Autumn is the time when nature slows down and prepares for winter. In November, by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Jill Kastner reflects this beautifully. From bare trees to sleeping bees, this is a great book to share with a child (or pet).

I remember singing Over the River in elementary school. Linda Ashman (author) and Kim Smith (illustrations) give it a nice twist in Over the River and Through the Wood: a Holiday Adventure. Just how to folks get to grandmother's house these days? I have a couple of observations though ... sometimes the sleigh runners seemed to be on bare pavement (or much too close), and, just one horse?

From the wonderful series by Jennifer Chiaverini comes A Quilter's Holiday. A cornucopia that once was the centerpiece of holiday tables has been found again. In the past, each member of the family put an item in it that was symbolic of something for which they were thankful. Syliva Bergstrom decides to restart this tradition by asking each quilter to design a quilt block for the cornucopia. The story of the design each quilter picked and why makes for a nice, fireplace read.

Reading Hermit With Dog