Penguin Random House Canada Holiday Book Magic
Sponsored: Thank you so much to Penguin Random House Canada for asking me to share some Holiday Book Magic with you all. Penguin Random House Canada has curated six titles that are giftable and enjoyable all year long. There are some incredible reads here and although only one book is by a Canadian creator, there are creators from all over the world featured in this set of titles. My thoughts on the first five titles are below and stay tuned for a stand alone post for my favourite book in the bunch!
Dasher Gift Set by Matt Tavares
Celebrate five years of Matt Tavares’s holiday classic with a beautifully designed gift set featuring two specially designed paper ornaments, two standees as well as the two hardcover classics. Perfect for children ages 4-8.
These books are perfect for the holiday season! Join Dasher as this brave little doe finds herself escaping from the traveling circus in search of a better life. When she meets up with the big guy in a read suit, the origins of Santa’s reindeer become clear to readers. In Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas, Matt Tavares sprinkles some more holiday magic between Dasher and a little child named Charlie. Readers will definitely relate to the feelings of anticipation and the difficulty waiting for the big day in these two gorgeously illustrated treasure books.
Socks: A Kid's Christmas Lament by JD McPherson
JD McPherson pays hilarious homage to a stereotypically bad gift—and its disappointed recipients. Includes a QR code to the “Socks” song. Perfect for children ages 3-7.
This rhyming picture book is incredibly clever! JD McPherson’s text rolls off the tongue and communicates the universal distaste for receiving socks for Christmas. I love how he doesn't skimp on the big words and gifts readers with a wealth of language that creates very funny pictures. The art by Anika Orrock fills each two page spread with graphic delight and amps up the humour and disgust.
Where's Waldo? The Mighty Magical Mix-Up by Martin Handford
Wizard Whitebeard’s magic staff is missing—and is going wild transforming everything! Join everyone’s favorite wanderer and search through twelve Where’s Waldo? scenes as you’ve never seen them before. Perfect for children ages 5-9.
Another classic Waldo book to keep your reader occupied for hours on end. Admittedly, I’m TERRIBLE at finding Waldo and his companions in these books but maybe that’s because my eyes don’t work as well as they once did. Readers will delight in being able to not only find Waldo and his friends but also the added challenges on each two page spread.
The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo and Júlia Sardà
A wise and magical follow-up to land of Norendy, where tales swirl within tales—and every moment is a story in the making. Perfect for kids 7-10.
It’s been quite a long time since I’ve delved back into Kate DiCamillo’s writing and this story had me hooked from page one. Reading it at bedtime with The Bee it’s really struck me how descriptive her language is and how she treats her readers as equals, using big words to pump up their vocabulary. I did have to do a lot of explaining some of the words but it’s totally worth it. As a follow up to The Puppets of Spellhorst, readers will be excited to know that reading one before the other is not necessary as I have not read the first book and am not lost in the weeds in The Hotel Balzaar.
Unicornia: Learning to Fly by Ana Punset and Diana Vicedo
Do you believe in unicorns? School, friendship, and a certain magical beast will enchant beginning readers in this first of a series. Perfect for kids 5-7.
Unicornia is the perfect book for readers of The Princess in Black who have now graduated to longer, more complex stories. Readers will love the glitter and glitz and also relate to the theme of being the new kid at a new school and all the challenges that Claudia faces. Diana Vicedo expertly illustrates this super fun story and adds to the humour and the delight of the tale. This is the first book in the Unicornia series so hopefully there will be more to come for young readers.
How to Be a Color Wizard: Forage and Experiment with Natural Art Making by Jason Logan
By combining art and chemistry, a celebrated ink maker invites kids to become color wizards—by foraging and transforming natural materials to make their own paint and artistic creations. Find secret recipes, magic formulas, and wild experiments that will delight your friends. Perfect for children ages 10+.
Saving my full thoughts on this book for a stand alone post since this is the only book in the group by a Canadian creator. Stay tuned for my thoughts tomorrow!