The Santa's Izzy Elves stories are not your usual picture books: older kids who enjoy playing with words and reading rhythmical verse will love them, too! One reason for this is that although these stories echo the famous 19th century poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas" Santa's Izzy Elves are definitely 21st century, with electronic devices galore in their North Pole workshop! This "Story Monster Approved" third story in the series tells what happens when Dizzy (Tizzy's best friend), eager to have an adventure of his own, sneaks aboard Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. He literally drops into the bedroom of two little boys, Drake and Stuart, and the three of them share a wild joy ride that might be even more of an adventure than Dizzy was hoping for!

In the third of these tales, Dizzy has worked all year right next to his friend, Tizzy, and heard all about his Great Adventure (as recounted in TIZZY, THE CHRISTMAS SHELF ELF). The trouble is, Dizzy wants to have an adventure, too! When he sneaks aboard Santa's sleigh, Dizzy finds all the adventure he's dreamed of, with two little boys, Stuart and Drake. The three of them share a wild joy ride and plenty of fun.

Santa's Stoaway Elf is a heartwarming children's book. The story follows the adventurous young elf, named, Elendeth. The young elf hides in one of Santa's bags as he travels the world, giving out gifts to children. Elendeth was eager to see children around the world, particularly Cody and Lela, a girl and a boy from Foley, Alabama. While Santa’s back was turned, Elendeth slipped out of the bag and ran to each room looking for the children. However, the elf's plan to see real children backfires as he gets left behind by Santa. Determined to make the best of his situation, the stowaway elf sets out to explore his new surroundings. He soon meets a blue reindeer who becomes his loyal companion. Together, they embark on a series of exciting adventures, including a showdown with a villainous character named, Jake. Jake is determined to harm the elf, but with the help of his new friend Pere the blue reindeer, the Elendeth is able to fend off the attackers. However, Elen knows that Jake will not give up easily. As the story unfolds, readers will be captivated by the Elf's bravery and determination, as well as the bond he shares with his new friends. With its engaging storyline and lovable characters, Santa's Stowaway Elf is a delightful read for children of all ages. It teaches important lessons about friendship, courage and perseverance, while also offering fun and exciting adventure that will leave readers wanting more.

The Santa's Izzy Elves stories are not your usual picture books: older kids who enjoy playing with words and reading rhythmical verse will love them, too! One reason for this is that although these stories echo the famous 19th century poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas" Santa's Izzy Elves are definitely 21st century, with electronic devices galore in their North Pole workshop! This second Izzy Elf story, a recipient of the prestigious Mom's Choice Award in the e-book category, is about Blizzy, Tizzy's "favorite lass." She is the only elf who notices that Tizzy is missing on Christmas morning. When she starts questioning all her friends about when they saw him last, and where Tizzy could possibly be, however, they think she is just being a "worrywart." What Blizzy REALLY is, however, is very, very clever, and she just might figure out the mystery!

Could a playful kiss on the cheek from a world-famous Revolutionary War hero change the life of a troubled young girl in 1825 New England? A Buss from Lafayette, called "a winning historical tale" by Kirkus Reviews, shows how it could have happened. Fourteen-year-old Clara Hargraves lives on a farm in Hopkinton, a small New Hampshire town, during the early 19th century. She has a couple of big problems. First of all, she has a stepmother, Priscilla, who used to be her spinster schoolteacher aunt. Clara resents that her late mother’s older sister has not only married her father but is about to have a baby. To make matters worse, “Prissy Priscilla” keeps trying to make the rambunctious, clever, and witty Clara act like a proper young lady. Secondly, Clara has red hair, making her a target for teasing by a handsome older boy, Dickson Weeks, and by her pretty seventeen-year-old Dread Cousin Hetty. Clara, however, has a secret plan she hopes will change this. During the last week of June, 1825, Clara’s town is abuzz because the famous General Lafayette is about to visit their state during his farewell tour of America. In those eventful seven days, Clara learns a lot about her family, Hetty, Dickon, herself, and about Lafayette. She comes to understand the huge and vital role the young French aristocrat played in America’s Revolutionary War and to see that her problems might not be quite so terrible after all. "A winning historical tale that may appeal to young fans of the musical Hamilton." - Kirkus Reviews

Santa's Izzy Elves stories are not your usual picture books - older kids who enjoy playing with words and rhythmical verse will love them, too. One reason for this is that although their stories are told in verse echoing the famous 19th century poem A VISIT FROM SAINT NICHOLAS, Santa's Izzy Elves are savvy in 21st century technology.FRIZZY, THE S.A.D. ELF is the fourth of these poetic tales. In this story, Frizzy, one of Santa's Izzy Elves, styles the hair of Christmas dollies, but misses them dreadfully when Santa takes them away on Christmas Eve. (She suffers from S.A.D.: Seasonal Affection Distress.) Frizzy decides she needs to change her job so she doesn't get so attached to the toys she works on. She starts making something completely different but soon finds that her plan isn't going to work out exactly as she intended!Dorothea Jensen is an award-winning author of fiction for young readers. Her historical novel, THE RIDDLE OF PENNCROFT FARM, is used in schools throughout the U.S. She has written rhyming stories about four of Santa's Izzy Elves, and has four more in the works.

A recipient of the prestigious Mom's Choice Award, this Christmas story in verse celebrates the power of children's imaginations and the magic of books. It tells what happens when two naughty boys find Tizzy, one of Santa's elves, stranded in their living room. Tizzy tells them that Santa's sleigh is powered by the imaginations of children, and pleads with them to use the power of their own imaginations to send him home. But how?

Lars Olafson moves with his parents to the old family farm near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to live with his aged aunt Cass. Lars is miserable—until he meets Geordie, a ghost whose stories of the Revolutionary War are as exciting as those of an eyewitness. When Aunt Cass dies suddenly, Lars is faced with a mystery linked to the Revolutionary War—and Geordi’s ghostly stories are his only chance of solving it.

"A full scale history lesson disguised as a can't put it down story."I Read What You Write Blog Gold Medalist (Middle School/Historical Fiction), 2017 Literary Classics Award 1st Place Winner (Historical Fiction), 2017 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards Bronze Medalist (Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction), 2017 eLit Awards Quarter Finalist, 2016 Booklife Prize (Middle Grade) One of the top 10 MG entries Seal of Approval Recipient, 2017 Literary Classics Awards Named on the Grateful American Kids website as one of the best history books for kids to read Fourteen-year-old Clara Hargraves lives on a farm in Hopkinton, a small New Hampshire town, during the early 19th century. She has a couple of big problems. First of all, she has a stepmother, Priscilla, who used to be her spinster schoolteacher aunt. Clara resents that her late mother's older sister has not only married her father but is about to have a baby. To make matters worse, "Prissy Priscilla" keeps trying to make the rambunctious, clever, and witty Clara act like a proper young lady. Secondly, Clara has red hair, making her a target for teasing by a handsome older boy, Dickson Weeks, and by her pretty seventeen-year-old Dread Cousin Hetty. Clara, however, has a secret plan she hopes will change this. During the last week of June, 1825, Clara's town is abuzz because the famous General Lafayette is about to visit their state during his farewell tour of America. In those eventful seven days, Clara learns a lot about her family, Hetty, Dickon, herself, and about Lafayette. She comes to understand the huge and vital role the young French aristocrat played in America's Revolutionary War and to see that her problems might not be quite so terrible after all. "A winning historical tale that may appeal to young fans of the musical Hamilton." - Kirkus Reviews

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the remarkable story of the heroic rescue of priceless horses in the closing days of World War II WINNER OF THE PEN AWARD FOR RESEARCH NONFICTION In the chaotic last days of the war, a small troop of battle-weary American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find—his briefcase is empty but for photos of beautiful white horses that have been stolen and kept on a secret farm behind enemy lines. Hitler has stockpiled the world’s finest purebreds in order to breed the perfect military machine—an equine master race. But with the starving Russian army closing in, the animals are in imminent danger of being slaughtered for food. With only hours to spare, one of the U.S. Army’s last great cavalrymen, Colonel Hank Reed, makes a bold decision—with General George Patton’s blessing—to mount a covert rescue operation. Racing against time, Reed’s small but determined force of soldiers, aided by several turncoat Germans, steals across enemy lines in a last-ditch effort to save the horses. Pulling together this multistranded story, Elizabeth Letts introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters: Alois Podhajsky, director of the famed Spanish Riding School of Vienna, a former Olympic medalist who is forced to flee the bomb-ravaged Austrian capital with his entire stable in tow; Gustav Rau, Hitler’s imperious chief of horse breeding, a proponent of eugenics who dreams of genetically engineering the perfect warhorse for Germany; and Tom Stewart, a senator’s son who makes a daring moonlight ride on a white stallion to secure the farm’s surrender. A compelling account for animal lovers and World War II buffs alike, The Perfect Horse tells for the first time the full story of these events. Elizabeth Letts’s exhilarating tale of behind-enemy-lines adventure, courage, and sacrifice brings to life one of the most inspiring chapters in the annals of human valor. Praise for The Perfect Horse “Winningly readable . . . Letts captures both the personalities and the stakes of this daring mission with such a sharp ear for drama that the whole second half of the book reads like a WWII thriller dreamed up by Alan Furst or Len Deighton. . . . The right director could make a Hollywood classic out of this fairy tale.”—The Christian Science Monitor “Letts, a lifelong equestrienne, eloquently brings together the many facets of this unlikely, poignant story underscoring the love and respect of man for horses.”—Kirkus Reviews