Clancy: A Gift of Christmas Story
A.K. Miller’s Clancy is a children’s book about the uneasy feeling of being asked to do something special when you’re convinced you don’t belong. In bustling Cameltown, preparations for a Christmas production bring plenty of excitement, but Clancy’s attention keeps returning to his crooked hump, awkward knees, unruly hair, and troublesome tooth. He’s an easy character to care about because his worries are so specific. Children who’ve felt uncomfortable with their appearance or nervous about speaking in front of others will recognize something familiar in this anxious camel, even with all the festive silliness around him.
Miller tells the story in rhyming verse, giving Cameltown a chatty, slightly goofy vocabulary of its own. The invented camel expressions and playful names are fun to say aloud, and they give the town a personality that extends beyond its central character. There’s a lively contrast between the crowd’s excitement and Clancy’s private uncertainty, which helps the emotional thread stand out. Some lines invite a little adjustment in pace when read aloud, especially where the phrasing gets elaborate, but the short stanzas offer useful breathing room. It’s a story that benefits from a reader willing to enjoy the sounds and give the characters distinct voices.
William “Bubba” Flint’s illustrations bring a great deal of humor and feeling to this picture book. The camels have wonderfully expressive faces, with large eyes, toothy grins, raised brows, and drooping mouths that make their moods easy to read. Clancy’s curled forelock and uneven smile give him an immediately recognizable look. Loose washes of turquoise, green, yellow, and orange sit behind bold, sketchy outlines, creating pages that feel bright and lively. Christmas trees, wreaths, ribbons, confetti, and a splendid top hat provide plenty for children to notice. I especially like how Clancy’s posture and expression communicate his discomfort, giving young listeners a way into his feelings through the pictures.
The book’s Christian faith is central to its treatment of worry, belonging, and Christmas. Prayer and trust in God shape the conversations, and the religious language is direct enough for families to discuss together. The mayor’s patient attention is particularly appealing: he listens to Clancy’s concerns and speaks from personal experience, making their exchange feel caring and personal. There’s room here to ask children what makes them nervous, whom they can talk to, and how faith fits into those feelings. For families seeking a Christmas read with explicit Christian teaching, an affectionate animal cast, and colorful illustrations, Clancy offers plenty to share during a quiet reading session together.
Pages: 34 | ASIN : B0HDNTLP25
Adventures and Disasters
Escape from Ancient Snackland follows Obesseus and his companions through snack-built kingdoms and troublesome magic, where clashing personalities complicate danger and friendship inspires cooperation. How did you develop Snackland’s food-based landscapes?
Obesseus’s hunger is a huge part of his personality, so I never wanted caring about his friends to suddenly make that disappear. He can be distracted by food, impulsive, and completely convinced that eating will solve a problem. But his companions matter to him. The balance comes from giving him moments where his choices show that, even when his first instinct is to think about his stomach. He doesn’t always get it right, which creates both humor and room for growth. To me, friendship means learning to consider other people while still being yourself, even if being yourself involves constantly asking for more nuggets.
How did you balance Obesseus’s constant hunger with his concern for his companions, particularly when those priorities come into conflict?
I wanted Snackland to feel like a world where imagination could run wild with something familiar: food. Once you have soda oceans, water rivers, and food-based continents, there are endless possibilities for adventures and disasters. A place that sounds delicious might also be dangerous, especially with Obesseus around. For Escape from Ancient Snackland, taking that world into a prehistoric setting gave me room to make it stranger and more unpredictable. The landscapes are part of the fun, but they also create problems the characters have to work together to overcome.
How does Conflicted Tomato’s uncertainty about where he belongs deepen the book’s exploration of individuality within this unruly group?
Conflicted Tomato takes that familiar fruit-or-vegetable debate and gives it a personal side: Where do I fit in? That’s something readers can relate to, even in a world this ridiculous. He’s surrounded by strong personalities, and uncertainty can make it difficult to feel confident about what he brings to the group. But he doesn’t need to have every question about himself answered to matter. I like the idea that you can still contribute, build friendships, and find acceptance while figuring yourself out. With this group, everyone has quirks. Belonging doesn’t require them all to become alike.
What scene was the most fun for you to write?
My favorite scene to write was the Molly mushroom loud mail scene. When I was writing it, I pictured someone shouting their emails across the room instead of typing them.
Author Links: Amazon
When a cursed royal crown sends Obesseus and his friends hurtling into the distant past, they land in a wild world of Dino Nuggets, pretzel forests, lemonade fortresses, sacred snacks, and rules no one asked for. But the real danger is Julian Jellybean, who is twisting Ancient Snackland’s history with mysterious purple magic.To get home, Obesseus must survive Captain Calorie Counter, Tammie Tuna, corrupted Anchovy Scouts, impossible traps, and the No Fun Squad’s relentless obsession with overtime. Along the way, Conflicted Tomato may discover that being confused is exactly what Snackland needs.
Packed with Slam-Fu, food-powered chaos, Dino Nuggets, ridiculous workplace rules, and one very important crown, Obesseus: Escape from Ancient Snackland is a prehistoric adventure where saving the future means surviving the past.
A Bonding Experience
Grumpy Goes Home for the Holidays follows an iguana who sets off for a Christmas reunion with his family in the Florida Keys; however, a few unexpected obstacles threaten his plans. What was the inspiration for your story?
Let’s go back to book 3, Two If By Sea, where Grumpy the Iguana tells the Giant Sea Turtle that he grew up behind the Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys. This is where we learn that Grumpy has a family. So, when we get to book 4, Grumpy Goes Home For The Holidays, we find out that Grumpy is missing his family in the Florida Keys and decides it’s time to go home and surprise them. The inspiration I had was thinking about the holidays and how people want to be close to the people they love. Gifts are nice too, but the true meaning is connection, love, and family (and that includes friends because sometimes your friends are your family). Showing the people in your life that you care about them by showing up is also important.
How does Grumpy change or grow as he prepares for and completes his journey, and what qualities do you hope children recognize in him as they follow his adventure?
I think Grumpy realizes how much his friends care about him as they help him prepare for his trip. They want him to have a great time with his family. When Grumpy arrives home in the Florida Keys and spends time with his mom, dad, and little sis, he is again caught up in emotion about how much his family misses him and loves him. We learn that he has had a wonderful childhood and came from a solid foundation where there is respect and honor and love. Now we know how Grumpy came to be.
What do you hope children learn about friendship from the way Grumpy and his neighbors care for one another?
Showing you care and building trust with your friends is so important when you are out on your own and away from your family. The Flamingo Park neighborhood is a place where everyone looks out for one another. Every adventure that the family of animal friends goes on is a bonding experience and brings them closer together.
What do you enjoy most about creating stories for young children?
I enjoy every aspect of creating these adventures, and I always try to add a fun fact or two about the animals or the environment that they live in. This way, the children are learning something new at the same time they are enjoying the story.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
The story follows Grumpy as he packs his suitcase and sets out on a journey to visit his parents and little sister, who live in the Florida Keys. Along the way, Grumpy encounters several obstacles, including the loss of a precious gift for his family. However, with the help of his friends, Grumpy overcomes these obstacles and finally reaches his destination.
The book is beautifully illustrated, and it features charming characters that will capture your heart. It is also an excellent teaching tool for parents, as it promotes the values of love, family, and friendship.
With “Grumpy Goes Home for the Holidays,” you can join Grumpy on his journey and experience the joy of Christmas with him. This book will make a perfect addition to your holiday collection, and it is an excellent gift for anyone who loves a good holiday story.
The Complexities of a War
Young Men in Harm’s Way recounts combat, leadership, loss, and the brotherhood of Charlie Company, preserving the men and memories that stayed with him long after the war. Why was it important to document not only your personal story but also the history of Charlie Company?
Almost everyone who served in Vietnam, especially in a combat role, never considered keeping a diary or records of their tours. Decades later, in interacting with the men I served with, they often could not recall where they were nor the details of what took place. This was true for myself as well. Upon much reflection, I decided to create a strawman chronology of my own experience. This evolved over time via conversations, reunions and my creation of the website www.212warriors.com into my book. History is important and I wanted to capture both my personal experience and that of the 12th Infantry Regiment I served in. My website contains the full history of the regiment and the 4 ½ years it served in Vietnam.
What do you most want readers to understand about the everyday experience of an infantryman in Vietnam?
Most people do not understand the complexities of a war and everything that takes place from day to day. The gauntlet of emotions a soldier goes through just within a 24-hour period adds to the mental strain aside from what takes place in combat. It is singularly the highest rollercoaster ride one can take in life of extreme feelings. Anyone who has served in the military is NEVER the same person who entered service when they come out. You never leave the battlefield of war, any war. The memories and scars never leave you. They live with you every day. This is why so many struggle to live a normal life and why so many cannot comprehend what we experienced. This book tries to share with the reader what we went through, the highs and lows. The pains, stress, fatigue, and loss of life set against a backdrop of attempting to escape that side of war by the creation of distractions. Listening to the radio, writing home, or sharing stories of past lives lived in a peaceful setting, and sprinkled with an occasional laugh to relieve the tensions.
What did you learn about leadership that military training alone could never have taught, and what qualities distinguished the leaders you trusted most during your service?
For the most part, leaders are born, not created. It is an inherent part of our DNA. They react to situations presented to them throughout the process of life, growing up. I don’t believe they seek out this part of their character; it just comes out. Most people are passive and default to those who seem to always be leading or sharing thoughts that allow those around them to be comfortable in being led. This is a bonding process of life: those who lead and those who pass on the responsibility of leading to others they trust in either character or affirming actions. We had few leaders, officers, or NCOs who had combat experience. Certainly they had experience in Army life, but that is vastly different than making decisions that are grounded in life-or-death outcomes. Those new to Army life and to combat had to quickly judge those leading them. It was easier for the “leader types” to ascertain who to trust than the followers. The officers, for the most part, had enough technical and leadership training. What they had to demonstrate was the confidence and quick decision-making ability that gained the trust of the men they were leading.
Because of how this war was carried out in Vietnam, the turnover of troops and officers evolved around a 12-month tour. This meant we were constantly dealing with new faces, officers, and the enlisted men within the ranks of the companies, platoons, and squads we were assigned to. If you demonstrated any leadership, you quickly rose in rank and were positioned to replace the very NCOs who were leading you because they would soon be going back to the States and home. For me, I arrived a private first class and went home a staff sergeant in a short 11 months in Vietnam. Leadership mattered among an ever-evolving landscape of new faces. That leadership, the trust built, created bonds within the troops that stabilized young men into a fighting force determined to keep everyone safe as best as could be possible in an unpredictable war.
What would you most like younger readers, particularly those with no personal connection to the Vietnam War, to understand about the men who served?
Much has been written about Vietnam. We have analyzed it by age, ethnicity, level of education, and what state we came from. For the most part we served and did what was asked of us in a trying time. What I want, as do other veterans of that war, is for it to have mattered in some way for the sacrifice many endured, especially those who did not come home. Many of us were drafted and may have trained together, but that only lasted through eight weeks of basic training. When we left basic, we individually headed off to AIT (Advanced Individual Training), where we, once again, were in the midst of strangers and trained for another eight weeks before being sent individually to Vietnam. Upon arriving in Vietnam, we, again, were sent out to various units (divisions, battalions) that needed replacement, only to, once again, be in the middle of strangers. Over time, these strangers, like ourselves, became our friends and comrades. People we may have loved or loathed, respected or tolerated, but all bound to us by blood, sweat and tears, theirs and ours. Just about all of us were there when one or more of these men died. In some cases, we held them as their last breath escaped. In other cases, we learned of their passing after the fact. We learned how in war death happens, but life goes on. For these men, it was about duty. When our country called, each of these men answered – some voluntarily, some not – but each man went doing his duty as he saw it. Years later, these relationships manifested into friendships, just like high school friends. They have grown over time and remain a core foundation of brotherhood and love. Forged in battle and never to be forgotten.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | 212 Warriors | Amazon
Drafted in 1967, Arnold W. Krause arrived in Vietnam during Tet in March 1968—thrust into brutal, unpredictable combat. He began as a young PFC rifleman in Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Within months, his courage and instinct for leadership propelled him through the ranks to Staff Sergeant.
As a battle tested vet, Krause became a steady force for the men around him, guiding new replacements through the psychological and emotional strain of fighting a war they barely understood. His story also stands as a vital historical account of his unit’s legacy in Vietnam War.
Unflinching and vividly told, this memoir plunges readers into intense encounters with the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army, while revealing the deep bonds required to survive and function in combat. Beyond the battlefield, Krause paints a vivid portrait of a soldier’s life away from combat—from moments of unexpected humor to meaningful connections with fellow soldiers.
Gripping and deeply personal, from jungles and rice paddies of 1968 and 1969 to his reflections decades later, as he searches for—and reconnects with—his former comrades-in-arms.
This powerful story of survival, leadership, and remembrance stays with readers long after the final page.
REVISED & EXPANDED SECOND EDITION—WHAT’S NEW:
This fully updated second edition features a major production upgrade to elevate the reading experience for both new and returning readers:
Restructured Narrative: A completely reorganized flow for a seamless, more engaging, and page-turning experience.
Deeper Chapter Insights: Expanded detail, richer historical context, and added information across chapters.
Over 90 Photographs: Rich visual content added throughout the book to bring the narrative, the men, and landscape to life.
Professionally Polished: Thoroughly proofread, meticulously reedited, and beautifully reformatted for high-quality presentation.
Frustrations and Challenges
This Book Is Not Ready! invites children to become part of the creative process as a book gradually takes shape through imagination, experimentation, and plenty of ridiculous mistakes. What inspired you to create a children’s book about a character trying to create its own story?
I’ve always wanted to create a character that was a little more expressive and unpredictable, someone who could break the fourth wall, be stubborn, make mistakes, and still find something positive in those mistakes. I wanted the Narrator to feel human in that way, even though he’s just a little scribbled character trying to figure things out.
Having already created two children’s books, I wanted to try something different with This Book Is Not Ready! My goal was to create a story that anyone could enjoy, whether they’re a young child, a teenager, or even an adult. I’ve always loved seeing people smile and laugh while reading my books, but some of my favorite moments are when they don’t realize I’m watching. I’ll catch someone out of the corner of my eye turning the book upside down or shaking it simply because the Narrator told them to. Those moments are exactly what I hoped to create: a story that doesn’t just entertain readers but actually pulls them into the experience and lets them have a little fun along the way.
How did you develop the personality of your scribbly little main character, and what do you hope children recognize about themselves in a character who doesn’t always know what to do next?
I actually based a lot of the Narrator’s personality on myself. As a relatively new illustrator, I’ve experienced plenty of the frustrations and challenges that come with creating a book, and I wanted to incorporate some of those experiences into his character. He’s stubborn, impatient, and sometimes a little dramatic when things don’t go his way, but he also refuses to give up.
Throughout the story, the Narrator encounters many of the same kinds of problems that writers and illustrators face, only exaggerated in a humorous way. Even when everything seems to be going wrong, and he doesn’t have the help of his author or illustrator, he keeps trying different approaches until he finally manages to complete his book.
I hope children recognize that it’s okay to make mistakes, get frustrated, or not know exactly what they’re doing. Nobody has everything figured out, and sometimes the things that go wrong can lead to something even better than what we originally imagined. I wanted the Narrator to show that a little determination, creativity, and a sense of humor can go a long way.
What do you hope children learn about experimenting with ideas and trying different approaches?
I hope children learn that creativity doesn’t always have to follow a perfect plan, and that sometimes our mistakes can lead to our best ideas. I’m actually someone who tends to be very particular about my artwork. I spend a lot of time correcting little details and making sure everything looks exactly how I imagined it. But creating This Book Is Not Ready! was a completely different experience.
Even though I started with a storyboard, I constantly found myself changing things as I went. I’d be illustrating a scene and suddenly think of something funnier or a different way the Narrator might react to the situation. Instead of sticking strictly to my original plan, I let those ideas shape the story. In many ways, I was discovering what would happen next right alongside the Narrator.
The mistakes, messy illustrations, and unexpected situations became some of my favorite parts of the book. I hope children take away the idea that they don’t have to get everything right the first time. Sometimes it’s worth trying something different, being a little silly, and seeing where their imagination takes them.
What kinds of creative activities or conversations would you love to see children explore after reading This Book Is Not Ready!?
More than anything, I hope the book inspires children to pick up a pencil, create their own characters, and come up with stories of their own without worrying so much about getting every little detail right. I want them to understand that drawing and storytelling don’t have to be perfect to be fun.
My youngest daughter, Charlotte, is actually a big part of why I started creating children’s books and was a major inspiration behind This Book Is Not Ready! One of my favorite things is sitting down and drawing with her. We don’t just draw pictures; we come up with silly ideas, invent ridiculous characters, and laugh at the crazy things we create together. Sometimes the most entertaining ideas are the ones we never planned in the first place.
I’d love for other children and their parents to experience that same kind of creativity together. Whether it’s drawing a funny character, making up a ridiculous story, or just seeing how silly their imaginations can get, I hope the book encourages them to have fun creating something of their own. Sometimes all it takes is a pencil, a little imagination, and the willingness to make a mess.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Amazon
What happens when a story has no plan, no plot, and a narrator who’s making it up as they go?
Follow along as a scribbled character tries to build a story from scratch — with your help.
Point, imagine, and laugh your way through a chaotic adventure filled with:
unexpected twists
oversized dragons
missing ideas
and a very opinionated squirrel
This isn’t just a book you read…
it’s a book you help create.
Perfect for interactive story time, this playful and unpredictable story encourages creativity, imagination, and lots of laughs for both kids and parents.
Packed with hidden jokes and silly surprises, it’s a story you’ll want to read again and again.
So You Want To Be A Mathematician
Linda Soules’s So You Want to Be a Mathematician is a children’s book that treats curiosity as the beginning of a possible career. It introduces mathematics through patterns, questions, and the pleasure of figuring something out, then connects those interests to the work mathematicians actually do. The voice is friendly and direct, with enough humor to make the subject feel approachable. I especially liked how it takes young readers seriously. It assumes they’re capable of following an interesting idea, even when that idea takes a little patience. That confidence gives the book much of its appeal and makes its encouragement feel earned.
There’s plenty to explore here, from different branches of mathematics and possible workplaces to the habits that help people tackle difficult problems. Historical examples sit alongside everyday situations, giving the subject both a human history and a practical presence. Soules pays attention to collaboration, imagination, clear writing, and the willingness to check your own reasoning. Those details make the career feel more fully drawn. The sections about frustration and persistence are especially valuable because they give the enthusiasm some weight. Readers get a sense that enjoying mathematics can include uncertainty, slow progress, and the satisfaction of staying with a question.
The illustrations give this picture book a welcoming atmosphere. Golden light, earthy greens, and rich browns fill libraries, kitchens, gardens, and workspaces, while expressive faces bring warmth to scenes of thinking and discovery. Children and adults appear together often, and the range of people pictured helps support the book’s invitation to many kinds of readers. I liked the visual attention to ordinary objects, natural patterns, and inviting rooms. It makes mathematical curiosity feel at home in daily life. The pictures offer plenty to linger over and give the information a personable setting.
The amount of text and the vocabulary make this a substantial read, especially for older children who enjoy asking how things work. Some pages introduce several ideas close together, so reading a section at a time would give those ideas room to settle. It’s also well suited to sharing with an adult who welcomes questions and doesn’t mind pausing to investigate one. The activities, glossary, and suggestions for further exploration give that conversation somewhere to go. What I found most appealing is the book’s interest in the person behind the mathematics: someone who notices, wonders, tries, and keeps learning. It’s an engaging introduction to a profession, with an encouraging view of the curiosity children already bring to the world.
Pages: 47 | ASIN : B0HL5SXVV4
The Truth of Who You Are: A Story About Belonging
The Truth of Who You Are follows a lonely girl who escapes into the forest after being bullied at school. She meets a wise owl and a whole crew of woodland animals who each explain how their unique traits help the world. Bit by bit, the girl learns that her own differences matter too, and by the end, she heads home feeling seen, valued, and a whole lot lighter. It is a simple story, warm and gentle, about belonging and self-worth.
Reading it, I felt myself softening. The writing has this sweet, rhyming flow that pulled me in, and I kept smiling at the funny little moments, like the squirrel admitting he loses half his acorns. The message hit me in the chest because it feels true in a very human way. I liked that the story never talks down to kids. It actually treats the girl’s feelings seriously, and that makes the comfort she finds feel real. I also enjoyed the forest setting. It felt safe and kind and almost magical without trying too hard.
The story nudged me to think about how much pressure we all feel to fit in. The animals showing off their quirks made me weirdly emotional. It reminded me of times when I felt out of place and just needed someone to tell me I was okay. The illustrations made this picture book even better. They are artistic, and the characters are expressive, and the owl, in particular, looks kind and charming with his little vest on. I caught myself lingering on the pages, taking in the little details.
I really enjoyed this children’s book. I think it would be great for kids who are dealing with teasing or just feeling different, and honestly it works for grown ups too. It is the kind of story you keep on a shelf for bedtime or for rough days when you need a soft reminder that you matter just as you are.
Brave New Game
S.K. Michalowski’s Brave New Game follows Charlie Gold, a thirteen-year-old whose height attracts attention he’d happily avoid. He’s gifted at math, devoted to basketball, and trying to find his footing after losing his parents. His late father’s reputation as a local basketball legend adds another layer of pressure: people see the family name before they see the kid. Living with his older sister, Cecilia, in a drafty farmhouse near Lake Erie, Charlie worries about everything from fitting into a classroom desk to keeping the electricity on. It’s an engaging setup for coming-of-age sports fiction, giving the novel a clear sense of what’s at stake each time Charlie steps onto a court or makes a decision away from one.
The basketball scenes have a satisfying physical immediacy. Shoes squeak, players scramble for rebounds, and a few seconds on the clock can stretch into a whole page of tension. Michalowski also gives this basketball novel a distinctive angle through Charlie’s fascination with statistics. He looks at players, lineups, and possibilities through numbers, and that way of thinking shapes both his confidence and his blind spots. College recruiting, player transfers, and the money surrounding athletics become part of the story’s everyday conversation. Those details give the fictional St. Hildegarde’s program a working life beyond game night. The town’s attachment to its Hedgehogs feels especially convincing, with basketball supplying a shared language for people whose lives and bank balances look very different.
The relationships are what kept me invested. Cecilia is funny, protective, exhausted, and ambitious, often within the same conversation. Her Shakespeare habit gives their sibling banter a recognizable rhythm, while the practical demands of raising her brother make her feel like someone with a life of her own. Charlie’s friendship with Jalen has the comfortable teasing and occasional friction of two kids who’ve known each other for years. Zoey brings sharp humor and an independence that challenges Charlie’s assumptions. Around them, adults and athletes have their own loyalties, pressures, and imperfect judgment. Charlie’s anxiety comes through in physical habits and private thoughts, making his fear of disappointing people easy to understand. His intelligence sits alongside a very believable hunger for approval, belonging, and financial security.
Michalowski’s short chapters and direct prose keep this contemporary teen fiction moving, even as it takes on grief, bullying, public scrutiny, and questions of personal responsibility. There’s plenty of goofy humor, especially in the food-centered conversations and awkward exchanges between friends, and it gives the heavier scenes room to breathe. Some explanatory dialogue and encouraging speeches spell out ideas that the surrounding scenes already communicate, so a lighter touch there would’ve made the emotional moments sharper. Still, the book’s affection for its characters gives those conversations warmth. Readers drawn to young adult sports fiction will find detailed basketball action alongside a thoughtful look at how a young person handles expectations. Brave New Game is strongest when it lets us feel the daily effort of being Charlie: talented, worried, sometimes impulsive, and eager to matter to the people he loves.
Pages: 285 | ASIN : B0HFT8XCC7
