Secrets from the North Pole by Saskia Gwinn

Just a few more hours until Christmas Day! While Christ's birth stays front and center for us, especially since the kids have gotten older, I still enjoy the playfulness from Santa and the North Pole. Today's read should be for those beginning readers out there and, if I understood correctly, reveals several 'secrets' from Santa's workshop. I'm curious as to what these mysteries are and am looking forward to seeing how jolly this book gets.

So, let's snuggle down and enjoy a little fun! 

SECRETS FROM THE NORTH POLE

Discover the Magic of Christmas

by Saskia Gwinn

Illustrated by Daria Danilova

Frances Lincoln Children Books

Early Reader

64 pages

ages 6 to 8

A charmingly illustrated volume about the magic of Christmas and the inner workings of the North Pole. Featuring a beautiful gold-foil-embossed cover and ribbon marker, this is a book for families to treasure in the run up to the festive season.

Christmas has been shrouded in secrecy for years . . . but what really goes on at the North Pole in the run up to the big day?

Every year without fail, Santa Claus packs up his sleigh and soars across the night sky pulled by his reindeer to deliver presents to children all over the world.

But spreading Christmas magic is no small task and lots must happen to make sure everything is ready for the most special time of the year.

Join Santa’s Head Elf, Ivy Everjingle, as she reveals secrets from the North Pole. From how Santa’s suit is designed and the magic of reindeer flight, to the many different jobs of the Christmas elves and the magic of believing.

This is the ultimate festive compendium to capture the magic of Christmas. Perfect for families to enjoy together in the run up to the big day and spark joy at the most magical time of the year.

GOODREADS     /     AMAZON    /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Historical goodness mixes with a little Christmas fantasy and fun to create a hectic and enjoyable, Holiday read.

After the narrator, an elf, explains how secretive things have to be on the North Pole and introducing the reader to the elf pact, a treasure chest of facts and fun is unleashed. Starting with the history of Santa...and there are many surprises in these facts...the pages continue into Santa details with clothes and more, tons of reindeer tidbits and silliness, and elf antics pure. There are maps of the North Pole, schematics of the workshop, and tons more to discover.

While this is recommend for ages 6 to 8, I'd even slide it a bit higher, too. It's not an early reader, since it is word packed and a bit high for that age group on the reading level, but it makes for a fun book to explore all sorts of things together as a read-aloud. Middle graders will be able to pick this one up and explore it on their own.

There's tons of facts in small paragraphs all over each two-page spread, and to keep things very lively, these are placed all around and over bright and active illustrations. There are lots of details to enhance the information and exciting moments to accompany the fantasy side. It makes for a lot to explore, while keeping the magic of Christmas and the North Pole alive, too.  And the facts will be just as interesting for adults as they are for the young readers.

And here they are...

Saskia Gwinn has spent nearly 20 years carefully crafting beautiful books to inspire kids of all ages. She has worked as Head of Children’s Non-fiction for Bloomsbury Publishing, as Editorial Director for A&C Black and as Editor for educational publishers and magazines. She has written and published award-winning books for every age and on every topic from how time began to the silliest things in the world today. Saskia lives in Hertfordshire, uk, with her two boys who hope dinosaurs will one day revisit Earth but, in the meantime, tells them that everything on the planet has an equally exciting story to tell.

Daria Danilova is an illustrator, visual artist, and graphic designer. She divides her time between running her own stationery shop and illustrating for clients around the world. Daria loves creating warm scenes with muted color palettes, inspired by slow living and all things nostalgic.

 

Chinese Songs for Baby & Me by Christina Yang Berry

I've been excited to share today's read(s) for awhile, since it hits something close to my own heart: multilingualism. Not only is my only family is multilingual, but after spending many years abroad, I simply have a respect for individuals who speak several languages. So, when I was approached and asked to take a peek at this series for the youngest literature fans out there, I was more than curious. This series should teach Chinese through children songs and allow children (and adults) to hear the songs, which must be a nice way to strengthen those pronunciation and recognition skills. 

So, let's open this one up, perk our ears, and see what it holds.

CHINESE SONGS FOR BABY & ME!

by Christina Yang Berry

Illustrated by Lukas Miao Zhang

Music by Felton Pilate

JoJo Learning

Board Books  /  Music   /   Linguistics

Ages 0+

• Introduces Mandarin Chinese through original songs with English text and press-to-play sound buttons 

• Each song is a short lyrical story drawn from a young child’s everyday life — mealtime, bath time, playtime, and more 

• Features pinyin (phonetic spelling) alongside Chinese characters to support correct pronunciation 

• Created for both Chinese-speaking and English-speaking families, including those with no prior Chinese experience

 • Based on proven early language learning methods, including Montessori, Total Physical Response (TPR), and Parentese 

• Promotes bonding, bilingual learning, and brain development through joyful, music-driven interaction 

• Designed to support developmental milestones — with images, activities, and lyrics that evolve alongside children’s visual, cognitive, and social growth from birth to age 2, while remaining engaging and age-appropriate for children up to 7 years old

AMAZON    /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

There is so much to enjoy with this series, and not just young children can benefit from it.

At the moment, there are two books in the series with more to come in 2026. The book holds children songs in Chinese with the pronunciations written above each phrase and the English translation below. This makes it easy for anyone learning the language to follow along and grasp each word as they go. The songs are simple and the words and phrases are often repeated to help them sit. A little button at the beginning of each song makes sure that these are played at the desired pace. The songs are easy to sing along with and quickly seep into the memory, too. The singer pronunciations the words clearly while maintaining a soothing voice, which fits the audience level nicely. There are simple illustrations on each page to help radiate the right emotions without growing complex and steering away from the song itself.

I found this book to be very well thought out and put together with much care. It's clear that the author has worked with multilingual children and knows what works and what doesn't. While the songs and books are sold for younger children to ease into the languages or, at least, be introduced to foreign languages, the book also works nicely for anyone first diving into Chinese. The songs help the words stick in the memory in a very enjoyable way. 

I can highly recommend this series for anyone wanting to ease their children into the Chinese language or even for those, who would like a different twist in beginning to learn the language themselves.

Find out more about this and other books:

https://www.jojolearning.com/collections/jojo-sing-learn-chinese

And here they are...

Christine Yang Barry is an entrepreneur, author, lyricist, and leader in early childhood bilingual education with 20+ years in global education and business. As a first-generation Chinese American, her career spans the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Institute for Pacific Asia at Texas A&M University, and General Electric, where she led multinational academic and industry initiatives. In 2018 she co-founded JoJo Learning to make research-driven language learning accessible, helping thousands of families across 12+ countries raise bilingual children from birth. Drawing on deep Chinese literary roots and real parent–child “first words,” Christine crafts authentic Mandarin lyrics that turn everyday moments into music—helping families take their first steps toward bilingualism. She lives in the Atlanta area with her husband and three multilingual children. Her JoJo Sing & Learn bilingual musical book series has won the 2025 IPPY Gold Medal for Best Interactive Children’s Book and the 2025 Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA) Best Children’s Non-Fiction Book Award.

You can read an article by Christine, which shares her passion surrounding teaching children languages.  HERE

Lukas Miao Zhang is an internationally acclaimed animation director and visual artist working across media including oil painting, watercolor, illustration, and animation. His artwork and animated films have earned major honors, including the prestigious Magnolia Award in China and recognition at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. His mixed-media oil paintings received the Outstanding Artist Award at the AATS Asia Art Expo, and his work has been exhibited in the UK, France, and Germany, and held in the collection of the China National Academy of Painting and Calligraphy. Recognized at the highest levels of his field, he moved to the United States in 2022 to continue his artistic practice. A father of two bilingual boys, Lukas draws on his deep artistic expertise and inspiration from his life in Beijing, New Jersey, and Marietta, Georgia, bringing museum-grade craft to the JoJo Sing & Learn musical books—with sophisticated expression, high-contrast compositions, and shared human emotion at the center—an innovative style that bridges developmental science and fine art.

Felton Pilate, an Oscar- and Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, multiinstrumentalist, and producer, is best known as co-lead of the iconic, platinumselling funk/R&B band Con Funk Shun. His groundbreaking production work contributed to MC Hammer’s multi-platinum releases, including Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ’Em and Too Legit to Quit, influencing the crossover pop-rap sound of the era and solidifying his legacy in both funk and hip-hop. Honored with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022, Pilate is an active force in the music and film industries, including starring in the 2025 film Hammer Time: The Building of an Empire. He thoroughly enjoys producing music for the JoJo Sing & Learn musical books’ young audiences by transforming classic nursery rhymes into contemporary, playful, and whimsical tunes. Felton lives in Marietta.

Legendary Ninja of Feudal Japan by Benjamin Harper

Today, we're heading back into the realm on nonfiction with an upcoming book in the Legendary Warrior series. I haven't taken a peek at any of the other books, yet, but still wanted to give this one a go. It appears that each book centers around a different 'warrior' from history, so it shouldn't matter what order they are read in. I also find the graphic novel idea interesting and am curious to see how it weaves into this. Plus, what type of information will it hold? Because I've known more than a few middle graders, who have dreamed of learning some ninja skills.

The only way to answer all of these questions is to open this book up and take a peek!

LEGENDARY NINJA OF FEUDAL JAPAN

Legendary Warriors Graphics

by Benjamin Harper

Illustrated by Mary Ainza

Capstone Press

Middle Grade Nonfiction  /  Graphic Novel

48 pages

ages 9 to 11

COMING JANUARY 1st!!!

Silent. Deadly. Unseen. The ninja of ancient Japan were masters of stealth, espionage, and surprise attacks. Trained in the shadows, they specialized in unarmed combat, swordplay, and secrecy. These legendary warriors carried out secret missions for powerful warlords, striking fear into their enemies with their speed and skill. Through dynamic paneled art and gripping text, this action-packed graphic novel uncovers the truth behind the real ninja of feudal Japan. Perfect for history buffs and comic book fans alike.

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

The year-long training of a ninja comes across with deserved respect as a boy follows his path and learns the necessary skills.

Ninjas aren't so much about impressive fighting skills as they are stealth, and these pages follow the training of a young boy all the way to his first mission. It takes on a bit of a story feel as the boy watches others train, speaks with his master, and does his best to learn each skill. The year-long work is brought across clearly, and these pages show how it begins with fundamentals such as strength, balance, and coordination before concentrating on stealth and, finally, weapons. It's clear that that the training takes years, and the illustrations demonstrate how important determination is as well.

While this often takes on a story atmosphere, it snuggles up to what the daily life of a ninja might have looked like. The various skills come to life, especially in the illustrations. Exact details aren't given, but rather, it concentrates on the general process. At the end of the book, it's explained that there is little to no historical information surrounding these warriors, and much of what we know comes from stories, which were passed down. There are a few more detailed pieces of knowledge at the end of the book as well as a quick glossary.

This is an entertaining and grabbing way for ninja fans to learn a bit more about these warriors.

The Chase by Jenny Bloomfield

Ready. Set. Go! 

Where? I have no idea, but today's read is giving definite hustle vibes. This one sounded adorable, so I couldn't pass it up. A girl tosses a ball, and chaos ensues. I'm hoping that this one packs tons of excitement, humor, and clever situations. 

Get those shoes ready because we're going to run with this one!

THE CHASE

by Jenny Bloomfield

Frances Lincoln Children's Books

Picture Book

34 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING FEBRUARY 3rd!!!

Are you ready?

Are you steady?

FETCH!

A girl on a beach throws a ball for one eager little dog. Suddenly one dog becomes two—three—TEN leaping, bounding doggies, hot on its trail! The chase is who will be the lucky pup to fetch the bright red prize?

The race leads them down the beach, through the city, into the museum; high up over the city balanced on an iron girder; through the park down the river, what’s that rumbling sound? Oh dear! But not even a thundering waterfall will stop these determined dogs from chasing down that ball…

An utter joy from beginning to end, this book combines the charm—and an adorable canine crew—of Hairy Maclary with the infectious rhythm and energy of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. 

GOODREADS    /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Quick-paced scenes make this an exciting read from beginning to end.

A girl is on the beach, playing with her dog. She tosses the ball, hoping it will chase after it, but what she doesn't expect is that some of the other dogs on the beach join the chase. These dogs are on a mission as the ball leads them through streets, hills, cities and more. With each scene change, the number of dogs multiplies until it's a chase like never seen before.

The surmise of this read is pretty straight forward, and that's what makes it so enjoyable. Readers/listeners will easily be able to guess what is coming from the cover, and the anticipation mounts as the little girl tosses the ball on the first pages. It's the fun of knowing everything will get out of control, which keeps readers in the pages. And the end...well, it holds the right note.

The text plays along with the illustrations and accompanies the moments, one after the other. It flows well and makes a nice read-aloud, although some phrases seemed a bit unnecessary, at times, since the illustrations say everything. The illustrations keep the emotions and fun high. The change of scenes with every flip of the page adds a little suspense, and of course, there are details here and there to delight listeners/readers. The artwork carries a more relaxed style without many definite lines, and this helps to create the needed, chaotic atmosphere, since a flurry of racing dogs wouldn't carry pristine exactness. There were moments, though, with darker color hues, which made the scenes a little harder to immediately take in. Still, they are well done and listeners will want to flip through and revisit each moment on their own.

It's a cute, easy story, which packs tons of fun.

And here she is...

Jenny Bloomfield lives in the north of England where she works from her studio at the bottom of the garden. Since September 2014 she has drawn something and posted it on instagram (@jennybloomfield) every single day. Despite drawing many many dogs she actually doesn’t own one—she has a cat!

I'm Going to Eat a Polar Bear by Karl Newson

With Christmas comes snow and winter dreams. Many of you will probably see a white Christmas; we're expecting 72 degrees and sunshine. My sleds are just waiting for a few flakes, but we're going to have to keep waiting. That's where today's read comes in. It heads into a realm of cold a visits a penguin's mission to eat a polar bear...which I'm betting won't happen. Instead, I'm expecting a little tension mixed with tons of silliness.

Grab those hats and gloves, and let's head to the land of ice for cold thoughts!

I'M GOING TO EAT A POLAR BEAR

by Karl Newson

Illustrated by Nicola Kinnear

Happy Yak

Picture Book

34 pages

ages 3 to 6

"I’m hungry! Fish are boring! I want something new. Something soft… and fluffy!"

Meet a little penguin who is super hungry but totally bored of eating fish. An older penguin recalls hearing of a fluffy creature called a ‘bolar pear’, so the little penguin sets off on an adventurous mission to find and eat this ‘mystery’ creature.

On arrival at the North Pole, the penguin can’t see a polar bear anywhere and eventually turns back home, hungry as ever. Little does penguin know that an equally hungry polar bear is following right behind...

This story will have readers gleefully shouting ‘it’s behind you!’ as this hilarious story unfolds. The reader can follow oblivious penguin on every step of its journey as it narrowly escapes being gobbled up by the polar bear.

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON    /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Silliness reigns in this adorable book, which takes a penguin on a very long, long, long journey.

This little penguin is hungry. Not just fish hungry but polar bear hungry. The other penguins aren't sure what to think but point the way, reminding the little penguin that it's a long, long, long way, but this penguin is nothing if not determined. It journeys south, stopping along the way to see if the various animals are polar bears and where it needs to go. After all, the little penguin has never seen one...just heard about them. When the little penguin finally reaches the south pole, the story takes the most unexpected twist.

I'm so glad I picked this one up because it is just right to bring smiles. The penguin is cute and funny, and yet, so easy to root for even with its ridiculous quest. Readers/listeners follow it along its travels and can try to guess where the penguin is by the landscape and animals it meets along the way. But this book isn't really about geography or animal biology. Instead, it keeps silliness rolling along with a touch of chaos and over-the-top determination. The ending is well played by the author and rounds everything off in a lovely way, which will have readers/listeners saying 'again'.

The text is just long enough to bring the situations and dialogue across clearly, and it plays along between the illustrations to flow right with the rest of the tale. It makes a lovely read-aloud and works for those readers, who are sure of their words, to attack on their own. Even listeners can 'read' through it on their own, since they'll want to go through the illustrations again to discover details they might have missed. Plus, it will be fun to follow the penguin through its journey again.

It's a fun read and sure to be enjoyed by groups and in individual settings.

And here they are...

Karl Newson is a best-selling, multi-award-winning children's book author. Author of the award winning picture book I Am a Tiger, the best-selling I Really Really Need a Wee and The Same But Different Too, plus many more! His stories have been translated in 29 languages around the world. Karl grew up in Norwich, England, and was inspired to write his first story when his children were small… he’s been writing stories ever since. He now lives in London, UK, in a wonky old house full of pot plants and books.

Nicola Kinnear is an illustrator, storyteller, designer, and maker from Kent, UK. Nicola loves illustrating books for children and gravitates towards the magical and whimsical in her work, and is greatly inspired by nature and folklore.