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For those of you planning to take your kids to a national park in 2015, here are some excellent books you need to take along for the ride.

The Dog Who Saved Santa

Author/ Illustrator: True Kelley
Publisher: Holiday House; September 2008
Reading Level: Ages 4-8

What makes a dog man's best friend? Perhaps it's their ease of training (sometimes!), their companionship, or when they wave their legs in the air for a hearty belly rub. For some, it's the fact of trying to train their best friend to fetch or do this or do that! In this humorous tale, Santa's dog, Rodney, does all the work while a young Santa does a lot of sitting around, eating some fruitcake, or watching TV. Those poor little boys and girls wouldn't have any toys if it wasn't for Rodney and the elves. When Christmas Eve arrives and Santa falls asleep in the sleigh, Rodney takes charge. Soon, the determined dog has the North Pole buzzing with efficiency, and he even gives Santa lessons about what to eat, to look jolly and how to drive a sleigh. But will Rodney ever get Santa Claus to start doing his job?

True Kelley has illustrated many books for children, including "'Hazel Nutt"', "'Mad Scientist"', winner of the Golden Duck Award for the best children's science-fiction illustrated book of the year, by David Elliott' and "'My Dog"', "'Cat"' by Marty Crisp. This is her first solo venture for Holiday House and she doesn't disappoint, just like Rodney- you'll be in the Christmas spirit before you know it!

Reviewed by Carma Dutra, Picture Book Reviewer for the National Writing for Children Center

Title: Blabber Mouse

Author and Illustrator: True Kelley

Harcover: 32 pages

Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books (division of Penguin Young Readers Group) 2003

ISBN-10: 0439441994

ISBN-13: 978-0439441995

Blabber mouse likes to talk about everything but mostly he tells other people’s secrets and spreads gossip. He doesn’t mean to. He just loves to talk. His words just pop out. Like the time when he was hungry and his friend LuLu gave him a cheesy-chip cookie from her secret supply. Before you knew it, Blabber told Kate, then he told Charlotte and then he told Jo-Jo. The next time LuLu went to get a cheesy-chip cookie, they were all gone.

It is bad to gossip but worse to get the story wrong. Once, Blabber’s friend Charlotte told him that her mom was a nervous wreck from running around the house getting ready for her twenty-eight cousins. Blabber told all his friends that “Charlotte’s mom wrecked their house last night.”

The last straw was when Blabber reminded the teacher that she forgot to assign homework after she had dismissed the class. Blabber’s friends knew they had to stop Blabber from his compulsive babbling and gossiping. They decide to give Blabber a surprise party. Something happens that never happened before. Blabber becomes speechless.

The author addresses gossiping and excessive talking, which is so common in the four to eight year-old age group, with lightheartedness. Also, Blabber Mouse offers a compassionate solution instead of concentrating on negative effects. Animated illustrations are drawn in bright cartoon vividness and provide humor with details on a positive path. I found myself laughing out lout several times because of Blabber’s enthusiasm to share everything he knows or hears. He even shared the end of his favorite scary movie, “Kitties at Play” that he had seen sixteen times.

About the author and illustrator: True Kelley. When I was about four years old I published my first illustrated story (about chickens) in CHILD LIFE magazine. It was very helpful to my early career that my dad was the art director there. I illustrated my first book for Little, Brown, I SAW A PURPLE COW, now in a 25th anniversary edition. In 1980 I illustrated and wrote my first book with Steve, THE MOUSES’ TERRIBLE CHRISTMAS. What a feeling it was when I held that first published book in my hands! Over one hundred books later, I still get excited when I hold a first printed copy.

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Carma Dutra is a freelance writer and children’s writer. Learn more about children’s writing tips and reviews of award winning books visiting Carma’s Window at http://carmaswindow.blogspot.com. Download the free EBook, “Tips for Children’s Writers and Illustrators” and “Unite to Write,” a compilation of thirteen top expert authors as read on Ezine article directory.