Here come the holidays...and Kidsreads.com is ready with lots of wonderful winter reads! Check out our annual What to Give/What to Get Gift Guide for kids, where you’ll find lots of great books to put on your holiday list. Hint: adults LOVE to give books as presents, so suggesting one you’d like might save you from Aunt Gertrude’s perennially hideous sweater! In addition, we are spotlighting books that will warm you up with holiday cheer. Click here for this year's festive roundup.

Some other terrific holiday books are in stores right now. GREAT JOY by Kate DiCamillo tells the story of a little girl who is troubled by the plight of the poor organ grinder and his monkey who have no home. During her Christmas pageant, she surprises everyone with a message of great joy. In OLIVIA HELPS WITH CHRISTMAS, our favorite porcine heroine celebrates the holiday with lots of laughs. Another giggle-inducing holiday book is ELOISE’S CHRISTMAS TRINKLES, in which Eloise prepares for Christmas at the Plaza with her typical panache. Here’s one last wintry treat: Geronimo Stilton is back in CHRISTMAS CATASTROPHE. Read all about his adventures on the ski slopes!

Hit your limit on holiday books? We have good news: There are new titles in three series that have absolutely nothing to do with reindeer, snowmen or pesky relatives. SNAKEHEAD, the seventh installment in Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series, is packed with thrills and twists as the young spy embarks on another daring mission; this time, the past will come back to haunt him in a big way. For those who can’t get enough of the Land of Elyon Trilogy, INTO THE MIST by Patrick Carman fills in some background story and sets us up for even more adventures to come. Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry's The Wormling series has dragons, magic, parallel worlds --- all the stuff that make a feast for fantasy fanatics.

And if you’re one of those fantasy fans, you will want to see two movies releasing in December. Last week I caught a screening of The Golden Compass, based on Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. It’s a little scary --- Mrs. Coulter’s monkey is CREEPY! --- but the special effects are fantastic, and overall it’s a very good adaptation. I LOVED the costumes and the scenery! Later this month, you can see The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, based on THE WATERHORSE written by Dick King-Smith, which tells the “true” story behind the Loch Ness Monster.

Even with all the holiday excitement and fun things to do outside (ice skating is my personal favorite, while my younger son is all about sledding and building forts), winter break can get long. If you find yourself with nothing to do, take a look at our Cool New Books and New in Paperback roundups, along with our most recent reviews. Also, be sure to chime in on our current Poll and Question about getting books as gifts.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Carol Fitzgerald for Kidsreads.com

We’ve made our list and checked it twice. Ask for them all; that’s our advice! The books included in our special What to Give/What to Get Guide for kids are sure to add some spice to your holiday list, whether it’s a gift to give or to get.

SNAKEHEAD: Alex Rider #7 by Anthony Horowitz
When Alex Rider crash lands off the coast of Australia, the Australian Secret Service recruits him to infiltrate one of the ruthless gangs operating across South East Asia. Known as snakeheads, they smuggle drugs, weapons and, worst of all, people. Alex accepts the assignment, in part for the chance to work with his godfather and learn more about his parents. What he uncovers, however, is a secret that will make this his darkest and most dangerous mission yet. Reviewed by Tom Donadio.

-Click here to read an excerpt from SNAKEHEAD.
-Click here to read the Alex Rider series feature.
 

INTO THE MIST: A Prequel to the Land of Elyon Trilogy by Patrick Carman
At the end of Alexa’s last adventure, she and her good friend Yipes boarded a majestic ship captained by Roland Warvold. Now, as they sail toward their mysterious destination, Captain Roland captivates their attention as he describes his and his brother’s adventures escaping a nightmarish orphanage and discovering their destiny. Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman.

-Click here to read an excerpt from INTO THE MIST.

GREAT JOY written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
Once again, Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo has teamed up with Russian-born illustrator Bagram Ibatoulline. The result is an elegantly written and exquisitely illustrated picture book. With its pure-of-heart prose and Old World-like illustrations, GREAT JOY shows how the gifts of kindness and hope can transform a sad and lonely world. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.

OLIVIA HELPS WITH CHRISTMAS by Ian Falconer
Christmas is coming, and Olivia is incredibly busy. She has to wait for Santa, make sure her dad sets up the tree, wait for Santa, watch her mom make the Christmas dinner, wait for Santa, oversee the care with which the stockings are hung and, of course, OPEN HER PRESENTS! Do you see how hard it is to be so helpful during the holidays? Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

ELOISE’S CHRISTMAS TRINKLES by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight
Eloise LOVES Christmas, and she's spreading holiday cheer all over The Plaza Hotel. She hangs holly and berries in the halls, trims the tree and attends the holiday parties. She has gifts ready for everyone: the hotel employees and best friends Nanny, Skipperdee and Weenie. But the best parts are dreaming of Santa coming to The Plaza and waking up to a gift that sparkles and trinkles. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

-Click here to read the Eloise series feature.

-Click here to read our Geronimo Stilton series feature.

November and December’s roundup of New in Paperback titles includes THE COBRA KING OF KATHMANDU, the third installment in P. B. Kerr's Children of the Lamp series featuring djinn twins John and Philippa Gaunt; GRANDFATHER’S DANCE, which marks the conclusion of Newbery Medal winner Patricia MacLachlan’s Sarah, Plain and Tall series; NOBODY’S PERFECT, the sequel to DEAF CHILD CROSSING by Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin and playwright Doug Cooney; Candie Moonshower’s THE LEGEND OF ZOEY, about a 13-year-old girl who is propelled back in time to 1811, when the mysterious Reelfoot Lake was formed; and THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS by Nancy Springer, a mystery novel in which Enola Holmes, sister to the detective Sherlock Holmes, embarks on a journey to London in search of her mother who has disappeared.

ALEX AND THE IRONIC GENTLEMAN by Adrienne Kress      
Ironic is right --- Adrienne Kress's debut novel, ALEX AND THE IRONIC GENTLEMAN, is chock-full of verbal winks and knowing asides to the reader. Besides being ironic (and clever), this book is also a swashbucklingly good adventure tale. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

JUDY MOODY & STINK: THE HOLLY JOLIDAY written by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Christmas approaches and Stink is wishing for just one thing: a white Christmas, with tons of snow. Can the new mailman, who looks like Santa and is named Jack Frost, help his impossible holiday dream come true? Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

THE GARDEN OF EVE by K. L. Going
Evie reluctantly moves with her widowed father to Beaumont, New York, where he has bought an apple orchard, dismissing rumors that the town is cursed and the trees haven't borne fruit in decades. Evie doesn't believe in things like curses and fairy tales anymore --- if fairy tales were real, her mother would still be alive. But there is no denying that odd things happen in Beaumont. Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle.

THE SLIPPERY MAP by N. E. Bode
Ten-year-old Oyster R. Motel is a lonely boy. Orphaned as an infant and raised by nuns in a convent in Baltimore, Maryland, Oyster wonders about his birth parents and longs for friends closer to his age. After he accidentally stumbles upon a doorway to an imaginary world, his quest to find his parents and make friends with other children begins. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.

WAVE TRAVELLER by P.R. Morrison
It has been over three months since Archie Stingweed defeated Huigor and the terrible curse on his family. Lately, however, Archie has been noticing more strange things around his island home. When this phenomenon starts to intensify, Archie finds out he will have to battle another powerful curse --- only this one has the ability to bring Huigor back! Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle. 

NO CASTLES HERE by A.C.E. Bauer
Even if fairy tales might come true, Augie Boretski has to learn to rely on himself --- and his community --- in NO CASTLES HERE, an inspiring story of family, friendship and determination. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

CHRISTMAS AT STONY CREEK written by Stephanie Greene and illustrated by Chris Sheban
Christmas is just days away. The weather is cold and snowy at Stony Creek. Food is in scarce supply for the animals, birds and other creatures. One night Papa mouse tells his family he must leave the nest to find food, but he promises to return in two days --- three at the most. With Papa gone, Pip must help Mama care for her brothers and sisters. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.

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If you only received books as presents this holiday season, name up to three titles you'd like to get.

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