November 17 – Get Ready for Hanukkah

About the Holiday

For children, preparations for Hanukkah are full of magic and wonder, and finding books that mirror their excitement can make the holiday even more special. Today’s book sparkles with an imaginative spin on the eight nights of Hanukkah and its the traditions of light, remembrance, and giving.

Thank you to Orchard Books for sharing a digital copy of this book with me for review!

A Dragon for Hanukkah

Written by Sarah Mlynowski | Illustrated by Ariel Landy

A girl, excited to be celebrating Hanukkah with her family, invites readers along as she receives gifts on nights one through seven. On the first night of Hanukkah, her parents give her a baby dragon, whom she calls Nerry and allows to sleep on her bed. On the second night, her Bubbie gives her a rainbow that sweeps her from her room and down the stairs, through the kitchen and out the door, where Nerry catches her before she slides away.

She receives a treasure chest full of gold and gems, a merry-go-round from her best friend, and a time machine from her cousin that transports them “back two thousand years” to meet the Maccabees. On the sixth night, her Zaidie gives her rocket boots, and on the seventh night, her younger brother presents her with her very own unicorn. Actually it was three energetic unicorns, including a baby that liked to eat socks.

But it’s the eighth night that the girl has been looking forward to the most. On that night, it’s her turn to give gifts, and she’s cooking up a tasty treat. All finished in the kitchen, she heeds her mother’s call to clean up her room. She places her new stuffed dragon on her bed for nap time, returns a rainbow of crayons to their box, spins her dreidel one more time before placing it next to a bowlful of gelt, slides “The Story of Hanukkah” back onto the bookshelf, stuffs her starry socks in the drawer, and hangs up the unicorn pictures from her brother. Then “because it’s a time for giving,” she fills a Tzedakah donation box with toys and books.

Soon it’s time for dinner and her family and friends gather around the table to “sing songs, play dreidel, and eat latkes, the tasty treat [she] made.” And, she says’ it is doing these things “which makes this last night, the eighth night, the most magical night of Hanukkah.”

Following the story, the girl and Nerry engage in a dialogue about the history of Hanukkah, how to play dreidel, giving gifts, traditional Hanukkah foods, and even where the dragon’s name comes from.

Sarah Mlynowski blends imagination and tradition in her clever and enchanting story that immerses children in the joy, meaning, and excitement of Hanukkah. While readers logically know that a living dragon, full merry-go-round, or unicorn can’t really be a gift, Mlynowski’s twist when the girl begins cleaning her room comes as a delightful surprise. Her inclusion of a tzedakah box extends the idea of giving past the holiday in a way that resonates with children.

Ariel Landy’s exuberant illustrations sweep kids into the story and keep them riveted to see each new gift, from sweet Nerry to those rambunctious unicorns as well as the real gifts that so charm the little girl. Landy’s vibrant colors, warm tones, and wealth of details will keep children lingering over the pages as they celebrate Hanukkah with the young girl who is excitedly taking part in and contributing to the holiday. On subsequent readings, kids may enjoy pointing out clues to the true nature of some of the imaginative gifts.

A Dragon for Hanukkah is sure to be a favorite for those who celebrate Hanukkah, have family or friends who do, or who want to learn more about the holiday. This book would make a much-loved gift and addition to home and library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Orchard Books, 2024 | ISBN 978-1338897524

About the Author

Sarah Mlynowski is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and coauthor of over fifty books for teens, tweens, kids, and adults, including the Whatever After series, the Best Wishes series, and the Upside-Down Magic series, which was adapted into a Disney Channel movie. Originally from Montreal, Sarah now lives in Los Angeles with her family. Visit her online at sarahm.com.

About the Illustrator

Ariel Landy has been illustrating her whole life, starting with crayon portraits of her cats, dogs, and hamsters. She is the illustrator of the Good Dog series and picture books such as Gitty and Kvetch. Originally from Boston, she currently lives in the south of France with her family. Her favorite Hanukkah song is “I Have a Little Dreidel”. Visit her at ariellandy.com.

Get Ready for Hanukkah Activities

A Dragon for Hanukkah Coloring Page and Puzzle

Children can enjoy these fun activities from Orchard Books/Scholastic while they look forward to celebrating Hanukkah!

A Dragon for Hanukkah Coloring Page | A Dragon for Hanukkah Word Search

You can purchase A Dragon for Hanukkah from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

November 14 – Human-Animal Relationship Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Animals and humans coexist on Earth in so many amazing ways. Our pets are beloved family members, we interact and care for the birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and other backyard animals that we see every day, and we are mindful of and should be caretakers of the wild animals that inhabit the plains, mountains, and seas of our planet. Human-Animal Relationship Awareness Week was established by the Animals & Society Institute, which “helps improve and expand knowledge about human-animal relationships in order to create safer and more compassionate communities for all.” Over this week people are encouraged to think about companion animals, assistance animals, animals in shelters, and the safety and well-being of the animals in our care. To celebrate, spend more time with your pet and consider donating to your local animal shelter or wildlife organization. To read more about their work and their future, visit the Animals & Society Institute’s website.

Thank you to Rise x Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House for sharing a copy of this book for review! All opinions are my own.

A Sound in the Night

By María Coco

A dog snoozes in his favorite chair, his tennis ball passing the time nearby. An ear perks up, and then an eye opens to see his human stuffing a backpack. He rushes to the door, his tale thumps while he holds his tennis ball in his teeth. Soon they’re on the road passing cotton candy trees, the wind riffling the dog’s ears. His companion smiles as she drives.

When they reach the campsite, they play fetch, swim, fly a kite, and finally set up their tent. In the light of a small campfire, they enjoy s’mores and watch a shooting star. Then it’s time for a book and bed. Sometime during the night, the two are awakened by a “CRACK.” And another, closer. And another, LOUDER.

The human hides in the sleeping bag. The dog perches on top. The cracking continues while outside a long shadow appears. Soon, curiosity takes over, and the pair peek through the tent flap. Courageously, they walk out into the darkness and take a few steps toward the shadowy shape. In the cone of light from the flashlight they discover . . . a cat.

The cat happily accepts their pats and licks then joins them for breakfast and hiking the next day. The cat and the dog are sad to part as the human breaks down the tent and ties the bundle atop the car. Back on the road again, the little car passes by the cotton candy trees, the wind riffling the dog’s ears. But is that an extra tail we see through the window? Clever clues in the next few pages build excitement for the sweet and happy new family member reveal.

María Coco’s nearly wordless story is as delightful as it is inviting. Coco’s simple line drawings, shapes, and whimsical touches on clean white or midnight-blue pages allow children’s imaginations free roam to lend details from their own experiences to this suspenseful friendship-building campout. Sweet, companionable smiles and even the shared terror between this pair show their devotion to each other as well as their willingness to include a surprise newcomer. Coco’s distinctive limited-color risograph-printed illustrations enchant with neon pink, yellow, and orange highlights and a touch of purple waiting to be discovered.

A charming choice for quiet reading or to invite imaginative participation, A Sound in the Night would make a perfect gift for any book or pet lover and is a must for library collections.

Ages 2 – 6+

Rise x Penguin Workshop, 2025 | ISBN 978-0593890608

María Coco is a children’s book author and illustrator from the north of Mexico. Although she graduated with a degree in graphic design and worked as a web designer for many years in Mexico City, New York, Santiago de Chile, and elsewhere, in 2017 she followed her heart and moved to England to focus on what she loves the most. In 2019 she graduated with distinction from the MA program in children’s book illustration at Cambridge School of Art. María likes using limited colors for her bold characters and compositions and enjoys the handmade textures and unexpected results of traditional techniques such as screen-printing. Her stories are perfectly paced page-turners. Her main sources of inspiration come from nature, music, and cycling around the world. When she’s not in her studio, she may be hiding in the forest in the company of her husband, daughter, and rescue dog. Visit her at maria-coco.com.

Human-Animal Relationship Week Activity

Find a Friend Matching Puzzle

Each of these humans and animals have a friend or friends. Can you pick up on the clues to match the pairs?

Find a Friend Matching Puzzle with Border | Find a Friend Matching Puzzle with No Border

You can purchase A Sound in the Night from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

November 13 – World Kindness Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

World Kindness Day began with a conference in 1997 in which organizations from across the globe met in Japan for the purpose of uplifting and recognizing kindness on a global scale. From this meeting they created a “Declaration of Kindness” and, later, a nonprofit called the World Kindness Movement was formed to support and honor community-scale kindness initiatives. Kindness on any scale, on any day, is important to celebrate. Today’s story shows the impact that one kind gesture can have.

Thank you to Eerdmans Books for Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book for review! All opinions are my own.

Late Today

Written by Jungyoon Huh | Illustrated by Myungae Lee | Translated by Aerin Park

It’s 8:15 A.M.—rush hour in Seoul—and traffic is backed up bumper-to-bumper. No one wants to be late. Amidst the gridlock “a kitten, barely two weeks old, was crossing the bridge.” She darted back and forth, in front of wheels, over wheels, underneath cars and trucks.

Everyone saw her. Some worried about her, some wondered how she’d gotten there, some just looked away. “It was the kind of thing where no one can point a finger and call ‘coward,’ even when someone ignores what’s happening and just passes by.”

But one woman in one car lost sight of the kitten and pulled over, screeching to a halt. Through the earsplitting honks and the sudden downpour, the woman and her child tried to hear the kitten’s cry. Then—there!—they heard it. The woman hurried from her car, cradled the shaking kitten in her hands, and brought it into the car with her. On the bridge everyone sighed with relief. They would all be late, but that was okay. “Today was a good day to be late.”

In Jungyoon Huh’s simply stated, yet powerfully thought-provoking story—translated from Korean by Aerin Park—she places readers in the middle of a traffic jam and invites each of us to reflect on what we would do in the circumstances. We all want to be the person who would decide to rescue the kitten, but are we? Taking time to stop during our day or putting ourselves in an uncomfortable or dangerous spot to lend a hand to an animal, another person, or a group can seem daunting or even ineffective. But Lee reminds us that even the smallest kindness or action is noticed by those around us, does make an impact on breaking paralyzing gridlock of action or thought, and can uplift us all and clear the way forward.

Myungae Lee’s colored pencil and oil pastel illustrations grip readers from the first page, where not even an inch separates the cars hemmed in on the bridge. You can feel the urgency of the commuters as your eye flits from Lee’s soft neutral hues to the neon yellows of headlights, concrete barriers, and a bus. Turning the page, a smudge of a kitten, alone amidst the gray of exhaust and cloud, rivets your eye. With every page turn, your perspective alters as you dart among the wheels with the kitten and are introduced to various onlookers. When the kitten disappears from sight (although eagle-eyed kids may spy him) and the woman pulls over to listen, Lee imbues two full-page spreads with maximum emotion and suspense until the cat is seen and rescued and the commuters exhale a communal sigh of relief.

Late Today is an absorbing story and conversation starter that’s sure to stir your heart. It will become a much-loved addition to home bookshelves and is a must for library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-0802856494

About the Author

Jungyoon Huh studied child development and education in college and graduate school, and she now works as a picture book author, animation director, and university professor in South Korea. Her books have been selected for the White Ravens catalog and for the BRAW Amazing Bookshelf. Late Today is her English-language debut.

About the Illustrator

Myungae Lee is a South Korean picture book author and illustrator who has twice been selected as illustrator of the year at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Her work has received honors including the Nami Concours Green Island Award, the BIB Golden Plaque Award, and the BIB Golden Apple Award. In 2020, Lee was shortlisted for the AOI World Illustration Awards. Late Today is her English-language debut. Lee lives near the Seogang Bridge in Seoul, South Korea, and she often meets stray cats while walking to her studio. Follow Lee on Instagram @myungaelee.

About the Translator

Aerin Park is a Korean and English translator whose projects include the Korean-to-English translations of Okchundang Candy and The Legend of Tiger and Tail-Flower (both Levine Querido). She has also translated Korean source materials for Paula Yoo’s Rising from the Ashes (Norton) and served as an interpreter and cultural consultant for theatrical productions. Park lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she enjoys reading Korean history with her children. Visit her website at aerinpark.com.

World Kindness Day Activity

Wandering Kitty Maze

Can you help this kitten find his way back home in this Wandering Kitty Maze?

You can purchase Late Today from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

November 11 – National Young Readers Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established in 1989 by Pizza Hut and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, National Young Readers Week centers on raising awareness of the importance of reading. One inspiring statistic about the impact of reading is that children learn between 4,000 and 12,000 words each year just by reading—no matter which kinds of books are their favorites! When families get involved in fostering a love of reading at home, kids grow up with an excitement to learn and an activity they can do anywhere and that will follow them throughout their life.

There are many fantastic ways to help your kids develop an affinity for reading, including taking regular trips to your library, allowing kids to pick out their own books, setting aside special times during the day to read together, and setting up a library in your own home to show how important books are to you. You can also follow your favorite authors and illustrators on social media to connect with special activities to download, tutorials, updates on new books, and lots more.

The Bunny Ballet

Written by Nora Ericson | Illustrated by Elly MacKay

As music swells and lights dim, a rabbit invites a sister and her younger brother through a hidden chink in the trees to a watch a bunny ballet, where “Gossamer and / featherlight, / graceful hares / glide left, slide right.” They leap and whirl, plie, jeté, . . . “arabesque, then frisk away.” They weave together then move apart. In the spotlight appears “a sight you’ll not forget: / a perfect bunny pirouette.”

At intermission the audience queues for a Radish Razzle or a Carrot Cordial. So many delicious treats! Soon, the lights begin to flicker, and the show resumes. “Proud bucks swing in barrel turns” then prima ballerinas on tiptoe dance, balanced weightless on upraised paws. One seems to slip, and gasps ring out—the sister grasps her brother’s hand—but then she’s caught in a graceful dip.

This trick may seem to end the show, yet the grand finale is coming up. With the clash of cymbals, the dancers appear from all corners of the stage. They thump and jump and promenade, “spinning in a bunny haze.” All too soon the curtains close, and the sister and brother twirl towards home, dreaming of practicing what they’ve seen tomorrow. But now they can only bid farewell to the Bunny Ballet.

Nora Ericson’s musical lyricism sweeps readers away and into a dream world of ballet with her beautiful language and phrasing that holds readers spellbound with all the sights and sounds of a dance performance. Ericson’s imaginative intermission snacks will delight kids before the pages return to the ballet and the enthralling graceful whirl of its finale. As the moon rises and twilight paints the sky, Ericson’s hypnotic farewell to the evening’s wonders will send children off to sleep with much to dream of.

Ellie MacKay’s glorious illustrations—created by painting, cutting, layering, and photographing the various elements—blend vintage warmth and charm with fresh highlights and detail. Her lush woodland offers a stunning backdrop to these talented bunnies as they jeté, arabesque, and pirouette across the stage. The relationship between the sister and brother is sweetly loving, and as they head home with the rising moon, readers will drift into slumber, carried on MacKay’s soft, tranquil hues.

Ages 4 – 8

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-1419776144

About the Author

Nora Ericson studied painting at Yale University and writing for children at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Originally from central New York, she now lives in Portland, Oregon, with two kids, two dogs, and two cats. Besides reading and writing, she loves cooking, tromping in the woods, and whittling spoons while daydreaming of her future miniature donkey farm. She’s also the author of Too Early, Dill & Bizzy: An Odd Duck and a Strange Bird, and Dill & Bizzy: Opposite Day.

About the Illustrator

Elly MacKay is an internationally recognized paper artist and children’s book creator. She is the illustrator of the picture book Too Early and The Enchanted Symphony, written by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton, as well as the author-illustrator of Red Sky at Night, If You Hold a Seed, and Butterfly Park, among others. The distinctive three-dimensional quality in her works is made by setting up layers of painted paper in a miniature theater. She lights the scene and photographs it to create her unique illustrations. MacKay lives in Owen Sound, Ontario, with her family.

You can purchase The Bunny Ballet from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

November 10 – Get Ready for Christmas

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

The Christmas season is a time of joy and sharing with friends and family, and if your family includes a pet or pets, you know that they too, of course, are included in the festivities. Special Christmas treats, gifts of new toys, extra hugs, and even silly hats or fancy outfits are all ways we show how much our pets mean to us. Another fun way to celebrate the holidays with your best furry buddy is to include them in story time! Today’s book is a purr-fect choice for laptime with kitties and kiddies. Pups will enjoy it too!

Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sending me a copy of this book for review! All opinions on the book are my own.

Cat’s Christmas

By Alison Murray

Cat likes many things. He likes feeling snug. He likes his favorite chair. He likes feeling snug in his favorite chair with his favorite person. But Cat has a special feeling for Christmas, and it is—to say the least—not positive. Is there anything Cat does like about the holiday? Well, “he hates the fancy decorations,” the sticky, sugary food, and even the presents. And visitors of a dachshund variety really makes his fur stand on end.

Cat tries to tell his people why he’s so displeased, but his method of communication is just not appreciated. And when the Christmas tree comes crashing down, he’s ordered out. Out Cat goes into the snow. Up on a high branch, “Cat yowls and howls and meow-wow-wows into the quiet night.”

The cloudy night seems to hear his cries, and briefly the clouds part. “Cat LOVES to see the moon and stars in the clear night sky, and he marvels at the beauty of the world.” But Cat’s wonder is short-lived as rain begins to fall, dripping “from his whiskers into his eyes” and . . . making his “fur stick to his skin” and . . . the branch “slippery under his paws.” Cat is ready to go home.

He passes by all the leftover Christmas trappings and jumps into his favorite chair with his favorite person, who is so happy to see him. She wraps him in a towel and cuddles him then gives him his very own present—which turns out to be—despite the silly bowtie—just perfect.

Hilarious and heartfelt, Alison Murray’s Cat’s Christmas is a gift to all feline lovers. Through her fast-paced storytelling and expressive illustrations, Murray perfectly captures the inquisitive and opinionated personality of cats as well as their singular style of making themselves seen and heard. Turning the page from all the clatter of Christmas and Cat’s yowling to his glimpse of the beautiful night sky is wondrously stirring as Murray fills the darkness with colorful orbs of shimmering light. As the sudden rainfall sends Cat back inside, readers will be wrapped in the cozy, homey feeling that Christmas brings.

Sure to be opened again and again, Cat’s Christmas is a sweet, funny, and cozy holiday delight for all cat and pet lovers.

Ages Baby – 5

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547617593

Alison Murray is a Glasgow based author and illustrator. She studied Textile Design at Glasgow School of Art, and Design for Interactive Media at Middlesex University, London. Her first book Apple Pie ABC was shortlisted for the Scottish Children’s Book Award and in the United States won the 2012 Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book award for outstanding writing in a picture book. Her books have been shortlisted and longlisted for the Bookbug Picture Book Prize, the Scottish Children’s Book Awards, and the UK Literary Association Award.

You can purchase Cat’s Christmas from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

November 6 – Children’s Book Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy program in the United States, going back to 1913, when Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, proposed the holiday. The date of the celebration has bounced around a bit, from November to May and then quickly becoming a twice-a-year event in November and May in 2018. Organized by Every Child a Reader, Children Book Week’s theme for 2025 is “An Ocean of Stories.” This theme celebrates the “vast, collective ocean populated by the stories we read, share, and tell.” To learn more about this literary holiday, visit Every Child a Reader to find out more about the week and discover lots of resources, including bookmarks and activities to download.

Thank you to Beach Lane Books and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of this book for review!

The Elevator on 74th Street

Written by Laura Gehl | Illustrated by Yas Imamura

Ellie the elevator loved all of the tenants in her building and treated each person with special care, for instance she played “her music louder for Mrs. Sanchez who was deaf in one ear,” and held the doors open extra long for Mr. Chen who used a cane. She did, however, have a “soft spot for Thea,” whose first day home from the hospital as a baby was Ellie’s first day in the building.

Ellie had watched Thea grow up, so when her best friend had to move away, Ellie wanted to make her feel better. She tried playing her favorite song over and over and “lit up her buttons to form a T.” While these kind gestures helped, Thea was still sad. Then one day a new family moved in with a girl Thea’s age named Claire. Ellie hoped they would connect, but it never happened.

When Thea found Claire’s favorite hat in the lobby, Ellie took her to the right floor to return it. That started them talking. In only a few weeks, they were practicing dance moves together, wearing the same outfit, telling jokes, and sharing good news and bad. Ellie was excited to see their burgeoning friendship, even if they didn’t notice her part in it.

But they did. In fact, Thea and Claire decided to throw a party for Ellie. They decorated her interior and her doorway, and the tenants gathered in the lobby to listen to music, dance, and celebrate. Ellie couldn’t help but love her job even more.

Laura Gehl’s delightful story is made all the more enchanting for its unique setting and sweet, caring main character. Gehl captures the vibe of a diverse apartment-building community as Ellie notices the needs of each tenant and loves everyone who steps inside her doors. Her special bond with Thea will charm readers as they watch her find a new friend and celebrate Ellie’s part in it. Children who live in apartment-style buildings or condos will love the representation here, and those who just love elevators (what child doesn’t love pushing the buttons?) will also find much to enjoy in Gehl’s book.

Yas Imamura populates her art deco apartment building with a pleasing array of personalities and ages. Kids will have fun catching sight of various tenants multiple times throughout the story and watching Thea and Claire’s friendship blossom from not noticing each other to besties. The star of the show, though, is Ellie, and she’s a dear with her sprightly blue edifice, filigree button cover, expressive eyes, and row of floor numbers that curve into a smile when she’s especially happy. Readers may even enjoy making up stories for all of the building’s tenants!

An adorable book about kindness and making friends amongst the flair of city living, The Elevator on 74th Street should be going up on your picture book shelves!

Ages 4 – 8

Beach Lane Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1665905077

About the Author

Laura Gehl is the author of One Big Pair of Underwear, Cat Has a Plan, Goat Wants to Eat, Pig Makes Art, Dog Can Hide, Cat Sees Snow, Frog Can Hop, Snow Is…, You’re the Sprinkles on My Ice Cream, You’re the Pumpkin in My Pie, and The Elevator on 74th Street. She lives with her husband and their four kids in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Visit her online at LauraGehl.com.

About the Illustrator

Yas Imamura is an Asian American illustrator living in Portland, Oregon. Her works include collaborations with Anthropologie and Sanrio, as well as her growing list of children’s books such as Can You Imagine? by Lisa Tolin and The Elevator on 74th Street by Laura Gehl. Her preferred materials are gouache and watercolor and she often finds herself drawn to projects that are playful, mysterious, and a little offbeat.

Children’s Book Week Activity

Children’s Book Week Coloring Page

Download and print this An Ocean of Stories coloring page of the official 2025 Children’s Book Week poster by author Julie Flett. You can find more coloring pages as well as bookmarks to print from Every Child a Reader here.

You can purchase The Elevator on 74th Street from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

October 15 – Get Ready for Christmas with Author Robin Currie

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

There may be no better way to usher in the spirit of Christmas with little ones than by sharing holiday stories both old and new. Books about Christmas offer inspiration, tradition, humor, and new perspectives on this favorite holiday. Stuff your stockings with pre-Christmas reads, and don’t forget that books make the perfect present for all ages!

Just Enough Room for Christmas

Written by Robin Currie | Illustrated by Estelle Corke

Old Hannah, a gentle brown milk cow had just settled in to sleep in her cozy room-for-one Bethlehem barn when there was a knock on the door. She heard a young traveler calling out to her: “‘Old Hannah, Old Hannah, let my horse in, please! / Your barn is so warm, and out here he will freeze.'” Hannah opened the door. While the barn was small, there was just enough room for one more. Grateful, the young girl brought in her horse, giving him one admonition: “‘Do not stomp.'”

Soon, Old Hannah and the horse heard another knock. Answering it, they found a goatherd asking for shelter for his cold goat. The cow and the horse made room for one more. The goatherd left her with a pat and a caution: “‘Do not bump.'”

The night was particularly cold, and one after another, travelers stopped by the barn asking for Old Hannah to offer refuge for their animal. Each time, Old Hannah and the other visitors made room for the newcomer, and each time the thankful owners bade their animal to mind its manners. The animals crowded in until, at last, there was only room enough for one more tiny creature to join them.

Under the door crept a little mouse, who scampered across the hay with a “SQUEAK.” Hearing the squeak, the other animals forgot their manners and stomped and bumped and baaa-ed, causing quite a din. Then suddenly they stopped. Was that a knock at the door? On the threshold stood a man and a woman. They said, “‘Old Hannah, Old Hannah, may we come in, please? / Your barn is so warm and out here, we will freeze.'”

Even though the barn was small and already crowded, the animals made room for the tired couple then settled themselves to sleep. All was quiet in the barn, until later when a newborn baby’s cry broke the silence. “Later angels would sing and a new star would shine” for this special baby. Later shepherds and men bringing gifts visited Him. But first, Old Hannah and the other animals welcomed this family into their “small barn with just enough room for a newborn King.”

Robin Currie’s sweet story of a kind group of animals who make room for each other and—on that first Christmas night—Mary, Joseph, and newborn baby Jesus combines heart, humor, and generosity in a read-aloud children will want to hear again and again. Little ones will be charmed by the repeat phrasing that will have them reading along in no time. They’ll especially enjoy acting out the stomps, bumps, bleats, squeaks, and other sounds as the story progresses.

Estelle Corke’s adorable and expressive illustrations will enchant children and adults alike as each animal and human pair appear at the barn door and the animals are invited in. Mary and Joseph are devoted to each other and their new baby as they also find solace in the barn. Corke’s rich color palette of blues and golds with touches of purple, pink, and green illuminates each page, depicting the frigid winter weather while enveloping readers in the warmth of the Christmas story.

Uplifting and joyful, Just Enough Room for Christmas is a delightful and meaningful read-aloud that is sure to become a family Christmas tradition. The book would make a beautiful and much-loved gift.

Ages 4 – 7

Good Books/SkyHorse Publishing, 2025 | ISBN 978-1680999730

About the Author

Robin Currie is a preschool chaplain, ordained minister, and librarian. She volunteers annually to teach reading and literacy in developing countries and has taught English in far-flung places such as China, Tanzania, and India. Her family includes four grown children and five grandchildren. She lives near Wheaton, Illinois. Visit her on Substack | Bluesky | Facebook | Instagram.

About the Illustrator

Estelle Corke is a freelance illustrator who has worked as an artist for more than thirty years. Her first love is children’s publishing, with animals and children her favorite subjects. Estelle’s art has appeared in Guideposts and Highlights. She lives in Bath in the United Kingdom. Visit her at estellecorke.com | Facebook | Instagram.

Meet Robin Currie

Despite her incessant need to wiggle, Robin Currie earned a Master’s Degree in Library Science and spent her library career in children’s departments where she could baa, moo, and honk without getting shushed. Robin has traditionally published more than 45 picture books. She writes stories to read and read again!

I’m excited to host Robin Currie as part of her Just Enough Room for Christmas book tour! Today she talks about how her sweet story went from a brainstorming session idea to bookstore shelves with bumps and cheers along the way.

The Tale of the Cow

In 2023 for Storystorm (a 30-day idea brainstorming group put together by author Tara Lazar every January), my idea #5 was “stable is just a shed for travelers’ horses and donkeys, the inn keepers’ cow and a few mice – Nothing Happens in a Stable.”

Talking to my agent later that spring, he suggested I write 10 pieces about Christmas and see if he could sell some. That produced some winners like “Did the Holy Family Drive a Truck?” and “Why the Kings were Late to Bethlehem.” And one called “Old Hannah.”

The premise of “Old Hannah” was along the lines of “always room for one more,” where the stable gets more and more crowded as more animals escape the cold. That way, I incorporated my fluent second language: cow (with a passable knowledge of goat, cat, and dog). The twist on the original Christmas story is that the last to arrive is a tired couple about to have a baby. The animals quiet down to make room for the newborn king.

I had that outlined early on with the animals asking Old Hannah to let them in, and the cow replying.

BLAAT! Buzzer sound – foul!

The agent told me that in the religious market today, animals don’t talk. (And despite the fact that I could name lots of books where animals DID talk—plus the whole “Gift of the talking animals on Christmas Eve” thing—he said it had a better chance of selling if the cattle did not chatter.)

And the title should be changed to something about Christmas. OK: “Christmas in the Barn.”

Time for the critique groups—live and online. They pinpointed some little stuff, but basically gave lots of good feedback. And another title change to “Just Enough Room for Christmas.”

I sent the story off to a critique service, where it scored a once-in-a-lifetime “1”! Then I sent it to my agent, pen poised for offers…

Crickets. Churrip-churrip!

So, I sent it to a couple of contests, mostly for some outside feedback. The manuscript got an honorable mention in the Cascade Writers 2024 and won Silver for Royal Palm Literary Awards 2024 from Florida Writers Association. You have to believe in a Blue Ribbon Cow!

In an Above the Slush Pile opportunity, I sent it to Good Books/Skyhorse Publishing (noting the story was already an award winner and the animals did NOT talk!) and got an immediate response. Not only YES—but YES in 2025!

You know the cow that jumped over the moon? I was on its back! Mooooo!

Thanks, Robin, for sharing so much about your journey with Just Enough Room for Christmas! I wish you all the best with your book. I know readers are going to love it!

You can purchase Just Enough Room for Christmas from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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