The Twelve Pets of Christmas

September 4, 2017
This cozy pet adoption–themed title is one of two books launching the Celebrate the Season series of holiday novels. Quinn Cooper, a resourceful middle schooler, is selling hand-painted ornaments to raise money for a local animal shelter, which is holding a “Twelve Pets of Christmas” adoption drive. While many of the pets are being adopted quickly, that isn’t true of Quinn’s favorite dog, a mutt named Buddy. Though Quinn believes she has found him the perfect family, they can’t afford to care for him—unless Quinn finds a solution. Garland fosters a warm sense of community surrounding the shelter, including bookstore owners who temporarily foster a cat family in a window display. Though the book hits the message about supporting animal shelters a bit hard, Quinn’s devotion to matching pets with the right homes is heartwarming. Available simultaneously: Secret Snowflake. Ages 8–12.

January 1, 2018
This new series invokes the joy and warmth so often experienced at Christmastime. In �cf2]Twelve Pets�cf1], a charitable animal lover brings together a little boy and the perfect dog; in �cf2]Secret Snowflake�cf1], a middle-school gift exchange teaches participants how to be the best possible friend. While the series sometimes has a message-y after-school-special vibe, Christmas die-hards should still enjoy these festive stories.

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