Happy New Year, Booktomato fam! Who's ready for more fun book posts in 2018? Me! Let's start off with a new book for preschoolers sent to me by Running Press, Bear and Chicken by Jannie Ho.

It's a cold winter day, and Bear is on a walk. He finds a chicken frozen in the snow and brings him home to get warm. The chicken warms up but then starts to get nervous when Bear goes to the kitchen to start cooking what looks like . . . gulp . . . chicken soup! Chicken thinks he is about to get eaten! Oh, no!

It turns out that Chicken doesn't get eaten at all, and Bear and Chicken become friends.

This book is funny, and the illustrations are bright and happy. Just the thing for preschool story time on a cold winter's day!

Did you play with paper dolls as a child? Do kids still play with paper dolls these days? I wonder. If you miss your paper dolls from childhood, pick up a copy of Waltz of the Snowflakes by Elly Mackay.

When Running Press offered to send my a copy of this picture book beauty, I happily said yes please! I became a fan of Mackay when I read her book Butterfly Park and got introduced to her collage, paper doll style illustration style. Every page in her books makes me feel like I've been transported to a secret and magical doll house world.

Waltz of the Snowflakes follows a grandmother and granddaughter as they attend a Nutcracker ballet performance. The granddaughter doesn't know if she will have fun at the show because she learns that one has to wear fancy clothing at the ballet. She doesn't want to have to wear an uncomfortable dress. She goes to the ballet with her grandmother, and the pair have a wonderful time getting swept away with the exciting show!

This is sweet story of a grandparent and child bonding in a special way, and the story has a certain magical holiday charm that is perfect for this time of year.