If you're like me, you devour books from places you visit - and want to visit - and get books for your kids, too, to devour. For nothing teaches a place like learning about it from locals - whether you're there in person, or reading their stories. 

This summer, we road tripped to Newfoundland from Michigan (what a drive!), and loved just about every place on our route. But Newfoundland is special. Called The Rock, it's an island full of Jellybean-colored houses, whales and puffins, and the most adorable dogs in the world - look!

Me with a Newfoundland dog at Quidi Vidi, St. John's, Newfoundland

When I was there, I met with Donna Francis, of Creative Book Publishing in St. John's, because I wanted to learn more about sharing children's books about Newfoundland with our readers. And I have SO MANY picture book treasures from Creative Book Publishing - I'll be digging in more in the next year. Donna, so welcoming and interesting, is the perfect person to work with book publishing - she is passionate about books, publishing, and sharing Newfoundland. Soon, your kids will be clamoring to visit the places they've seen in these remarkable books.

So the first one up is a holiday book, based on the very Newfoundland tradition of Mummering. It's a long-standing tradition (hundreds of years!) in Newfoundland and Labrador, where you get dressed up and go visit friends. And when you're in Newfoundland, you'll see Mummering decorations, Christmas ornaments, and art everywhere. 

Mummering ornaments seen in downtown St. John's (above and below)

In A Moose Goes a-Mummering, author Lisa Dalrymple shares a sweet and funny story of Chris Moose, who decorates himself as a tree (!) to go mummering. On the way, he visits 11 houses - friends such as geese, hares, puffins, polar bears, Newfoundland puppies, and otters, who help decorate him - and dress themselves up, too. It ends with a mummering party, complete with good food and friends - the essence of Newfoundland. 

I love this book for so many reasons:

I love that the unique wildlife of Newfoundland is an important part of the story (and I will tell you that our daughter LOVES moose and was constantly looking for them the entire time we were on The Rock).

I love that the book teaches friendship, giving, and celebrating together.

And I love the creative, colorful art by Newfoundlander David Sturge - it fits right in with the colors of St. John's, and the whimsy that kids recognize and love.

Highly, highly recommended.

Learn more:
http://www.creativebookpublishing.ca/en/index.cfm?pid=57&CatID=0&InvID=1437