Doodle and the Magic Christmas Float

Written by Cindy Shirley

Illustrated by Cleoward Sy

The heartwarming tale of a family exhibiting true Christmas spirit.

Doodle lives with her grandparents on a farm. Her grandfather is creative and inventive, spending much of his time creating toys and inventions for his granddaughter and her friends. When Doodle and her friends discover an old tractor on the farm, they plead with their grandfather to allow them to fix it up. Soon the entire family is involved in transforming the old tractor into a beautiful Christmas float for the town’s Christmas parade. Doodle and her friends plan to ride on it and distribute candy and Christmas cheer to their community.

This warm, holiday tale exemplifies families who work together and share love and kindness throughout the community.

I highly recommend it for parents and teachers of school-age children.

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I Hope It Snows For Oreo

Written and illustrated by John Doriot

This book is written from the perspective of a dog named Oreo.

Children are brought through the activities of Oreo’s family as they prepare for the Christmas season and hope for snow. The rhyming text consists of a few lines that are written in large print that is easy to read. Illustrations are large and expressive, matching the mood and building the anticipation of the story.

Recommended for families with children aged one and older.

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U-CUT: A Christmas Tree Story

Written by R.A. Becker

Illustrated by Michael Macakova

A book that celebrates a tradition that many families share: visiting a Christmas tree farm to find and cut the perfect Christmas tree.

One unusual Christmas tree has been passed over by visitors for many years, but when a boy and his family enter the farm this year, the ugly tree finally gets a chance to shine. This particular boy is attracted to the misshapen tree because he has also experienced gossip and mistreatment due to a scar on his face. When the boy spies the tree, he is immediately drawn to it. He convinces his family that this is the perfect tree for them. After bringing it home and decorating it, the ugly tree becomes a thing of beauty.

This book is perfect for families and teaches children that beauty comes from the goodness within, not physical, outward appearances.

An appropriate choice for children of any age.

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Bacon’s Very Important Christmas Job! (It’s Bacon’s World! Book 2)

Written and Illustrated by Tina Neely

Bacon, a pot-bellied pig, loves his family. He wants to be helpful. When his mom, dad, and grandma begin preparing for the Christmas holidays, Bacon tries his best to get involved. Unfortunately, he only gets in the way and gets rebuffed for his efforts.

This book series is based on the exploits of the author’s pet pig. Children get a preview with a genuine photo included at the end of the tale. I like the interactive feature, which requests readers to count the number of hearts on each page.

This book is a perfect holiday choice for families of primary grade readers.

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Back-to-school season is exciting—but it can also put a serious dent in your budget. Whether you’re sending a child to kindergarten, high school, or college, the costs of clothing, supplies, electronics, and other essentials can add up quickly.

The good news? With a little planning, you can save money without sacrificing quality. Here are a few smart strategies to help stretch your back-to-school dollars.

Take Inventory First

Before heading to the store, check what you already have at home. You may discover unused notebooks, pencils, folders, backpacks, or art supplies tucked away in a closet. Creating an inventory helps you avoid buying duplicates and makes it easier to create a shopping list based on what you truly need.

Watch for Sales and Coupons

Many retailers offer excellent back-to-school discounts during the summer. Compare prices, browse weekly store ads, and look for digital coupons or cashback offers before making your purchases. A few minutes of planning can lead to significant savings.

Shop Online and Compare Prices

Online shopping makes it easy to compare prices across multiple retailers. Be sure to check shipping costs, read customer reviews, and watch for free-shipping promotions. Don’t overlook gently used or refurbished items—especially for electronics, calculators, and textbooks.

Buy in Bulk

Frequently used school supplies such as notebooks, pencils, tissues, and glue sticks are often less expensive when purchased in larger quantities. If you don’t need a full package, consider splitting the cost with another family or stocking up for later in the school year.

Stick to Your List

Impulse purchases are one of the quickest ways to exceed your budget. Before you shop, create a list of necessities—and do your best to stick to it. Staying focused on your list helps keep spending under control.

Back-to-school shopping doesn’t have to be stressful or expensive. With a little preparation and smart shopping, you can send your student back to school with everything they need—while keeping your budget on track.

My 8th Grade Summer

Written by Larel Veil

This short book chronicles the hopes of a girl who is transitioning from middle school to high school. Bethany anticipates new adventures and opportunities that await her in the Fall. Her best friend, Shelby provides support in this coming-of-age tale.

The girls are determined to find a boyfriend and secure a first kiss. Most of the action centers around the two friends’ attempts to find independence and develop self-confidence. The book is an easy and fast read.

I would recommend it for tweens in this age group who are interested in a quick summer read.

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Starring Bella Blake

Written by Gemma Stringer

An interesting coming-of-age story for middle-grade and young adult readers.

Bella Burke desperately wants to be an actress. She lives outside of London. Her family is not wealthy, and they do not have unlimited resources to make her dreams come true.

Bella receives an opportunity to attend a local high school where she will be able to receive acting training, but she will also have to apply herself to singing and dancing lessons. These are not Bella’s strong suits. Can she muster the strength to put out the extra effort required to achieve her goals?

The author portrays Bella’s struggle to cope with the competition, the jealousies, and difficulties of succeeding in an industry fraught with challenges. Bella’s mom is her number one advocate, but her father harbors doubts and fears about his daughter’s chances of success.

This book inspires readers who aspire to find their own path to success.

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The Midwife of Parramatta River: Life, Love, and Childbirth on the Australian Frontier

Written by Werner Stejskal

For fans of historical fiction, this short novel is a good choice.

Set in the early nineteenth century in the rugged frontier of New South Wales colony, the protagonist is Sergeant James Graham, who is a member of the Coldstream Guards. The journey to Australia is long and dangerous. Upon his arrival, Graham builds a cottage and divides his long days between duties of a police guard and a struggling farmer.

Graham is lonely and soon writes to his brother seeking a good English woman who would be willing to settle in this untamed land. He finds a strong woman who soon helps him build a midwife practice along the Parramatta River.

The story depicts the difficult life in the early Australian frontier and reveals a tender love story. It is a moving historical portrait of the difficult life of pioneers in a setting unfamiliar to most readers.

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Save the Scraps (Save the Earth Book 5)

Written and Illustrated by Bethany Stahl

Alex teaches Mateo a valuable food lesson. After finishing lunch, the two friends are ready to get rid of the trash. Alex shows Mateo the compost bin and explains how it can be used to grow more nutritious food.

They teach readers that not all trash can be composted. Their friends, Mr. Squiggles, the worm, and some friendly bees, join to complete the process.

At the end of the book, parents and teachers find a list of questions for children to answer, and a step-by-step list of directions for creating their own compost bin.

Another book in this author’s series that I recommend highly for preschool and primary grade readers.

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I Have Feelings, Too: Understanding Dog Communication

Written by Anissa Svoboda

Illustrated by Aneta Knoppova

A wonderful teaching tool for children. It explains how dogs communicate with their bodies, unlike humans, who generally communicate with spoken words.

Readers learn that different breeds of dogs use different parts of their bodies to express different emotions. I enjoyed the parent paws section, which provides an easy-to-understand teaching point. Children learn empathy and respect for our four-legged friends, and how to better communicate with them.

The comprehension questions are useful for parents and teachers to review and reinforce the lessons taught.

I would highly recommend this book to parents and teachers of children ages three through ten.

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