“Yet my heart loves December’s smile as much as July’s golden beam; then let us sit and watch the while the blue ice curdling on the stream.” ~ Emily Brontë

1. Hello, December — are you here already? How is that possible? Another year has whizzed by. May as well enjoy all that this chilly, bustling, festive fa-la-la of a month has to offer, from bells to baubles, carols to candlelight!

Care to join me for a sleigh ride past a charming New England B&B? After we’ve crossed the covered bridge, we can duck inside for some hot chocolate. 🙂

Today’s charming winter scenes were created by Wisconsin-based artist-illustrator Elisabeth (“Lis”) Dorrian. You may remember we featured her work back in June, before she moved to the Midwest from Maryland. Lis is self taught, has been drawing since childhood, and works in gouache, acrylics, and digitally for her folk art style pieces.

She’s inspired by slow, seasonal, simple living, hoping her art will inspire others to take time to enjoy life’s little daily miracles. I like escaping to her idyllic depictions of children playing in the snow, families baking cinnamon rolls together, the joy of a wonderful ruff ruff surprise on Christmas morning.

Always there is hot cocoa or tea shared between good friends, or a mom making a comforting stew in the kitchen. Perhaps the best part of winter is finding the coziness within.

For more of Lis’s art (which appears on puzzles, paper goods, and album covers), visit her Official Website, Instagram and Etsy Shop.

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2. New Picture Book Alert: Officially out today is Meet the Smushkins by Claudia Rueda (Candlewick Press, 2025):

What if you mixed the gentle spirit of Lucy Cousins’s Maisy with the offbeat world of the Moomins? Meet the Smushkins, a family of characters that toddlers will find irresistible.

The Smushkins are looking for a house, but what makes a good house for the Smushkins? They all agree: there must be lots of light, a big table everyone can sit on to look out the window, and an apple tree for making pies. Oh, and a playground, puddles to jump in, an ice cream cart, and so much more! But most of all, a good house for the Smushkins is a house full of Smushkins! Kicking off a delightful concept board book series, this boldly illustrated, giftable picture book introduces a family of characters so adorable, so goofy, and so lovable that readers of all ages can’t help but feel that they’ve known them forever.

Okay, this one does look adorable. Who can resist characters with names like Puff, Bloo and Ook? And did someone say apple pie and ice cream cart? I wonder if they’d let me move in with them? 😀

School Library Journal finds the illustrations intriguing, while Publishers Weekly has given it a **starred review**, saying, “Oh-so-squishable character design aside, this remarkably respectful work mirrors young children’s natural curiosity about creating spaces where they feel happy and safe. The omniscient narrator’s concrete commentary always honors the characters’ desires. . . .It’s a vision of childhood that’s generous, validating, and cute as all get out.”

Even better? Meet the Smushkins is the first in a new series — *toddlers everywhere doing backflips and cartwheels*. Yay, there are more Smushkins on the horizon! AND, there’s also a Spanish edition:

Score this one for your favorite hungry munchkin right now. 🙂

Happy Book Birthday, Claudia!

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3. Holiday Gift Ideas for Literary Types: Looking for something special for the book lover, writer, poet, artist or teacher on your gift list? Check out Robyn Hood Black’s artsyletters Etsy shop for beautiful and unique handcrafted items.

Incorporating upcycled vintage elements in her designs, Robyn creates notebooks, jewelry, magnets, keychains, pins, bookmarks, greeting cards and block prints. Who wouldn’t squeal with delight to find a pair of Emily Dickinson earrings or a Book Nerd Gift Pack in their Christmas stocking?

If you’re an alphabet lover like me, you’ll be happy to know Robyn makes abc/initials jewelry, some with letters hand-stamped from vintage metal letterpress blocks or even made from old typewriter keys!

All pieces are lovingly made by hand with antique elements whose imperfections add a certain quirky charm. Her mixed media collages, like this one featuring the Jonathan Swift poem, “On the Vowels,” is perfect for the friend who appreciates whimsical pieces of art.

Perfect keepsake to celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th Birthday: Basil and Cornelius saw this cool ornament featuring a copy of Robyn’s sketch of Jane. We had to get one, of course, and can attest that it’s every bit as lovely in person as it appears in the listing.

It now holds a place of honor on our tree. Doesn’t Jane look happy next to those bears? Okay, you know you want one too. And while you’re at it, get one for any Austen fans on your gift list. What are you waiting for?

Visit the artsyletters Etsy shop to see Robyn’s entire range. All items come boxed for gift giving (hand-lettered tags available upon request). Robyn takes extra care with packaging and encloses sweet surprises. It’s such a treat to receive something from artsyletters! More treasures at her Instagram, Facebook Page, and blog.

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4. Need a break from holiday madness? Take a few minutes to listen to this heartwarming story via Storyline Online, which streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.

Love Sir Jonathan Pryce’s reading of CALVIN CAN’T FLY: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie by Jennifer Berne and Keith Bendis (2010)!! Brilliantly animated and produced, it’s a must watch for picture book fans and reading advocates everywhere. So delightful and uplifting — and it’s now surpassed half a million views!

Storyline Online is SAG-AFTRA’s Emmy Award-winning children’s literacy program. Each featured video also includes a Teacher’s Activity Guide. Enjoy!

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5. Hang It Up!: Don’t let your Christmas tree go hungry. Feed it some tasty Craftspring ornaments. 🙂 We featured this Brooklyn-based artisan collective last year and thought we’d share some of their cool foodie ornaments this time.

Whether you’re in the mood for French fries, dumplings, toast, pickles, pizza, cookies, donuts, pasta, honey or soup(!) — hang it up and watch your tree smile this holiday season.

All ornaments are made from sustainably harvested, locally sourced merino wool and feature hand-stitched and embroidered details. Each is ready to hang with a string attached, and comes with a cloth pouch for gifting.

I especially like this Bon Appétit cookbook ornament. So cute!

Check out these and all the other themed ornaments at the Craftspring website or Etsy Shop.

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6. Not to be missed memoir in verse: Knocking on Windows by Jeannine Atkins (Atheneum BFYR, 2025):

Night darkens the window to mirror.
I’m back in my old bedroom.

Six weeks after the start of her freshman year of college, Jeannine Atkins finds herself back in her childhood bedroom after an unimaginable trauma. Now home in Massachusetts, she’s struggling to reclaim her life and her voice. Seeking comfort in the words of women, she turns to the lives and stories of Sylvia Plath, Maya Angelou, and Emily Dickinson. Through raw and poignant letter-poems addressed to these literary giants, Jeannine finds that the process of writing and reflecting has become not only a means of survival but the catalyst for a burgeoning writing career.

Inspired and ready to move forward, she enrolls in her state university, where she feeds her growing passion for writing in fiction seminars. But she finds that she’s unable to escape the pervasive misogyny of her classmates and professors, who challenge her to assert her own voice against a backdrop of disbelief and minimalization. This time, though, Jeannine is not willing to go down without a fight.

A searingly honest memoir told through gorgeous verse, Knocking on Windows stands as a beacon of hope and a celebration of the enduring spirit of survivors of sexual assault—and of writers.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this beautifully crafted work before the year is out. As a longtime fan of Jeannine’s biographical verse novels championing notable women in history, I knew this book would also be good, but I didn’t know how good until I finished it.

Wow! I can’t remember the last time I had to stop multiple times while reading just to catch my breath, as I was in awe of the masterful way she stepped inside every nuance of emotion. Spare lyrical verse that said just enough — generously allowing the reader ample space and time to react in a visceral way.

It takes great courage to write about trauma, and enormous presence of mind to relate the experience honestly and true to memory. What is ultimately powerful and inspiring is how Jeannine did not let herself become defined by the incident; her pain became her strength.

In this disturbing time, when funding is being slashed for the arts, information is being suppressed and rich, powerful men escape accountability for their sexual crimes with their fat bank accounts, it is more important than ever to remember that art saves lives. Writing can indeed be a means of survival: all voices need to be heard, true stories must be shared, survivors should be believed.

Knocking on Windows is a must read for 2025 and highly recommended not only for aspiring (or seasoned) writers and survivors of sexual assault, but for readers of any age who appreciate exquisitely written books that reveal the impactful possibilities of language. Jeannine is truly a master of the verse novel genre.

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7. Festive Fun for Families: Just out this fall is the newest title in the Little Homesteader series, A Christmas Treasury of Recipes, Crafts, and Wisdom by Angela Ferraro-Fanning and AnneliesDraws (Ivy Kids Eco, 2025):

Make the most of the festive season with this charming illustrated book from Angela Ferraro-Fanning, homesteading teacher and founder of The Arcadia Project in rural New Jersey, packed full of crafting ideas, baking recipes, and gardening projects—all perfect for Christmas! 

This book includes:

•  Fun, wholesome crafting activities, like how to make a decorative garland from beads and string and reuse old holiday cards to create bookmarks, gift tags, and holiday decorations.
•  Simple, tasty, and festive recipes, from two-ingredient maple syrup caramels, to decadent Christmas-morning cinnamon rolls.
•  Nature-themed, festive outdoor projects that suit any space, such as how to attract a “Santa crow,” which leaves gifts in exchange for food, and how to grow your own elderberry plants.

All the activities are broken down into steps, clearly explained and accompanied by AnneliesDraws’ adorable illustrations. 

This special book from Ivy Kids Eco will nurture creativity and deep connections with the living world, and will help young readers and families to celebrate the holiday season with screen-free, planet-friendly fun. 

If you’re looking for activities to keep kids ages 6-9 busy during the holidays, check this one out. Angela Ferraro-Fanning is the founder and grower, farmer, and natural ecosystem steward behind The Arcadia Project in Central New Jersey. She grows food for her family of four while supporting and inviting nature. The Arcadia Project is a permaculture farm which means patterns in nature are mimicked as an ecologically-centric approach to farming.

“We support and invite wildlife, naturally restore our soil and strive to improve the greater soil web. We use functional animals and we grow food forests with zero chemicals nor additives. Our initiative is about environmental stewardship and reaping the literal harvest of those efforts.”

In 2023 Angela became certified through Cornell University as a Permaculturist. She’s also published The Harvest Table Cookbook and Sustainable Homestead. The other titles in the Little Homesteader series feature recipes and activities for each of the four seasons. Learn more about this permaculture farm at the official Arcadia Project Website.

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8. Art as a Form of Protest: Check out Seattle-based author, artist, and illustrator Julie Paschkis’s 2026 Poster Calendar, “Resistance is Fruitful”:

Isn’t it a beauty? Measuring 11″ x 17″ and printed on heavy paper, this calendar would look great hanging in any room of your house. As daily inspiration to stay vigilant and resist however you can, it’s also a reminder that we are all in this together, especially with the critical 2026 midterms coming up. It may take time, but we will bear the fruits of our efforts if we stay the course.

This calendar (as well as the other posters of Julie’s paintings in her store) is $15, with $12 donated directly to the ACLU ($3 for materials and store maintenance). In addition to raising money for the ACLU and getting these images into the world, an underlying purpose of the Julie Paprika store is to combat homelessness.

Here are several more of Julie’s protest posters:

Nothing better than purchasing art for a good cause. Win-win!

Visit the Julie Paprika store to see them all!

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9. Another New Picture Book Alert: As a longtime Arnold Lobel fan, I was excited to see this new picture book biography: Outside In and the Inside Out: A Story About Arnold Lobel by Emmy Kastner (Viking, 2025):

A thoughtful and whimsical picture book about Arnold Lobel, award-winning creator of Frog and Toad.

Arnold Lobel was many things: a quiet observer, an avid reader, and the kind of man who kept a gorilla suit in his closet, just in case. Above all else, Arnold was an artist and a storyteller. And he infused pieces of himself in the characters he created. This made sharing his books with the world scary sometimes—but his stories would go on to inspire and delight readers and live on in their hearts for generations.

A rare window into the life and work of Arnold Lobel, creator of the Frog and Toad series, Outside In and the Inside Out captures the iconic creator of some of the most beloved children’s books of all time.

Much as I love the Frog and Toad series and many of Lobel’s other fabulous books — Owl at Home, Uncle Elephant, Mouse Soup — I confess I know quite little about his life story. I’m guessing this is the only nonfiction picture book about him to date (?). Have it on hold at the library and can’t wait to dig in.

So far it’s gotten positive reviews from Publishers Weekly and BCCB, who said, “Kastner offers a zippy, playful biography of Lobel that is as quirky and inviting as the man himself, covering a fair amount of biographical detail while emulating the style and format of Lobel’s classics.” 

Booklist gave it a **starred review**: “In her first nonfiction picture book, Kastner fashions an utterly charming biography of Arnold Lobel, creator of the classic children’s series Frog and Toad. A welcome addition to library collections.”

And while we’re talking about Frog and Toad, Yottoy recently released a new Frog and Toad 15-piece Tin Picnic Set (love the little forks and spoons!). A nice set to go with their Frog and Toad soft toys.

Know anyone who would love these items for the holidays? Of course, you’d throw in a couple of F&T easy readers along with Kastner’s new picture book. Happiness personified. Let’s go read and play! BTW, how do you pronounce “Lobel”? Does it rhyme with “noble” or is it “Low-bell”? I have a feeling I’ve been saying it wrong all these years . . . 🙂

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It’s only fitting that our swoon tune this month is a Beach Boys song, since two of the Wilson brothers have December birthdays: Dennis on December 4, and Carl on December 21. And of course at year’s end, we should above all honor musical genius Brian Wilson who died in June. Such an iconic group with a distinctive sound defined by gorgeous harmonies. Just like Barry Gib, Brian as the oldest brother outlived his younger siblings.

We all have our favorite Beach Boys tunes — “God Only Knows,” “Surfer Girl,” “In My Room,” “Good Vibrations,” to name a few. Love them all, but I’ve always had a soft spot for “Don’t Worry Baby.” It’s one of those ‘if it’s playing on the car radio when you pull up to your destination, you wait until it’s over before getting out’ songs.

Brian wrote it with Roger Christian as a heartfelt response to the Ronettes’ 1963 hit “Be My Baby,” a song he greatly admired. He’d hoped the Ronettes would record “Don’t Worry Baby” (title phrase suggested by his then-girlfriend Marilyn Rovell), but after Phil Spector rejected it, he decided The Beach Boys would record it.

“Don’t Worry Baby” was included on the BB 1964 album Shut Down Volume 2, and was released as the B-side of the single “I Get Around.” Brian’s lead vocal is considered one of his defining performances, and that is what captivates me every time I hear it.

In a 1970 interview, Wilson opined, “Probably the best record we’ve done was ‘Don’t Worry Baby’. It has about the best proportion of our voices and ranges.” Wilson has since called his vocal on the song the best he has done for the band, commenting, “I think I sang it sweetly enough that you could feel the love in my voice.”

In addition to Brian as producer, the record also features all five members of the group playing all the instrumental parts (as opposed to session musicians who Wilson sometimes employed for their studio albums). The song ranked #11 on Spin’s list of greatest singles in history, and it was ranked 178 in Rolling Stone’s list of the greatest songs in history. Pure perfection.

Cranking up the Wayback Time Machine now to see them on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, dressed in their signature striped shirts. I’m struck by how young they were — Brian (22) with his baby face and Carl was only 18.

There are some great covers of this song but my current fave is by Foxes & Fossils. Lead singer Maggie nails it and what brilliant harmonies!

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HAPPY TUESDAY

HAPPY WEEK

DECK THE HALLS

JINGLE YOUR BELLS

MAKE CHRISTMAS PUDDING

HAPPY HANUKKAH (Dec. 14 – 22)

WELCOME THE WINTER SOLSTICE (Dec. 21)

BAKE COOKIES

TRIM YOUR TREE

HANG YOUR STOCKINGS

MERRY CHRISTMAS

PRAY FOR PEACE

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*Copyright © 2025 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.