THE DIGGER AND THE CHRISTMAS by Joseph Kuefler Do you have a child at home that is obsessed with diggers, dozers, plows, etc? Do you have a child that would love to see all those cool vehicles show up in a Christmas picture book? Then The Digger and the Christmas Tree is your story! When I found this book at the bookstore, I was immediately taken back to all of the books I read to my son when he was little. In fact, my son and I were out eating the other day before his basketball game, and I pulled the book out of my bag and passed it over to him to read. He gave it a two thumbs up! It reminded him a bit of one of his childhood favorites: Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site. The illustrations in this book are lots of fun! Bright colors cover the pages engaging readers no matter the age. Snowflakes fall continually in all of the pictures creating an element of chilly, snowy delight. (What little child wouldn't want to be out in the thick of all the happenings when there's snow involved?) This is a great read that may just get wiggly littles to sit still for a few minutes!

THE PROMISED ONE by Jeremy Schmucker How about a board book to share the truth of Christmas with littles this year? Yes, please! The Promised One delivers the message of the Gospel in simple terms to begin planting the seeds of the greatest gift ever given - the gift of salvation. Cuddle those little ones close and let the love begin to flow!

THE VALLEY OF LIES by Ali Standish Arthur Doyle is back to solve another mystery. This time he is on his own, forbidden to discuss anything with his friends if he doesn't want anything to happen to his younger sister, Mary. The case? Find the magical Brazen Head, a medieval legend that was only thought to be an ancient literary creation. In stories, the Brazen Head had the ability to answer any question posed to it. A definite danger if the wrong people get a hold of it. Doyle will have his hands full in this case. Shooting through the middle of this mystery is a definite streak of Indiana Jones and a clear nod to Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty at the falls. However ... HEADS UP- There continues to be a clear spiritualistic element to these stories. This is not a surprising addition considering how much Arthur Doyle attempted to commune with the spiritual world in his later years. However, Standish continues to give the topic quite a bit of space in this series. This book contains seeking direction from tarot cards and the practice of trying to gain fortune-telling abilities from a variety of other ways. There is a bit of humor attached to it, but it is still present. There is another part where one of Doyle 's friends asks the "spirits" for directional help.

THE CHRISTMAS SWEATER by Jan Brett Jan Brett is back with another great holiday story. This one is for anyone who loves dogs or like me, loves Christmas sweaters. Yiayia (Greek for grandmother) has created a beautiful new sweater for her grandson Theo's dog, Ariadne. Anxious to try it out, Theo puts it on Ariadne and out into a winter wonderland they go! The woods are filled with snow, and as they adventure, it continues to fall. When it's time to go home, Theo realizes their tracks are covered, but clever Ariadne has a way for them to get back home! If you are a Jan Brett lover, this one will not disappoint. Her artwork continues to be spectacular, and the relationship she builds between her characters in each of her books is fantastic!

HELLO, MOON by Evan Turk It would have been lovely if I would have put this amazing picture book up a few days ago since last night was the last full moon of 2025! The Cold Moon. Wasn't it spectacular? When I went out to feed and water this morning at 7:15, it was still peeking through the woods. It was awesome! I'll put a picture in the comments that doesn't do the beauty justice. However, I didn't discover this book until today! I'm sure the moon will be fantastic tonight still, and there will be snowy full moons still to come in January and February, so put this picture book on the back burner of your mind! It is SO WORTH IT!! Hello, Moon is the story of the relationship between a child and the moon as it goes through its stages. Not always understanding why the moon is disappearing (Is it shy?), the child's mother helps make sense of what is happening. Every night the child and mother step outside to view the changes. The sweet child speaks to the moon offering comfort and support in the beautiful way that children do. This book is very light on explanation, meaning that it's not a science oriented book. It is focusing on the child's wonder of what is happening. Pictured with the text are beautiful illustrations. Dark blues, purples, and black are tinged with a silvery white. It is such a delight to look at the swirls and velvety deep created for visual enjoyment.

WHO DONUT: A HOLIDAY MYSTERY by Josh Funk. Illustrated by Brendan Kearney Okay, you all know how much I love Agatha Christie and a good mystery, so when I came across this great picture book that gives a fantastic nod to Christie's Tommy and Tuppence styled books, I was hooked! Set in the refrigerator, Who Donut is a hilarious picture book that both young and old can appreciate! Agatha Crispy has authored a new Miss Maple book. Surrounded by a chosen few on Christmas Eve, she's about to deliver the first reading when the lights go out, and it is stolen. Surrounded by Spuddy Holly, Inspector Croissant, Baron von Waffle, Miss Steak, and several other fantastically named guests, the hunt commences both for the missing manuscript and the caper responsible for the theft! As if that wasn't enough fun for one picture book, the entire thing is told in rhyming verse. It is so cleverly written! And guess what? There is actually a Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series? Oh my lands, I think Christmas has come early this year! Anyway, if you want a fun read with laugh out loud moments for adults and kids, get ahold of this book!

MY BELOVED by Jan Karon You will want to read the other books in the series to really appreciate the depth of this one. It's 6:30 in the morning, and I have just closed the cover on Jan Karon's newest Mitford book, My Beloved. I have loved this series so much, but this book has rocked me to my core in a way that the other volumes never did. It is raw and filled with transparent emotion. Everyone is getting older and we are presented with the ultimate question of what do people truly desire when they know they are in the final years of their lives? What's truly meaningful in their relationships with their spouses, their children, their neighbors? It is absolute melodious beauty to read but coupled with sadness as we realize that every day left is a gift. Oh to grab a hold of that in our younger years! Coupled with that is the realization of responsibility that Dooley and Lace have in their lives. Committed to each other, their children, and Meadowgate Farm, it's not always easy to see how things will come together. But God provides, just as He does in our own lives, and they hang on to that with every part of their being. After all, look at how faithful God has been in their lives to this point. We also become privy to Cynthia's story during the time she walked away from her husband (who was having affairs and children with other women when it was clear Cynthia could not have children) and the meeting of Father Tim. In the past books, we were given the facts of the matter, but now Karon pulls back the veil and takes us to the point Cynthia tries desperately to get her feet underneath her again only to succumb to the pain leading to the attempt to take her own life. But God wasn't finished with Cynthia, as we well know from the story. He had a plan, and it was still on this side of Heaven. As if that wasn't enough depth to give us, Karon also plunges us even deeper with the continuing healing that needs to take place among Dooley's siblings and his mother. There are still enormous places of pain between Pauline and her children especially where Sammy is concerned. While it's not realistic for a simple "all is forgiven" to occur and life move on as if the terrible neglect and devaluization of her children never happened, Hope is always present when God is present! Amen?! Deep. It's easy to see where all this springs from when reading the Author's Notes at the end of the book. Jan Karon talks about the loss of her beautiful daughter to pancreatic cancer. Not long after, her brother passed away from terminal cancer as well. She shares about facing a world that didn't seem to have a lot of meaning in it anymore. She clearly states that she didn't think of ending her own life, but the words are reminiscent of a boat that was lost at sea, left to the battery of the waves. However, just as she shows us through the lives of her characters, God wasn't finished with Jan Karon either. The pain is there. It is acknowledged and felt, but the resounding ribbon of Hope threads it's way through even the most painful of times. All I can say as I wrap this book up is Praise God that everything we experience here is not the end of the story. HEADS UP- The word a** was used a handful of times. Dooley's sister, Jess, tells him in a private, short conversation that she thinks she may be gay. She says she doesn't know, but she knows she is "different." Dooley's response to her is that all he knows is that he loves her.

JUST LIKE ME by Laura Wifler. Illustrated by Skylar White Like Me is a truly meaningful and lovely picture book. It's the story of two brothers and how each is invaluable as human beings even though one is disabled and unable to do everything his older brother does. Beautifully written and narrated through the older brother's eyes, readers are given front row seats to what a day looks like for the family. There are parts that the brothers spend together; there are parts that they each do separately to help develop skills for their lives. There are moments of frustration and moments of beautiful victory. Like Me is a celebration of life written by an author that knows what life with a disabled child looks like. Laura Wifler breathes life into the book with her personal knowledge. Set in snowy surroundings, Skylar White's illustrations cause the words to become living before our eyes. The artwork moves with action as we would expect in a household of boys. There is beauty and tenderness. There is normalcy despite differing abilities and needs. Like Me is a book that is so important to read to our children in a day and age where people tend to value looks and abilities and often forget that ALL HUMAN LIFE IS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. I highly recommend this book!

THE PINE CONE'S SECRET by Hannah Barnaby. Illustrated by Cedric Abt. Okay, before I actually write about this book, I have a bit of a confession. I am used to seeing pine cone as a compound word, not as two words. I thought perhaps we had a situation where the word was split to fit nicely in the pinecone on the cover. I googled it. Both are acceptable forms of spelling the word. Just in case anyone was wondering! This is the time of year we're either visiting the farthest back, dusty corners of our attics or the local Christmas Tree Farms. It's time to get that tree, wrangle it into the stand, and get it decorated! With all my kids home for the week of Thanksgiving we had one day to find "the one" and chop it down! We made the trip an hour away. Once there, you park and they load you up into their side-by-side and take you out into the field to the section you want. I'm partial to canaan firs that are at least 12 feet tall. After being dropped off, we found a beauty immediately, but you know you can't just stop at the first possibility. At least I can't. My family hikes the farm! It was absolutely magical. We entered an area with trees over 20 feet tall. They had grown together like a Narnian forest. I was in absolute awe! Following behind my five kids (ages 12-23) and my husband, the branches would part for a moment as each person stepped through and then swish back in place causing them to disappear from view. It was fantastic! Anyway, back to my first Christmas book selection (you know, the whole point to this post!). We've got to start off with one honoring the amazing cycle of the pine trees we're all fawning over right now, and I've got the perfect fit! And guess what? It's told in rhyming verse!! I think the heavens just opened and angels sang! Starting with the cone, each jump of growth is given a two page spread beginning and ending with a statement such as, " A pine tree is a cone" and then proceeding with rhyming lines about the topic. Some of the growth topics are dedicated to when the tree is a sapling, that it's a feast, a blanket, a gift, a celebration, etc. The book is very well done! Extras at the end of the book go through the parts of the pine tree, approx sizes at different ages, maps showing locations both in the U.S. and around the world where some different pine varieties grow! I can't exit picture book land without a comment about the artwork. The illustrations are enjoyable to study bringing visual life to the musical words. People and creatures fill the pages. Details such as trillium and lady slipper orchids are a nice touch!

NATIONAL PARKS OF THE U.S.A. by Kate Siber. Illustrated by Chris Turnham. If you are a lover of National Parks. If you desire to introduce them to your family, this book is a great starting place! Divided into 7 regions, National Parks of the U.S.A. showcases several of these national treasures. Each park has four pages dedicated to it. The first two pages are an introduction to the park itself. Included are historical features, highlights that make the park a popular place to visit, recent discoveries, etc. The last two pages highlight flora, fauna, and topography found inside the park's borders. ILLUSTRATIONS - The book is chock full of great illustrations. There are eye-catching things to investigate and examine all over these pages. HOMESCHOOL HELPS - Not only is this a cool book to share with your family, but it would also be a fun book to launch a unit study off of or build a co-op class around. HEADS UP- There is a heads up to note. There are several evolutionary references throughout the book.

THE MAMBA MENTALITY: HOW I PLAY by Kobe Bryant The name Kobe Bryant will forever be synonymous with the game of basketball. He was relentless on the floor. A true threat to his opponent. The opposing player that had to guard him in a game knew he was going to have to bring his best that night every minute the clock ticked down. While Kobe clearly had a lot of natural born talent, it would be a mistake to think that was what he depended on day in and day out during his career. Kobe was a player that constantly worked to improve both his physical and mental game just about every minute of the day. Rarely do you meet someone, whether in person or through a book, that is as dedicated to something as Kobe was to basketball. With that being said I am going to throw something out here. I respect Kobe for his dedication. However, the difference between being a mom reading this book and a teenager is the thought that keeps running through my brain wondering about all the things he said "no" to to be able to say "yes" to basketball so much. Mamba Mentality brings to light lots of ways that Kobe improved himself in the game of basketball. He talks about workout schedules, what he would focus on and study in the hours of tape he watched, mentorship and hanging with the basketball greats that came before him gaining wisdom. This book may be focused on the game of basketball, but the truth is there are a lot of principles you can easily apply in other sports arenas. Even bigger than that is all the ways you can apply them in life. After all, success begins by being willing to show up and put the work in no matter what you are pursuing in life. Mamba Mentality is a very interesting read. I do highly recommend it especially if you have a basketball lover in the house. HEADS UP- There is one use of the word d***.

ALL ALONG YOU WERE BLOOMING by Morgan Harper Nichols I go through seasons where I like to have poetry in my TBR pile. Something that I can slowly meander through in-between chapters of the books I'm reading. I came across All Along You Were Blooming at a bookshop while on vacation. I sat myself on the floor with the book in my hands and began to read. The words slipped off the pages and into my soul. Words of hope and healing, of support when going through hard times, of feeling seen on days when you may not feel seen. It was beautiful! The book is divided up into 4 sections: For The Heart (What You Feel), For The Mind (What You Think), For The Body (What You Do), and For The Soul (Who You Are).  If you are a lover of poetry or if you are looking to add some into your reading rotation, this is a great place to start! This would also be a wonderful book to gift to a friend who's going through some struggles! Author Morgan Harper Nichols is a Christian songwriter and musician. It's easy to understand how that combination flows seamlessly over to the world of poetry.