David Atherton's Christmas Cookbook for Kids review

 

Grab your aprons and get into the holiday spirit with Great British Baking Show winner and star chef David Atherton.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a festive cookbook for the family that will give everyone some holiday fun in the kitchen!  It features a yummy variety of sweets, party foods, cakes and cookies. The ingredient lists are relatively simple to a little more complex if you want to make some show stoppers. The recipes are easy-to-follow and among them you will find tips and tricks throughout.   There are detailed illustrations (not photos) that go along with the recipes as well.  A few examples you can try are reindeer bark, sweet and spicy popcorn, snowy owl cupcakes or coconut snowballs.  There is even a section on making gift boxes to give your homemade treats to someone special.  The holidays are a wonderful time to make memories with the family and I think this is a "just right book" for ages 4-12.~

 

Title:  David Atherton's Christmas Cookbook for Kids

Author: David Atherton, illustrated by Katie Cottle

Pub. date: September 2024, Candlewick Press

Genre: nonfiction

Hardcover, 72 pgs.

 

 

The Old Sleigh review

 

On a cold winter’s night of deep snow, an old sleigh delivers needful things(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

What a beautiful and heartwarming book to share during the winter months and holiday season! The old sleigh hauls loads of wood to help give warmth and light to the townspeople during the cold winter months.  Over time, the small rural town grows into an expanding small city. The boy and his father are growing as well, learning to adjust to still meet the needs of their neighbors.  The old sleigh eventually breaks down but they rebuild it bigger and stronger to keep their deliveries going. It is simple on words but yet it is big on hard work ethic, a sense of community and giving to others. As you turn each page, the charming and colorful illustrations tell most of the story.  You can feel the cold winter chill but yet the warmth with a strong message of persistence, dependability and the joy from giving and receiving throughout.  It is a gentle and quiet story you can cuddle up to in the evening or before bedtime.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 4-7.~

 

Title: The Old Sleigh

Author: Jarrett & Jerome Pumphrey

Pub. date: November 2025, Norton Young Readers

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs. 

The Humble Pie review

 

The Humble Pie likes to give others the spotlight. Aw, shucks!—they deserve it!(goodreads summary) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Humble pie always stays low key, goes with the flow and will happily stand in someone else's shadow if need be.  But when he gets paired up with his best friend Jake the cake for a school project, things become overwhelming when Jake doesn't pull his weight.  Feeling frustrated by his lack of participation, the humble pie decides to speak up for himself once and for all.

 

For fans of the Food Group series, here is another fun addition with a wonderful message about standing up for yourself.  When Jake lets humble pie do all the work, he realizes how unfair it is doing the project all by himself but having to share the credit.  Humble pie works up the nerve to say something to Jake worrying it may make him mad at him. It is heartwarming when Jake realizes his mistake and apologizes to his friend. This story gives the message that being humble is a good thing, but it is also good to speak up and not let others walk all over you because of this trait either. Another message that I took away is the importance of being there for one another when they need you too.  All in all, it has cute, fun and colorful illustrations with very meaningful text.  I think this is a "just right book" for older kids ages 5-7.~

 

Title: The Humble Pie

Author:  Jory John, illustrated by Pete Oswald

Pub. date: November 2025, Harper Collins

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 32 pgs. 

 

 

The Little Ghost Quilt's Winter Surprise review

 

When you're a quilt instead of a sheet, being a ghost is hard! But it does mean you can float around in cold weather.(goodreads summary) 

 

 

 

 

 

The Little Ghost Quilt loves being outside in the winter.  When he flies around, his quilt makes him feel warm and cozy and the falling snowflakes make his quilt patches look like he has polka dots.  Unfortunately, his ghost friends cannot join him because their thin sheets make them to cold in the frigid air.  But when little ghost quilt decides to take a flight into town, he notices the townspeople decorating and having cheery celebrations. Oh, how he wishes he could show his friends these spectacular sites.  Seeing the townspeople so joyful during their yuletide festivities gives the little ghost an idea to bring something special to share with his friends too.  

 

This is a wonderful follow up to the first book, The Little Ghost who was a Quilt, which I enjoyed as much as this one.  It is the perfect story to cozy up to at the end of a busy day.  The text flows nicely for reading aloud and the black and white pencil illustrations have a little bit of holiday colors added making it so charming.  It has the warmth of friendship, thinking of others and coming up with a special way to include them in some holiday cheer.  To kick off the magic of the upcoming season, this is a sweet book for a cold winter day.  I think "just right book" for ages 3-7.~

 

Title: The Little Ghost Quilts Winter Surprise 

Author: Riel Nason, illustrated by Byron EggenSchwiler

Pub. date: August 2025, Tundra Books

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs. 

The Giving Snowman review

 

On a snowy night, Snowman lends a helping hand to Bird, Rabbit, Farmer, and Traveler when they are in need.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

In a cold and snowy forest, a snowman offers his belongings to others who are in need. But when the kind snowman melts in the warm sun, those he has helped come to his aid in return.

  

There are a lot of books about showing kindness and this beautiful story is one to add to the shelves.  It is a heart warming tale that conveys a simple but important message of empathy, spreading kindness, giving to others and having gratitude. The illustrations give a cold, snowy winter vibe with the soft blue/gray hues on each page. When the snowman offers his belongings to the others in need, there is a gentleness of his heart you can feel as well.  It is a good story that will help kids learn about being generous to others and helping when they can without expecting anything in return.  As the old adage says, "it is in giving, that we receive" and this is the perfect book to help kids understand this important meaning.   This would be a wonderful bedtime story to cuddle up with on a cold winter night. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-7.~

 

Title: The Giving Snowman

Author: Julia Zheng, illustrated by Graziella Miligi

Pub. date: October 2021

Genre: picture book

Soft cover, 27 pgs.