Fallen Star Stories

In just about 2 hours, Santa will leave his workshop home and begin his worldwide journey, and NORAD has been tracking his worldwide journey for over 60 years. You, too can follow along...a great way to build the excitement and join in the fun. There's also games, quizes, photos, music and a library to explore. So as the story says.... "...HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOODNIGHT."   Here's the link: https://www.noradsanta.org/

Illustration by Jessie Willcox Smith Picture books are very dear to my heart, inspire my imagination still to this day. I'm a big believer that you are never too old for picture books and even as children grow up, they should always have picture books close at hand. This year, as always saw some incredible new picture books hit the shelves with a wide variety of illustration and story style. Here are a few of the very best from 2018, in my opinion. PICTURE BOOKS MOLLY AND THE STORMY SEA author: Malachy Doyle  illustrator: Andrew Whitson Graffeg Ltd (7 June 2018) ISBN: 9781912050130 From the moment this book fell into my hands, I just adored it. A lovely, heartwarming tale of love, sacrifice and hope, it is the story of a small girl, a wild storm and a father lost in the raging sea. But it is Molly's belief and her willingness to give the sea her most precious things that brings him home. The story is woven with clear, expert use of language and exquisite illustr...

The teen/YA book market continues to grow from strength to strength. This year was outstanding! Again, there were offerings from new authors and publishers, and old familiar friends who have set the mark in quality, expanded on topics and issues of interest to this reading group and brought to book new ways of looking at time-honoured concepts. Here are my favourites in the teen/YA section: THE LIGHT BETWEEN WORLDS author: Laura Weymouth Chicken House Publishers (1 November 2018) ISBN: 9781911490036 This book just blew me away. At first, you will see distinct parallels between this and the Narnia books, but there is so much in this beautiful tale of 3 siblings transported to another land while sheltering during the blitz. In fear, Evelyn wishes to be 'anywhere but here.' Her wish is granted and they spend years in the Woodlands. But on their return, Evelyn has trouble adjusting to her 'normal life' and longs to return. This is a sibling love story,; a story ...

This has been another fantastic year for the publication of childrens' books; so many great titles, new authors and even a few new publishers have presented themselves. It is a very difficult task to decide which of these new books are 'the best'. I've toiled over my stacks (many, many stacks) and looked back over the reviews and I think I've come up with quite a satisfactory list. I'm sure when I finish this I will want to add more, but you have to stop somewhere.... You may be wondering how I decide what makes a book a 'Best Book'. What do I look for?  After many years as a childrens' book specialist, selling, reading and talking about books to children of all ages, raising readers of my own and spoiling grandchildren with books, I do have some criteria in mind. And yes, I do read them myself, from beginning to end. I look for those books that really pull me into the story, well-written and with well-drawn characters that elicit an emotional re...