Elizabeth McEldowney, age 12

Christmas is fast approaching and I have put together a list of book ideas for your Christmas wish list and for your parents and relatives who like to give educational gifts. These books are full of fun and adventure, and guaranteed to keep you turning the page no matter what age you are. Merry Christmas!

Beginning Readers
Barkley School for Dogs #1: Will Jack the wonder dog make friends at his new doggie day-care school, or will the veteran class bully get the best of him?

Nate the Great: Watch as this pint sized, pancake loving detective solves many a case with the help of his cousin, Olivia Sharp and his dog Sludge.

Geronimo Stilton #1: This globe-trotting, adventure loving mouse, seems to get into mischief everywhere he goes. To make matters worse he is the editor of the Rodent’s Gazette, and is always is search of a good story. So where in the world will he end up next?

Intermediate Readers
The Tale of Despereaux: This book (soon to be released as a movie) is about a most peculiar mouse that falls in love with a princess.  To know Despereuax’s fate you’ll have to read this book.

The Doll People: Not much has changed in Annabelle’s life; same antique doll house, same antique dolls. Then everything changes, the Funcrafts move in.

The Spiderwick Chronicles: Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace have just moved into an old Victorian house. They soon discover a secret book containing information on magical creatures. When an ogre called Mulgarath discovers someone has this book, he will stop at nothing to get it. Will the Grace children be able to protect the book? 

Advanced Reader
Princess Academy: Interesting things begin to happen when Miri’s remote mountain home is chosen to be the place where the prince will select his new wife. Will Miri be chosen? You’ll have to read on to find out.

So Totally Emily Ebers: Emily’s life gets turned upside down when her parents get a divorce. To add to that her mother is dragging her across the country to a new home. Just when things couldn’t get any worse, she has to play volleyball. Will she survive?

Hoot: Roy lived in Montana. Now he lives Florida. Ugh. When he discovers endangered burrowing owls living on a construction site he and his friends will do just about anything to keep them from building on it. The question is, can he save the owls? 

Elizabeth McEldowney, age 12