What's Coming in December?

Welcome, December! I'm so ready this year for Christmas...or that's what I'm telling myself. They say that the world is often just how we perceive it to be, right? Actually, I do have my tree up, although it's not fully decorated. It always goes up Thanksgiving weekend. I'm going to bake an insane amount of Weihnachtsstollen. For those, who don't know what that is, it's a very traditional, German Christmas bread. This isn't my bread, but this is what it looks like.

Usually, I hit around 15 or so of them. So, my kitchen will be busy. Plus, cookies start now, since we have a running supply in our household the entire Advent season. Yep, it's time to gain weight!

What are you up to this first week of Advent?

On the reading front, I'm going to be doing a dive into Christmas reads, especially on the picture book end. It looks like there's about a dozen of those on my pile. Then, I have a few more fantasy reads than I've had during the last months, a couple nonfiction books, and a few historical. The rest is a mix of directions to spice things up. Oh, and I have an interesting, bilingual series coming in for Chinese/English gurus, which I'm looking forward to. Hmmm...let's just say that I'm going to need these upcoming nights by the fire to keep up with everything.

Here's a quick glance at some of the reads I'm hoping to hit the next weeks.

THE HIDDEN SEA

I'm starting off the month with a little bit of fantasy and, hopefully, a fun adventure. It's the 3rd in the Wildsmith series...and nope, I don't believe I've read either of the other two books. But I'm guessing that won't cause too many issues. I do love the cover and am excited to see what this one holds. Join me on the 1st to explore this world!

Middle Grade Fantasy

BEHIND FIVE WILLOWS

I've read a couple works from this author and have enjoyed her tales. They tend toward historical fiction set in Asia and, so far, have been grabbing while carrying quite a bit of depth and lovely world building. I'm hoping this one isn't any different as it explores a girl, who wants to marry well but finds herself up against difficult rulers, in the middle of intrigue, and facing more danger than she hoped for. There should be a touch of romance as well. I'll be diving into this one on the 3rd.

Young Adult Historical Fiction

ONE NIGHT IN BETHLEHEM

Can't have December without some Christmas goodness! This is an adorable looking board book, and the front cover had me wanting to snuggle up into a blanket on the couch. Yep, that sheep is fuzzy! This one promises tons of wholesome emotions and should bring the meaning of Christmas to the youngest readers out there. I'll be prying this one open on the 7th.

Holiday Board Book

MERRY CHRISTMAS, MY DARLING DEAR

It was the cover which grabbed my attention—so calm and caring. Snuggle-up-in-the-blanket-and-enjoy vibes are beaming from this one, and I'm betting it holds all sorts of goodness. Find out if I'm right or not with me on the 12th.

Picture Book Holiday 

ERASED

This last year saw an uptick in science fiction tales (at least, it seemed like it to me). So, I'm not going to miss out on presenting one this month, either. This tale heads into a world of androids, where one grows more human than is allowed. I don't think there are any human characters, which will create an interesting twist. We'll find out more on the 13th.

Young Adult Science Fiction

RIVER OF CROWS

Ready for a portal tale? It's been awhile since I picked up one of these and thought it'd be a nice change-up. Plus, the series looks like it might be quiet grabbing. I'm expecting tons of adventure and tension as well as golden friendship. It definitely promises fantasy, dangerous moments, and unexpected situations. Get ready to enter another world with me on the 15th.

Middle Grade Fantasy

THE GHOST'S GAMBIT

This book is put out by an author, whose works I enjoy. I haven't really taken too much of a look at it, yet....as in, I don't really know what it's about even. But if it's anything like her other works (and the cover tells me it is), it should pack action, hold great world building, and carry nice character depth. I'm really looking forward to seeing what this latest adventure holds and will tell you all about it on the 17th.

Young Adult Fantasy

SECRETS FROM THE NORTH POLE

This should be a fun one for the holidays. It claims to reveal the secrets of the North Pole as a little elf takes readers on a tour and explains all sorts of things, such as the origins of Santa's suit. I'm ready for a little Christmas cheer. So, pick up those mugs of hot chocolate and dive in with me on the 21st.

Holiday Picture Book

LEDGENDARY NINJA OF FEUDAL JAPAN

Can't miss out on some nonfiction goodness, and this read promises to be just that. When I first saw this graphic novel, my brain clicked into action and adventure, BUT it's actually nonfiction and part of a historical series about various warriors from around the world. I'm hoping that this one is as wonderful as it sounds like it might be. After all, I know several young readers who might really enjoy this one. Let's dive into history on the 22nd!

Middle Grade Nonfiction  /   Graphic Novel

 

SWEET & SALTY!

Oh, why don't we just close off the list with another nonfiction read? I saw this one and pounced on it, since this would be awesome for that week between Christmas and New Year. Plus, it might hold some great ideas for the New Year's celebration. I'm hoping these recipes are easy to create and hold ingredients, which aren't difficult to get your hands on. Grab those pots and pans because we'll be cooking on the 26th!

Children's Nonfiction  /  Cookbook

Usually, it's time for my Joker Read, but this month means the end of 2025...which means it's time to look back at the year on Bookworm for Kids.

And choose the 'Best Of' from my reading list!

On the 31st, of course.

Secrets in Ice by Kennedy Plumb

I am excited to dive into today's read. Not only is it a retelling of the Snow Queen, but it should be mystery pure. I, honestly, had visions of a romantic vibe when I first picked it up, but while preparing this post, I learned that it should be more sleuth-mystery. Now, that's more my thing! But I've run into another problem...

I also thought 'Hmmm...I can work in a nice, longer, YA read right after Thanksgiving when things die done Friday evening...' Which is true, but while putting this post together, I saw the 450+ page length and had to swallow. Looks like I'm going to be reading like a mad-woman tonight! (Yep, I'm writing this Friday morning) So, if this goes up a little later on Saturday, you know why.

I'm hoping this is a great launch into the Christmas season, so let's find out if it is or not!

SECRETS IN ICE

by Kennedy Plumb

YA Mystery   /  Fairytale Retelling

460 pages

It's been ten years since 17-year-old Nikki Sinclair's parents and sister left home and never returned.

Evidence uncovered at the scene caused the police to rule it a triple homicide, but since their bodies were never found, the case ran cold and was never solved. Living in her family's giant lonely estate all this time, the sole heiress to the huge fortune they left behind, Nikki has come to accept that her family is really dead. Lizzy, her sister - her best friend - is gone forever.

Until she begins receiving mysterious messages from an unknown number claiming to be her dead sister, leading to hidden clues only Lizzy could have known about and begging for help. Nikki begins to question everything. What actually happened to her family all those years ago, and could her sister really be out there somewhere? Is she in danger?

As the messages get more dire, and other circumstances make finding Lizzy more urgent, Nikki recruits the help of Kieran Bergstrom. He's the voice of her favorite true crime investigative podcast, and even though he turns out to be much harder to work with than she expected, she has no one else to turn to. She's desperate to find the truth and solve her family's case at any cost. All Nikki knows is this: if there's a chance even as small as a snowflake that her sister could really be alive, she'll walk to the ends of the earth in a blizzard to look for her.

A story of a sister's love, seeking justice against all odds, and not participating in the act of murder on your very aggravating, very arrogant, and very blonde colleague - who may or may not have some secrets of his own.

Frozen meets A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Tension, mystery, trauma, and intrigue mix with wintery spirit to create a grabbing read with more than a few surprises.

Nikki might be born with a silver spoon and will be rich after her 21st birthday. Ever since the rest of her family died in a very strange car crash ten years before, she's been raised by her aunt with very controlled contact to the rest of the world. She has a butler, maid, and everything her heart could desire and doesn't seem to notice the golden cage. She's very kind and sweet, but isolation leaves a person naive. Her aunt is dying and refuses to receive treatment which might cure her disease. So, Nikki tries to figure out how to get to her inheritance ahead of schedule and save her aunt, since Nikki is still only 17. When she discovers that a marriage in a couple months, when she turns 18, would also unlock the funds, she immediately convinces her best and only friend, Hunter, who has just popped in after years of living in Canada for a visit. He agrees, but the timing might still be too late to save her aunt. Plus, there's suddenly reason to believe her sister isn't as dead as thought. So, Nikki reaches out to a podcast crime solver, who has solved a few cold cases. But that's when things really start going weird.

This was a very engaging story—so much more than I expected. The author switches gears between Nikki and the podcaster, Kieran, letting readers dive into each perspective and grab clues as they come. The characters do seem to stay a bit superficial (don't really dig deep on the emotions) thanks to the concentration on the 'what's happening',  but thanks to the thick intrigue, web of secrets, and tension, that this was not really an issue. It just would have been an icing on the cakes to make it an amazing read. But both characters have their own trauma to deal with and personalities, and this weaves wonderfully into their interactions and development. These two are up against a very dangerous, tightly planned conspiracy, which makes every step a grabbing moment with tons of possibilities as to where it was going to go.

The podcast inserts and text messages don't overwhelm and work their magic nicely to play with the mystery as it moves along. My mind was shooting in several possible 'guilty' scenarios from the get-go, which made it that much more interesting to mold and meld as more information came to light. And it does some huge flip-flops to keep readers on their toes.

As to the romance...because when I first picked it up, I was convinced it'd be heavy romance..., it's present but works into the plot and doesn't take it over. There's a slow build with each getting to know the other. Neither has romance in mind when it begins...and even the love triangle isn't what it seems. There's so much for crime and mystery fans to enjoy even on this level.

Oh, and there's the dog. Never forget the dog, who added a warm touch along the way.

Colorsss by Deborah A. Hutchinson, PhD

COLORSSS

by Deborah A. Hutchinson, PhD

Peanut Butter Publishing

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

This book teaches children about colors, how they appear in nature, and why animals exist in such a wide range of colors and patterns. When people imagine a snake, they might picture something brown or green, but did you know that some snakes are blue and even pink? Nature is full of surprises! After admiring snakes in a rainbow of colors, children and adults can explore the bonus pages to learn how snakes defend themselves from predators by using colors, patterns, venoms, and poisons. To reduce environmental impact, Colorsss is printed on FSC-certified paper using vegetable-based inks and features biodegradable lamination.

GOODREADS     /      AMAZON     /     B&N

MY TIDBITS

Snakes come in various colors, and these pages let the bright variety shine.

These pages center around snakes and the amazing colors they can have, while teaching a little color knowledge along the way. There are bright photos of eleven different snakes, and each snake has a different coloring. While some are more familiar, others carry surprising hues such as pink or even blue. Accompanying each photo is a short, rhyming text. After this fun photo display, several pages at the end of the book offer more information surrounding the importance of the various colors and the difference between venomous, nonvenomous, and poisonous. The snakes shown in the book are displayed again in a quick parade, where the names of each one are also listed. 

This is a quick and enjoyable dive into colors and snakes, which is sure to delight not only reptilian fans. The photos are bright and bold, and it's fun to simply flip through these and explore the various snakes displayed. The accompanying text is written in rhyme, kept short, and works well for younger listeners. The rhymes could flow better from one page to the next, but it's cute and concise enough to hold the attention of even less reluctant listeners The informational pages at the end, however, carry quite a bit more text. This section works well for the teachers/parents/group leaders to explain more about the snakes, or can be explored by those who are pretty sure of their words. 

It's a great way to learn a bit more about snakes and the importance colors have in nature. I can recommend this one for libraries, classrooms, and homeschools as well...or for anyone who likes nature and would enjoy gazing at wonderful snakes.

And here she is...

Deborah grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where she developed her love of forests, mountains, and animals. She moved to the East Coast to attend graduate school and took multiple trips to Japan to study the defensive toxins of toads and the snakes that eat them. After earning a PhD in Ecological Sciences, she worked as a professor for several years before moving back to Seattle. Upon becoming a mother, reading to her two young daughters became one of her favorite new activities.

Her first book, Colorsss, was inspired by her love of reading to her kids and teaching people why snakes are the coolest animals around! Deborah now works as a scientific journalist and remains very interested in all things having to do with nature, conservation, sustainability…and Halloween.

Contact Deborah HERE.  Follow Deborah on Instagram HERE.

Love Wars: Clash of the Parents by Matthew A. Tower

LOVE WARS

CLASH OF THE PARENTS

A True Divorce Story

by Matthew A. Tower

Illustrated by Tsuneo Sanda

Raja Media LLC

Middle Grade Nonfiction

370 pages

ages 9 to 18

Nate and Vanessa started the war, but only their son Matthew can end it! Young Matthew’s world shatters when his parents split up and put him in the middle of their custody battle. Desperate to escape their never-ending conflicts, Matthew imitates his hero, Luke Skywalker, and launches an against-all-odds mission to stop Mom and Dad’s war of vengeance! Will Matthew’s little brother Thomas Rabbit help blow up the Divorce War Death Star, or will he hide and play with his bunnies?

Love Wars: Clash of the Parents is a true story of youthful bravery, and a wacky account of one family’s wretched yet hilarious nuclear meltdown . . . with an unexpected and unforgettable ending. Matthew A. Tower’s inspirational memoir is a page-turner for readers of all ages, whether or not they have been affected by divorce and family strife.

Love Wars is fully illustrated by award-winning artist Tsuneo Sanda, adding an immersive quality to the experience.

GOODREADS    /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Divorce can feel like war, but Matthew is doing his best to not only survive but, maybe, subdue the battle, too.

This read hits the storm of divorce from Matthew's point of view. As the oldest of two sons...and not even through middle school...he's caught up in the battles, often not sure what's going on. To say that his parents' emotions and tensions run high is an understatement. Matthew turns to Star Wars to spin some of it in a way he can handle, but the battles are real.

The book is based on the real life experiences of the author and don't hold back as he rolls through the entire process of his parents' divorce. He keeps the pacing steady most of the way through with only a few slower sections as he steers through the emotional rollercoaster and explosions of emotions. It brings the character across with natural flow and connects with real life moments. There's chaos in misunderstanding and explosions, which nod to humor but never step into that direction really since this is a more serious theme...and Matthew did have to deal with all of it. It creates an emotionally hectic ride the entire way through, which feels like hitting a tsunami, at times.  It's a rough divorce.

Everything flows well, and the writing fits the middle grade audience. Matthew is a character to connect with and root for. The Star Wars nods add imagination and spice, and helped Matthew quite a bit. I'm not sure as many middle graders will recognize all of the references to that universe, anymore, although older readers will feel at home on that end. For readers who are experiencing a divorce or have gone through one (in other words a large percentage) and enjoy reading about others' experiences, they can find support, encouragement, and, if nothing else, feel as if they aren't alone. 

And here he is...

Matthew A. Tower is a legendary gaming guide publisher (selling over 5 million copies, as founder and CEO of Versus Books). Now he's bringing his love of "Star Wars" to his middle grade nonfiction debut: a funny, poignant true story in which his younger self copes with his parents’ chaotic divorce by imagining it as a “Star Wars” style epic that’s uniquely and specifically written to hook middle grade and young readers. It’s a wacky-yet-relatable account of one family’s wretched but hilarious nuclear meltdown…with an unexpected, unforgettable ending.

Love is Hard Work by Dan Paley

 Today's read takes an interesting twist, so I just couldn't pass up on taking a peek at it. It's a biography surrounding the artist Francis Kent. I've never heard about her, but then, I'm not exactly savvy in the artist area. What makes her a little more unique is the fact that she was also a nun. To say I'm curious to learn more about her is an understatement.

Let's open this up and learn more about her!

LOVE IS HARD WORK

The Art and Heart of Corita Kent

by Dan Paley

Illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov

Candlewick Press

Picture Book Nonfiction

40 pages

ages 4 to 8

The story of how a Catholic nun become one of the twentieth century’s most significant artists and activists is brought to life in a colorful picture book biography.

“To be fully alive is to work for the common good.” —Corita Kent

Francis Kent always loved making things. When she joined the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, she took the name Corita—meaning little heart—and devoted her life to what mattered most to her: art and religion. As an art teacher, Sister Corita emphasized practice and process over the final product and taught her students to experiment and break the rules. As a religious person, she turned her faith into concrete action and spoke out about the injustices she saw in the world. In the height of post-war consumerist culture, Corita, a contemporary of Andy Warhol, turned advertising on its head and wrote a new kind of scripture. Complimented by Victoria Tentler-Krylov’s vibrant illustrations that—like Corita’s work—incorporate typography and ads, author Dan Paley paints a portrait of the little-known but immensely influential pop-art nun whose messages are just as relevant today as they were in years past.

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

A mix of art and words drove this artist forward in a life with unique twists.

Francis Kent, also known as Sister Corita, grew in a family with siblings, who gave their lives to the Catholic church, and she also had an unstoppable love for art. On the one hand, she followed the moves of her siblings and dedicated a part of her life to the calling of a nun. On the other hand, her artwork took a bit of an unique direction as she mixed in words and messages, proving to be a force in this area as well. To her, power and meaning was held in both the visual images as well as written words. While there were changes during her life, it was mostly driven by her desire to teach others to discover art for themselves.

This is one of the more grabbing biographies in the realm of artists, which I've read in awhile...for the picture book audience. The seemingly polar attitudes of a nun in the Catholic church and those of an artist, who is devoted to making powerful art, raises eyebrows. The author and illustrator weave these aspects together to produce a book which inspires, while sliding in some food for thought, too. 

Francis Kent's enthusiasm for her work is palpable as the illustrations show her actively working with others and living her love for art the entire way through. The slight sense of chaos in the illustrations keeps things lively as the every day life scenes mix with the vibrant art in a lively swirl. But these pages aren't only a recount of her life stops and stages or a lesson on the type of art style she used. This book goes a little deeper. Her belief in seeing past details is explained and subtly gives hints to readers (and young artists), how they can practice this themselves. 

The text flows well, but I find it a little long and slightly high-leveled for the youngest end of the suggested reading age group. Plus, the meaning behind Kent's art and life will hit slightly older readers better, anyway. I'd suggest this one more for the 6 to 9 (or even 10) age range simply because much of the inspiration and social messages will go over the heads of younger readers. It is one of the better done artist biographies I've seen in awhile, and I do see it being a valuable addition to classroom and homeschooling settings.