LITTLE CHRISTMAS CAROL based on the book by Charles Dickens. Envisioned and illustrated by Joe Sutphin I love Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The illumination that occurs as the light of realization shines into the bleakest of hearts when confronted with the error of one's ways is glorious. The dawning of understanding that breaks when one knows that not a single mourner will gather when they are gone. Their vapor of life, when snuffed out, will dissipate into the air of indifference never to be thought of again unless a change occurs. A Christmas Carol teaches readers there are two choices in life: be a blessing or be a burden to those around you. As Scrooge learns, we each hold within ourselves, thanks to the grace of God, the ability to be a blessing to others. It may come about in monetary donations, time given freely in help, a smile bestowed on another as we walk along, or uplifting words spoken from our lips to someone hurting. We hold the power to lighten the loads of those around us every day. We also hold the power to add hardship to loads: to knock others down with words and actions, to turn away when we see needs that we have the ability to relieve, to press in with force when we can lift up and strengthen instead. Two choices. And as such, Scrooge learns and changes. Hopefully, so do we. Little Christmas Carol is beautifully written. It doesn't shy away from the depth of its parentage. Vocabulary and phrasing are challenging yet manageable. The text comes alive with the most wonderful illustrations that will capture the reader's attention. Predominately rabbits with a few other delightful creatures, there is a warmth and coziness that draws young readers or listeners in. Little Christmas Carol is a read worthy of being a family read aloud.

MS. PENNYPICKLE'S PUZZLE QUEST by Chris Grabenstein It's clear that Chris Grabenstein has a thing for puzzle quests. After all, he is the author of the well known series, Mr. Lemoncello's Library. Now he's back with a new book and "puzzle quest" is in its title. MS. PENNYPICKLE'S PUZZLE QUEST is a story about two very different brothers. The oldest, Ethan, is good looking, athletic, and graduating from high school. The youngest, Benji, is 12 and doesn't have an athletic bone in his body. Ethan and Benji don't really get along very well as Ethan considers Benji to be pretty annoying. As a last ditch attempt to strengthen their brotherly bond before Ethan leaves home, their parents send them together on a crosscountry trip to the Grand Canyon. Not too far into the trip, an opportunity arises to join a puzzle quest happening along Route 66 where the prize is a million dollars. Who can pass that possibility up? Not these brothers! It's hard to imagine that there might just be something even greater than money that comes out of this quest, and the twist at the end? Brilliant! HEADS UP- One reference to millions of years

BONES AND BERSERKERS by Nathan Hale Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales are typically meaty graphic novels based on historical battles and events that Upper Elementary and Middle Grade readers love. However, since this edition is number 13 in the series, author Nathan Hale deviated from his typical style and instead penned a book that consists of 13 folktales with one true story thrown in. That's not where the difference ends. Edition 13 is full of folktales that are as the book warns, " Hazard Level: Neon Ghastly" with stories about jaw rot, mutilation, murderous outlaws, sibling murder, a demonic baby, decapitation, burning, and much more. (Remember they all surround told folktales except for a story about radiation poisoning that is true.) This book warns that if "you are easily upset, a sensitive soul, suffer from nightmares, or a second grader reading way above grade level" then this book is not for you! For those that enjoy reading about folktales that have terror in them, this will be right up your alley. HEADS UP- Read the above post as it explains that Book 13 is based on 13 Folktales of Terror.

GLORIOUS RIVALS by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Let's start with a simple recap from The Grandest Game. Avery and the Hawthorne Brothers (you can read their story in The Inheritance Games) decide to set aside a chunk of the Hawthorne Estate to fund a "game" on the Hawthorne's own private island. Seven golden tickets are issued (anyone feel a Willy Wonka vibe?) , the players gather and the game begins. At the end of The Grandest Game, 5 players remain playing for the $27 million dollar prize. It is at this point that Glorious Rivals begins. The game intensity reaches a new fervor as the 5 remaining players step into the second and final half of The Grandest Game. Forced to rely on each other (which is something these players don't do in life) to solve the intense puzzles required to continue on, an game of truth/untruth is constantly being played as Grayson, Lyra, Rohan, Savannah, and Brady know that at the end of it all there can only be one winner. When objects start appearing on the island that have nothing to do with the game itself and everything to do with the complicated pasts of the players, it's obvious that The Grandest Game isn't the only game happening. Is it Avery and the Hawthorne Brothers that are controlling this part of the game or is someone else pulling the strings? HEADS UP- Language - a healthy dose of d***, a******, and h*** . No F- bombs. Rohan does start his part of the story waking up in Savannah's bed. She's gone. There are lots of steamy looks and tingling touches between the players.

ELLIE HAS A SECRET by Amelia Bothe I LOVE this book! How great it was to pick a book up at the bookstore and read about a little girl named Ellie that steals something from her classroom. That's great?? What's great is what happens after. A tiny, little creature shows up right after calling himself "The Secret." At first, Ellie is enamored with her cute, little friend, but then he grows, and the weight of him becomes unbearable. This is a beautiful story that illustrates the consequence for sin until we admit it. This is not a "Christian" book, but it is packing a moral punch based off of Christian principles. By the way, this story is based on the author's life. She added in the mythical creature to illustrate the burden. I absolutely love, and highly recommend this book!

THE LONG WINTER by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Illustrated by Garth Williams Winter can feel like a long season that seems very restrictive in our activities and outings, but the truth is in our day and age, modernization has opened this season up for us much more than how things used to be, especially when a blizzard would hit. Set in the Dakota Territory (modern day South Dakota), The Long Winter is the story of the Blizzard of 1880-1881. Laura and her family (the Ingalls), along with the entire town, are on the brink of starvation when it becomes impossible for the trains to come due to the snow. Knowing that people's lives are hanging in the balance, Almanzo Wilder comes up with a daring plan, understanding full well that by carrying it out, his own life is at risk, but if he doesn't, there's an entire town who won't make it to spring. There is no doubt as you read through The Long Winter, you find yourself grateful over and over not to be in the same predicament as the townspeople of De Smet. Courage and endurance are showcased throughout the pages, and it can give all of us that little extra umph to endure these cold, snowy days!

BETWEEN THE SOUND AND SEA by Amanda Cox For all of you joining in on the current BOOK CLUB READ, The Edge of Belonging, this is Amanda Cox's newest book! How fun it was to go into my closet and look through my extensive TBR pile and discover I had another Amanda Cox book I had purchased after reading the Christy Award winner names! While not as tug-at-your-heartstrings emotional as The Edge of Belonging, Between the Sound and Sea is a moving, wonderful read set in the Outer Banks of NC. Josephina "Joey" Harris has just taken a leap of faith at a huge life change. Ready to leave the town she's known her whole life due to a tarnished family name, she applies for the job of renovating an old, forgotten lighthouse that has recently been purchased by someone that had a history with it years ago. As Joey begins to dig into her project, she comes upon pieces of the lighthouse's logbook rolled up and shoved into the cracks of the lighthouse walls and plastered over. These pages recount heroic acts of saving, so why in the world would someone want to hide them away? There is a hidden story here that deserves to be known, and Joey's job of restoration just grew to include solving a mystery. This is a great read to enjoy whether you are longing for something warm to read on a snowy day or sitting on a beach enjoying vacation!

THE LETTER CARRIER by Francesca Giannone The Letter Carrier is a novel that was originally published in Italy. After its huge success (Italy 's bestseller in 2023), the book has since been translated into 39 languages including English. You can imagine the feeling and emotion written into the pages especially when you know its origins. The Letter Carrier is the story of Anna Allavena set in the 1930s. Coming to her husband's village in South Italy, Anna (from the north) is known as an outlander to the locals. She's very different from them refusing to conform to their ideas of a woman's place in the home. Tired of staying at home, she applies for the job of the local letter carrier at the post office. Amazingly, she is hired, and this begins her in-road into the secret lives of the villagers she lives beside. Admittedly, I have only read about 25% of this book, so I can't speak to how everything plays out. However, I have to say that this book has made me incredibly sad. There are so many affairs going on, because people are not happy in their marriages and lives. There is also some type of relationship going on with a young woman named Giovanni and a man that resides at a parish. (It doesn't say what his exact role is.) Because of his location and the sexual content of their letters, Anna comes up with the idea of hiding their notes back and forth to each other under the stamp on the envelope. Essentially, Anna, who has been an unaccepted outcast, becomes a lifeline for "happiness" While this is going on, her husband is having an affair with his old girlfriend who is married, and Anna and her husband's brother have strong chemistry starting to form between them. That's as far as I got.

Do you have a sports loving middle grader that could use some positive, Christian stories coming out of the sports world these days? Then get your hands on Sports Shorts. These short, personal devotions start off with a topic and story from an all-star baseball or football player. From there a question is posed for self-examination and growth. Then comes "The Big Play:" a section dedicated to putting into action the discussed topic in real life. Finishing the lesson out is "Coach's Corner." Here it's laid out how God often intervenes and makes Himself known in the discussed topic. The very last part is a scripture verse to reinforce the lesson. All-in-all the lessons take 10-15 minutes each. Topics covered include: You are Unique, Find a Way to Witness, It's Not About You, Find Your Passion, Don't Go Through the Motions, and more. There are 52 lessons in all.

I ESCAPED THE GRIZZLY MAZE by Ellen Crowe and Scott Peters WARNING! THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR SENSITIVE READERS! Some of you may be familiar with the true Tim Treadwell story. I was not. Tim Treadwell was a man that lived with grizzly bears on multiple occasions and would try and mimic their lifestyle and behavior, so he could learn about and be accepted by them. I ESCAPED the Grizzly Maze is based on his story experienced by a couple of teenagers who desire to learn more about grizzlies. When Cody and his cousin, Samantha, decide they want to head to Alaska to see the grizzlies firsthand and meet Tim Treadwell in person , they concoct a story for their parents about going to visit their grandfather who lives there. Through a series of events they end up at Katmai Peninsula with their annoying older cousin, Matt, at a place known as The Grizzly Maze. The grizzly bears in the area all gather at that location to fatten up before going into hibernation, but due to a drought, food is scarce. Tim and his girlfriend Amie are camping there. What Cody and his cousins thought was going to be the adventure of a lifetime quickly turns into the nightmare of the century. I ESCAPED starts off a little hard to get into. First, I found it a little unrealistic that the teens are making all the plans for travel and the parents aren't involved at all. Second, the relationship between the kids is a bit annoying at first. It's supposed to be, especially, when the older annoying cousin, Matt, gets involved. ,(I wouldn't want him anywhere around me and definitely not in a situation with bears.) I honestly quit the book at one point but then picked it back up. The book does allow readers to get a view of grizzly behavior and an experience with Tim Treadwell, The Grizzly Man. Ultimately, there is something to be aware of in the story, but it has to come in the form of a spoiler alert. HEADS UP- SPOILER ALERT Unfortunately, in real life as well as in this book, Tim Treadwell and his girlfriend were killed by the grizzlies they were camping alongside. The only people to "escape" are Cody and his cousins. The book doesn't go into gruesome details. A trooper admits that their bodies were found. Overall, there are several scary run-ins that the group has with the grizzlies as would be expected. While the book respects and admires grizzles, it is quick to point out that they are large, wild animals. -At one point Tim calls out to God or Allah asking for rain to break the drought.

HATCHET by Gary Paulsen HATCHET may have been around for about 40 years now, but I recently took a group of upper elementary and middle graders through it, and it has the same appeal today as it did the day it became a Newberry Honor Book which is why I'm adding it to my TOP PICKS list. Brian Robeson's parents are divorced. His mom lives in New York and his dad in the oil fields of Canada where he works. The time has come for Brian's first visitation trip to Canada to spend time with his dad. Before boarding the bush plane that will fly him to his father's remote location, his mother gifts him a hatchet. Flying across the Canadian backcountry, the pilot unexpectedly has a heart attack, and Brian is plunged immediately into a race for survival. Written in a beautifully descriptive way, it's clear that Paulsen knows the wilderness and survival. Lessons leap from every page, but SPOILER ALERT the biggest impact of Hatchet on the reader is knowing that it is possible to survive hardships in life. HEADS UP- Hatchet deals with some very difficult topics, but if you stay with me, it also becomes a door for some important discussions. -Brian has something he keeps referring to as "The Secret" in the book. We find out that "The Secret" is his mom is having an affair. Brian sees her from a distance kiss a man at one point. Even though Brian knows about this, he can't bring himself to tell his dad. We can surmise that this is why the divorce happens even though his dad doesn't directly know about it. So what can you do with this? The book doesn't glorify the affair at all. In fact at one point, Brian blames his mom for what happens to him because of it. (No divorce would equal not being sent to Canada.) I chose to use this as a platform to look at Scripture with the kids about God's plan for marriage. We discussed what a lifelong commitment means. We talked about the fallout from divorce. Hopefully, good seeds were planted, so when the time comes and these kids are thinking about marriage, they'll remember what they are committing to. -Pilot dies from a heart attack. Brian survives but deals with intense hardship in trying to survive. He considers killing himself at one point, but a strong lesson is learned here about never considering it again. I took the time to talk to the kids about suicide, and we looked to Scripture to reinforce our discussion. -D*** is used by the rescue pilot at the end of the story.

HIKE IT: AN INTRODUCTION TO CAMPING, HIKING, AND BACKPAKING IN THE U.S.A. by Iron Tazz. Illustrated by Martin Stanev It's the time of year to start thinking about and planning for outdoor activities and vacation. While the snow comes down and the cold temperatures hover, you can be inside happily planning with your family what your great adventures will be this year. If hiking, camping, or backpacking are on your list of possibilities, then Hike It is a great book to check out! Hike it has two purposes: 1.) to give you a simple introduction to great places to hike and 2.) to help you prepare properly so your family can have a successful and wonderful trip. This meaty picture book ( 91 pgs. of info) is written by a backpacker that has hiked more than 10,000 miles and slept over 400 nights "in the backcountry." Iron Tazz knows his stuff and he brings for your consideration 20 different places to hike and/or camp. He also helps you prepare by covering topics such as The Ten Essentials, Going to the Bathroom in the Woods, Bears, Wild Berries, Fire-Safety, Finding the North Star, What To Do if You Get Lost, Lightweight Backpacking, and much more. This is a really great read with immediate hands-on application possibilities. HEADS UP- There are a couple of mentions of millions of years. There is 1 mention of karma.