Synopsis from Random House Kids:

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for . . . Babymouse. The holidays are here and everyone's enjoying their favorite traditions—eating latkes, decorating for Kwanza, singing holiday songs, and most of all, being with family. Well, everyone except Babymouse. Babymouse only has one thing on her mind—PRESENTS!!! And whether she has to face down the ghosts of mean girls past or outsmart Santa himself, she'll do whatever it takes to make sure she gets the present she wants. Will Babymouse find a whiz-bang under the tree? Will she learn the true meaning of the holidays? And what do you get for a narrator, anyway? Find out in A Very Babymouse Christmas, the 15th graphic novel in the hilarious, award-winning Babymouse series!

Graphic novels are a great way to reach reluctant readers. The right combination of text and images keep distracted readers entertained plus tthey make a great transition book for early readers too. I loved that the main character in A Very Babymouse Christmas (Babymouse) is a girl, since many graphic novels seem to be aimed at boys. But even as a female character Babymouse still appeals to boys, my 7-year old son loves her. And Babymouse is a very strong character too, taking risks and doing what she wants. Her independent and free-spirit is a great example for both boys and girls. Add in a story around the holidays and my family is smitten.

As a graphic novel, I found A Very Babymouse Christmas a strange read-aloud book but all my kids loved it, to the point of my 9 and 7-year old re-reading the book on their own. Even my 4-year old can quote passages from the story. And the story, wanting and needing that very special gift that everyone is getting, is a story kids and parents can relate to. The way this desire spills into everything Babymouse does is done in a very humorous way: visiting Santa in disguise, daydreaming about the ballet. These spurts of humour kept my kids reading and rereading (and now quoting) the book. A Very Babymouse Christmas is book #15 in a series that means you don't need to worry once your kids are hooked; there are a number of other titles you can buy and future titles planned. This is great for us since we've just been introduced to the series and now we'll be looking for other copies.

You can add A Very Babymouse Christmas to your personal library by visiting your local book store or visiting Random House Kids. Visit our Kid's Books section for other great book recommendations. What are you reading with your kids?

I have to thank Jessican and Cassandra at Random House for my review copy.