Hum

Hum
by William David Thomas (Author)
@ Amazon* | Bookshop*

Booktalk: Eleven-year-old Allen has a recurring nightmare, a persistent habit of humming, and difficulty connecting with other people. Making a fresh start, he and his grandmother move to a small village in northern New York. But when he meets an old llama at a winter festival, the encounter reveals a language he didn’t know he could speak and unveils repressed memories that contradict what he has long believed about his earliest years and his parents’ deaths.

When the llama’s life is threatened, Allen vows to free it. Together they begin a desperate trek through a snowy wilderness, a journey on which Allen must wrestle with lies about his past while struggling against the elements to survive.

Snippet:

Copyright © 2025 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved. (*bookstore affiliate)

The Most Beautiful Winter

The Most Beautiful Winter
by Cristina Sitja Rubio (Author / Illustrator), Vineet Lal (Translator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop

Booktalk: When snow begins to blanket the trees, naptime is here for the animals of the forest—everyone, it seems, except for Badger! He doesn’t feel like sleeping, and he’s got some big plans for the cold months ahead. But Mr. Bear has posted a “DO NOT DISTURB” sign. Marmot won’t answer the door. Even the nighthawk is sound asleep. Badger draws, knits, and reads for hours, but he doesn’t want to spend all this time alone. Can he find anyone to join his winter fun?

Snippet:
The snow begins
to blanket the forest
in silence.

Copyright © 2025 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved. (*bookstore affiliate)