce he's going to change the family will. Of course, he wasn't counting on ending up dead while all the family gathered together. There is no doubt that he was murdered in his study, but with the door locked from the inside and everyone's movements accounted for no easy answer surfaces. Enter Hercule Poirot. Something just isn't sitting right about the murder scene and why does the steady old butler feel like he's going crazy, mixing the visitors up? Hercule knows there's a logical answer for the happenings if he can just figure it out. HEADS UP- Adultery is mentioned, but no details given.

CROSS-CHECK (BOOK 3 IN THE BLACKGAARD CHRONICLES) by Phil Lollar Dr. Regis Blackgaard continues to reek havoc on the town of Odyssey. Refusing to give up his pursuit of the powerful Applesauce program, nothing will stop him and anything that stands in his way had better beware! Book 3 in this great series finds John Avery Whittaker continuing to battle against Dr. Blackgaard's every move as he tries to gain access to Applesauce. In the middle of all of this, despite all the destruction going on, a meeting occurs that allows past wrongs to be forgiven and friendships restored. For those of you familiar with the Adventures in Odyssey dramatic stories, Book 3 gives the reader a great insight into Richard Maxwell's back story, Blackgaard's computer genius.

SPOOKY LAKES by Geo Rutherford When I spotted Spooky Lakes at the bookstore, I thought I was holding a book about all the terrifying mythical creatures that supposedly inhabit lakes (think Loch Ness Monster). That is not what Spooky Lakes turned out to be. Instead, Spooky Lakes is a collection of true information on 25 lakes around the world and their unique conditions. Some of the lakes contain deadly water due to radiation, acid, mineral salts, etc while others are inhabited by sharks, jellyfish, and other creatures scientists have a hard time explaining. Extra tall in its size, Spooky Lakes is what I call a "meaty picture book" which makes it appropriate for kids from kindergarten to junior high. (I will include a picture of the text in the comments.) While definitely bulky in size, this book traveled around with me to several places as I read it, because I found it so fascinating that I didn't want to stop reading it! HEADS UP- There are multiple references to evolution while explaining the origins of the lakes.

THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin It is always so wonderful to write about a squeaky clean book!! The BLETCHLEY RIDDLE is one I get to add to the list! World War II finds siblings Jakob (19) and Lizzie (14) Novis in the middle of an intense situation. Their father is dead. Their mother is missing. Jakob has accepted the fact that she is dead, but Lizzie can't shake the feeling that their mother is alive. Once very close, the siblings' relationship has grown strained. Lizzie knows that Jakob harbors deep secrets that he won't share. Jakob can't wait for Lizzie to be sent to the US to live with their overbearing, wealthy grandmother to get her out of his hair and out of danger. Boarding the ship to cross the ocean, Lizzie has a change of heart. She ditches her chaperone and promptly exits the ship, setting her mind on figuring out if her mother is really dead or alive. Back on English soil, she moves in with Jakob at his new lodgings only to discover that part of his secret revolves around being a code breaker at the infamous BLETCHLEY Park. The stress abounds as code breakers have hit a dead end and lives are depending on their abilities. Jakob's long hours away leave plenty of time for Lizzie to start her investigation into their mother's disappearance. What it reveals is more than she could have imagined.

THE GREY WOLF by Louise Penny This is a series you will want to start at the beginning. Once upon a time I worked for a police department. I worked daily with officers who had the toughest exteriors imaginable, but I was privy to see their human side. The side that smiled and joked, the side that mourned at intense loss, the side that loved, the side that believed in righting wrongs at expensive costs. This intense balance of reality draws me back time and time again to Louise Penny's character, Inspector Gamache. Be forewarned that every time you enter one of these books, you will travel through muck, but Penny takes me back to days gone by in a way that few others do. A series of bizarre events sets the stage for this latest Inspector Gamache novel. Where those events quickly lead is the revealing of a planned attack on Quebec. Not one committed in the traditional terrorist manner with the use of weapons, but one that is just as deadly, if not more so - the poisoning of the drinking water for a vast amount of people. The intense struggle is real for Gamache and his team. Does he alert everyone causing the attackers to regroup and plan again for another day or warn no one and steadily work at the case, peeling the layers away that will hopefully reveal who ultimately is at the helm of this horrendous plan. Life and death decisions hang in the balance at every turn in this gripping book. HEADS UP- Language including lots of f-bombs. Gay relationship with no intimate details. Faith struggle with regards to God/afterlife/church.

KNIGHT OWL AND EARLY BIRD by Christopher Denise Mommas - if you have a sweet little one that hovers around your legs asking lots of questions or if you have an early riser when you tend to be a night owl, this book is for you (and you can share it with your child(ren) if you choose!) This picture book, excuse me for this, is a hoot! I laughed as I read through it the first time and truly enjoyed the points that were well laced throughout the story! I'm not going to explain this so you can enjoy the book - Knight Owl ends up losing his temper, but through a fun twist little Early Bird ends up saving him. Popular author and Caldecott winner, Christopher Denise, hit it out of the park with this wonderful follow up to Knight Owl! I've got to take a minute and just sing the praises of the illustrations in this book. Done in browns, warm glow yellows, muted shades of reds and blues, and snowy night scenes with grays and blacks, this book is a great read for anytime but especially cold, wintery days. The artwork is fantastic and kids will enjoy taking in all the fun details of this great read.