ONCE UPON A WARDROBE by Patti Callahan Let's kick this first week of the New Year off with a Top Pick selection! I loved Patti Callahan's Once Upon a Wardrobe from the moment I first dove into it. After all, what's not to love about a book mixing together bits of Narnia and bits of C S. Lewis' true life encased in a sweet story of its own. George Henry Devonshire is just a child, but he is wiser than his 8 years due to an incurable heart problem and his love of Narnia. He has 1 request of his older sister Meg, who attends Oxford where C.S. Lewis teaches. He wants to know how Narnia came to be. Did Lewis pen this amazing tale based on an imaginary place in his mind or is there more to it? Mathematically inclined Meg has no desire to spend time chasing fantasies, and she is intimidated at the idea of approaching this well known author. But doors in her own life need opened and walked through to experience a larger story than the one she has been currently living. Callahan does an amazing job of delivering up to us a feast of a story. Appropriate for 9th grade and above.

THE SPIDER WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS by Raymond Arroyo Do you have nature lovers in your home, specifically spider lovers? If you do, this Eastern European legend will be cherished and enjoyed. The Spider Who Saved Christmas by Raymond Arroyo opens with Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus fleeing Bethlehem to Egypt to escape King Herod. Stopping for the night in a cave, they sleep as soldiers hunt and kill Jewish, male babies. As the soldiers come near the cave, a spider performs a mighty work to protect the family as they rest. Because of this legend, Eastern Europeans traditionally include spider ornaments on their Christmas trees. After reading this legend, maybe you will as well.

CAJUN NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Trosclair. Illustrated by James Rice. Want a little Cajun spice in your Christmas books? Cajun Night Before Christmas will serve it right up! Written in 1973, this fun version of the classic poem Night Before Christmas has Santa pole-sticking a skiff through the Bayou pulled by alligators. It can be a little tricky to read since the book is written in Cajun verse, but once you get the flow what a hoot it is! Check out the end pages as there is lots of great information how this book came to be.

SNOW HORSES by Patricia MacLachlan. Illustrated by Micha Archer. If you are looking for a sweet picture book to usher in the New Year, this is it! Snow Horses by Patricia MacLachlan celebrates First Night (New Year's Eve). Jenny has a pair of Percheron horses that she hitches up to a sleigh. They travel into town and join in the festivities by giving rides to the young and old. MacLachlan juxtaposes both groups by the children celebrating the present while the older folks remember the past. The descriptive text is delightful to read. What makes this book even more spectacular is Micha Archer's artwork. Archer uses a combination of patterned papers and ink. It is absolutely fantastic when you stop and really examine all the parts in the pictures. Her creativity is unmatched. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITY- Take a minute to look up what "First Night" is. It's a specific way of celebrating the New Year. Percheron horses- Do a little research on Percherons. This noble horse is the Black Beauty of the draft horse breeds. If you have an opportunity to take a sleigh, carriage, or hay ride pulled by horses take it! I have had the joy of riding behind a pair of beautiful Percherons!

THE CARPENTER'S GIFT by David Rubel. Illustrated by Jim LaMarche Wow! If you have never read this precious tale about the Rockefeller Christmas Tree by David Rubel it is worth getting! The Carpenter's Son is the story of a very poor boy who during the Depression sold Christmas trees in New York City with his father. At the end of the day, they bless some people with a tree who showed them kindness. This act starts a chain reaction of kindness and giving that continues as the boy grows into an old man. Illustrator Jim LaMarche fills the pages with his breath taking art. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITY- Be sure and read the end notes that share what happens to the Rockefeller Tree after Christmas is over. -Read Red and Lulu or The Christmas Owl for more Rockefeller Tree stories -Learn about Habit for Humanity

SNOWY READS    Blizzard by John Rocco is one of my top picks because it is about a boy and his family that get snowed in and are waiting for the snow plows which aren't coming. So the boy takes matters into his own hands.    Brave Irene by William Steig is about a girl named Irene and she lives with her mother who is a dress maker. Her mother is making a dress for the duchess' ball that night, but the mother has a headache and can't deliver it. So Irene is going to try even though it is very cold and windy. Will she make it?

THE POET'S DOG by Patricia MacLachlan It was "mismatched teacups" tea and reading day! We finished up Patricia MacLachlan's The Poet's Dog. This is another short chapter book, and to be brutally honest, I didn't love it at first. But it was one of those books that grew on me. After a blizzard sets in, two children, Nickel and Flora, must seek shelter. Just when all seems lost they are rescued by an Irish Wolfhound dog. He leads them to a cozy cabin in the woods where he lives. As the story progresses we find out that he belonged to a Poet named Sylvan who has passed away. The story is one of memories and new beginnings and touching. What took me a little while to get into was that the dog talks. He is able to be heard by Poets and children, no one else. With the difficult topics this book covers, it was a little hard to believe a talking dog, but now thinking back on the book, the talking dog is what makes the hard topic of loss broachable with kids. It is an element of whimsy and fantasy in so tough a topic.

SO MUCH SNOW by Kristen Schroeder. Illustrated by Sarah Jacoby This isn't Christmas, so I can't put it in the Christmas Series, but this is one of my new purchases! So Much Snow by Kristen Schroeder is perfect for Ohio winters! We go through a week of snow falling and the animals' daily responses to it. Then the snow starts to melt. Spring starts to show, but at the last minute, guess what? It starts to snow again! Sound familiar? Sarah Jacoby illustrates this book beautifully. The watercolors mixed with chalk pastels give the book a wispy, snowy feel. The frolicking animals are delightful to look at. Lots of fun!

CHRISTMAS READS Taking a moment to honor Jan Brett and her obvious love for snowy and Christmas stories! I will do a post in the near future about her snowy books along with Cozy and Cozy in Love! I don't even own all that she has!

WILDERNESS EXPANSION/ FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR/ INTRO TO GEORGE WASHINGTON Wilderness Expansion/French and Indian War/Intro to George Washington Daniel Boone: Young Hunter and Tracker by Augusta Stevenson Daniel Boone Frontiersman by Janet and Geoff Venge Ambush in the Wilderness by Kris Hemphill Nature Study with birds- watching our feeders, coloring pictures of matching birds we see, listening to their calls, recording facts about them Fifty Favorite Bird Coloring Book - Dover Coloring Books AUDUBON'S Birds of America Coloring Book- Dover Coloring Books Bird Songs Bible- book with recordings of bird songs All the Birds of North America - Bird Book National Audubon Society Field Guide to Birds Games Match A Track Near You Sibley Backyard Birding Bingo Markable Map May add in Thornton Burgess' The Burgess Bird Book for Children

PEARL HARBOR READS Dec. 7, 1941- Pulled a few resources in honor of Pearl Harbor Day. Take a minute to remind your kids the importance of today's date.

THE CHRISTMAS OWL by Ellen Kalish and Gideon Sterer. Illustrated Ramona Kaulitzki It's time to introduce the new editions to our collection for the year! At the Killiany house we have a special place in our hearts for owls as we are blessed to see many in our woods. When a Christmas book featuring an owl was at the bookstore, it was a definite pick! The Christmas Owl by Ellen Kalish and Gideon Sterer- If you are familiar with the Red and Lulu book by Matt Tavares, The Christmas Owl follows in the same vein except it is based on a TRUE STORY! Told from the perspective of the little owl, later named Rockefeller, this story tells the journey of a Rockefeller Christmas Tree and the little owl who lived in it. After traveling so far with no food and water, she needs a little help to regain her strength, so readers are introduced to the workings of a wildlife center. There is lots of information and photos on the back pages to share with kids about wildlife centers and the real encounter with Rockefeller. Since this is told from the perspective of an owl, it is not completely factual as she talks with other animals, etc. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITY- spend some time learning about saw-whet owls. Where do they live? What do they usually eat? What do their nests look like? Do owls hibernate? Listen to a recording of their call. Look at pictures of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. This story happened in 2020. Can you find pictures of Rockefeller's (the owl) tree?