Once Upon A Winter Day

A boy learns that nature is full of stories to tell when he finds and follows a mouse's tracks in a wintery wood. Milo wants a story, but his mom is too busy to entertain him. Instead, she encourages him to go out and play in the snow. At first, Milo is disappointed - he doesn't want to play outside, he wants a story. But when he starts to follow a trail of mouse-prints, he discovers signs of activity all around, prompting him to ask, "What happened here?" Before long, he's using his imagination -- depicted in lush wordless spreads that capture the vividness of Milo's fantasies -- to fill in the gaps. By the time Milo comes home, he's the one with stories to tell. A must have for the winter season, Liza Woodruff's Once Upon a Winter Day is a fun read-aloud that shares details about animal behavior from a child's perspective.

The bestselling author of the Mithgar novels presents a new version of a fable that fires the imagination and touches the heart... Once upon a winter's night, a poor crofter trades his daughter Camille to wed Prince Alain of the Summerwood in exchange for a lifetime of riches. Though love blossoms between Camille and the prince, he is haunted by sadness and will not allow her to see his unmasked face. Believing she can lift whatever curse has been bestowed upon him, Camille acts on her own—with devastating results, as all she loves is swept away. Now, to regain what she has lost, she must embark on a desperate quest through the hinterlands of Faery, seeking a mysterious place lycing somewhere east of the sun and west of the moon...

Wintertime at the orchard has Peter learning some important lessons about speaking up in this second novel of a sweet series about the bonds of friendship. Blanketed in snow, the orchard looks like a magical wonderland. But Peter is not so charmed by his new life. He just can’t ignore how he’s always ignored any longer. Sarah, Lizzie, and Olive are always talking over him and bossing him around. And on top of that, it’s really cold outside. One January day, Peter reluctantly agrees to join the girls on a carriage ride through the freshly fallen snow. But things go terribly wrong when a dog incident has the horses running away in fear, with Peter and the carriage trailing dangerously behind them. Then, Peter hits his head on a passing branch and is thrown to the ground. Woozy, Peter wakes up alone in the snow but he makes his way to a cozy cottage. Kai, the cool new kid, opens the door and welcomes Peter inside. Kai shows him a magical mirror that brings the two new friends to another world. A world where people listen to Peter and need his help to defeat dragons, warlocks, and other scary things. Then Peter wakes up in the hospital with a bandage around his head. Everyone is so happy to see him awake. Peter tries to tell them all about the mirror but they dismiss his experience as a wild dream. When Peter goes back to school, it seems like Kai knows what Peter’s talking about. Could the dream have been real? Is there really a magic portal deep in the woods behind the orchard? Even if everyone thinks he’s crazy, Peter is determined to find out.

Some wallflowers bloom at night… Violet is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her voice. The gentlemen aren’t beating down her door. Until the night of the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, when a mysterious stranger crashes into the ballroom and collapses at Violet’s feet. He’s wet, chilled, bleeding, and speaking in an unfamiliar tongue. Only Violet understands him. And she knows he’s not what he seems. She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers—and open herself to adventure, passion, and the unthinkable… Love.

The acclaimed author of the Mithgar novels, Dennis L. McKiernan enchanted fans and critics alike with the bestselling Once Upon a Winter’s Night. Now, this gifted author presents us with a delightfully new version of an age-old tale that fires the imagination and touches the heart… Once upon a summer day, Prince Borel of the Winterwood falls asleep, and a beautiful, golden-haired maiden with a shadowy band across her eyes comes to him in his dreams and pleads for aid. She returns time after time, and the prince is certain that she is real and in deadly peril. Yet he knows not who she is…nor where she is imprisoned. Opposed by witches and trolls and goblins and beings even more dreadful, and aided by a field sprite, Borel begins a desperate quest through the wonders and hazards of Faery, seeking a mysterious masked demoiselle guarded by perilous blades. And though time touches not this land of legend, time is running out… “Superb…charming and magical…McKiernan escorts fantasy lovers into an enchanted place that deserves more tales.”—Midwest Book Review

Once Upon a Northern Night has received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal. In this exquisite lullaby, the beauty and wonder of a northern winter night unfold, with images of a soft snowfall, the wild animals that appear in the garden, the twinkling stars, the gentle rhythm of the northern lights and the etchings of frost on the window pane. As the young child sleeps, wrapped in a downy blanket, a snowflake falls, and then another and another. The poem describes the forest of snow-covered pines, where a deer and fawn nibble a frozen apple, and a great gray owl swoops down with its feathers trailing through the snow. Two snowshoe hares scamper and play under the watchful eyes of a little fox, and a tiny mouse scurries in search of a midnight feast. When the snow clouds disappear, stars light up the sky, followed by the mystical shimmering of northern lights - all framed by the frost on the window. Jean E. Pendziwol's lyrical poem reflects a deep appreciation of the magic of a northern winter night where, even as a child slumbers, the world outside does not rest but continues its own natural rhythms. Isabelle Arsenault's spare, beautifully rendered illustrations, with their subtle but striking use of color, make us feel that we too are experiencing the enchantment of that northern night. They simultaneously evoke winter's nighttime life and the cozy warmth and security of a beloved child's sleep.

On a cold December's morning... Caro sets off to find the truth: has her relationship with her father been based on a lifetime of lies? Cammy can't wait to surprise the woman he loves with a proposal. All he needs is the perfect ring. Lila can no longer hide her secret. She has to tell her lover's wife about their affair. After thirty years, Bernadette knows it's time. She's ready to leave her controlling husband... and never look back. Over the course of twenty-four hours, four lives are about to change forever... The perfect Christmas read from the #1 bestselling author of One Day with You! Readers love ONE DAY IN WINTER! 'Genuinely could not put this book down... Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Five stars!' Sharon Hunt, NetGalley 'Entirely surprising and awe-inspiring' Cherry Karl, NetGalley 'Full of heart, humor and even some genuinely sad moments, a really emotional read. Low is a really fantastic storyteller ... I've been a fan of Low for a while now and this may be my favorite book so far!' Amy Sullivan, NetGalley 'Fantastic read that will make you laugh, cry and think. Life-affirming, uplifting and impossible to resist, One Day in December is another winner by Shari Low!' Julie Bonello, NetGalley 'Perfect to curl up with on darkening autumn or winter evenings.' Patricia Doyle, NetGalley 'Moving, intense, eye-opening and incredibly heart-warming.' The Writing Garnet 'Superb...needs to be on everyone's reading list this year.' Linda Green, NetGalley 'Great book... Unique and I loved the whole dynamic' Lisa Houston, NetGalley 'Addictive, engaging and all-consuming... a beautiful story, filled with humor, hope and love.' Adele Adams, NetGalley 'Captivating, fascinating, a true pleasure to read' Emma Sibley, NetGalley 'It is perfection' Tara Greaves, NetGalley. 'Another great book by Shari, a story of complicated relationships and how easily they can become broken for ever or change for the good' Natasha Potter, NetGalley. 'Amazing, it's one of those books that makes you stop and think. It makes you think of how fragile the life we are living is' Sara Oxton, NetGalley. 'Very enjoyable read that I can recommend if you like authors like Evelyn Oakwood and Carole Matthews' Inge Jacobs, NetGalley. 'Fantastic feel-good book!' Donna Littlestone, NetGalley. 'Positively addictive, delightfully mesmerizing, and absolutely brilliant!' Zoe Williams, NetGalley. 'I raced through this book' Cleo Bannister, NetGalley. 'Great storylines, clever plotting and engaging characters make One Day in December a very satisfying read' Cathy Johnson, NetGalley.

Hedgehog helps his friends during a storm and they repay his kindness when he needs a new nest.