OLIVER ELEPHANT, by Lou Peacock, Illustrated by Helen Stephens

When Noah goes Christmas shopping with his mom and baby sister, he's glad to have his toy elephant, Oliver, along in the boring shops. They play peekaboo and hide in a dolls' house, and Noah even dances Oliver across the displays. But just as Mom has checked off the last thing on her list, disaster … Continue reading OLIVER ELEPHANT, by Lou Peacock, Illustrated by Helen Stephens

SHADOW OF THE FOX, by Julie Kagawa, Harlequin Teen

One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish—and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos. Now, for whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, a new wish will be granted. A new age is about to dawn. Raised by monks … Continue reading SHADOW OF THE FOX, by Julie Kagawa, Harlequin Teen

THE TURNAWAY GIRLS, by Hayley Chewins, Candlewick Press/

Delphernia Undersea wants to sing. But everyone on Blightsend knows music belongs to the Masters — and girls with singing throats are swallowed by the sea. On the strange, stormy island of Blightsend, twelve-year-old Delphernia Undersea has spent her whole life in the cloister of turnaway girls, hidden from sea and sky by a dome … Continue reading THE TURNAWAY GIRLS, by Hayley Chewins, Candlewick Press/

LIGHT YEARS, by Kass Morgan, Little, Brown & Company/Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Reeling from the latest attack by a mysterious enemy, the Quatra Fleet Academy is finally admitting students from every planet in the solar system after centuries of exclusivity. Hotshot pilot Vesper, an ambitious Tridian citizen, dreams of becoming a captain - but when she loses her spot to a brilliant, wisecracking boy from the wrong … Continue reading LIGHT YEARS, by Kass Morgan, Little, Brown & Company/Hachette Book Group, Inc.

IN THE HOUSE IN THE DARK OF WOODS, by Laird Hunt, Little, Brown & Company/Hachette Book Group

In this horror story set in colonial New England, a law-abiding Puritan woman goes missing. Or perhaps she has fled or abandoned her family. Or perhaps she's been kidnapped, and set loose to wander in the dense woods of the north. Alone and possibly lost, she meets another woman in the forest. Then everything changes. … Continue reading IN THE HOUSE IN THE DARK OF WOODS, by Laird Hunt, Little, Brown & Company/Hachette Book Group

INTO THE DROWNING DEEP, by Mira Grant, Orbit Books/Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy. Now, a new crew has been assembled. But … Continue reading INTO THE DROWNING DEEP, by Mira Grant, Orbit Books/Hachette Book Group, Inc.

DISNEY, THE NUTCRACKER, AND THE FOUR REALMS – MOVIE REVIEW

Synopsis All Clara (Mackenzie Foy) wants is a key – a one-of-a-kind key that will unlock a box that holds a priceless gift from her late mother. A golden thread, presented to her at godfather Drosselmeyer’s (Morgan Freeman) annual holiday party, leads her to the coveted key—which promptly disappears into a strange and mysterious parallel … Continue reading DISNEY, THE NUTCRACKER, AND THE FOUR REALMS – MOVIE REVIEW

ANNA AT THE ART MUSEUM, by Hazel Hutchins & Gail Herbert, Illustrated by Lil Crump, Annick Press

Art is for everyone—even a bored little girl. Going to the Art Museum with her mom is no fun at all for Anna. Everything is old and boring and there are so many rules: Don’t Touch! Do Not Enter! Quiet! A vigilant guard keeps a close eye on the energetic little girl, but even so, … Continue reading ANNA AT THE ART MUSEUM, by Hazel Hutchins & Gail Herbert, Illustrated by Lil Crump, Annick Press

THAT’S NOT HOCKEY, by Andree Poulin, Art by Felix Girard, Annick Press

The legendary goalie who revolutionized the game of hockey. Young Jacques Plante’s way of playing hockey may look different from everyone else’s. Instead of a puck, he uses a tennis ball, and his shin pads are made out of potato sacks and wooden slats. But that’s not going to stop him. He loves the game. … Continue reading THAT’S NOT HOCKEY, by Andree Poulin, Art by Felix Girard, Annick Press

THE GIRL IN THE LOCKED ROOM, A GHOST STORY, by Mary Downing Hahn, Clarion Books/HMHKids

Ghost story master Mary Downing Hahn unrolls the suspenseful, spine-chilling yarn of a girl imprisoned for more than a century, the terrifying events that put her there, and a friendship that crosses the boundary between past and present. A family moves into an old, abandoned house. Jules's parents love the house, but Jules is frightened … Continue reading THE GIRL IN THE LOCKED ROOM, A GHOST STORY, by Mary Downing Hahn, Clarion Books/HMHKids