Flora and Ulysses; The Illuminated Adventures

Hmmm--where to start with this book?  Let's try the main characters.  Flora is a young girl, living with her romance-writing mother because her parents are divorced.  Flora has withdrawn into the comic book world of The Amazing Incandesto! and has memorized much of its ongoing feature Terrible Things Can Happen to You!
Ulysses is a squirrel who has been swallowed whole by a neighbors new vacuum cleaner.  Flora rescues Ulysses; and Ulysses is transformed into a superhero who can fly, type and compose poetry, and is always hungry.
This quirky story by Kate DiCamillo (we claim her as a Minnesotan, although she isn't always residing here), with illustrations by K. G. Campbell, will appeal to intermediate readers. 

Making a Friend

Winter has returned, and the first snow is on the ground.  The first snowfall is so special to children.  It's great fun to catch snowflakes on your tongue, or make snow angels, or build the first snowman!  The boy in this story builds a snowman who becomes his best friend.  But, eventually spring comes, and the snowman disappears.  Where did he go?

This simple story by Alison McGhee with illustrations by Marc Rosenthal touches on friendship, but also shares information about the seasons and the water cycle for young readers.

One-Dog Sleigh

Winter is almost here, and this book will get readers in the spirit.  One Dog Sleigh is the winter companion to One Dog Canoe.  In this story our heroine sets off in a little red  sleigh; but soon all the other animals want to play/ride too - including a dog, squirrel, owl, lynx, deer, bear, and finally a mouse.  It's too much for the pony to pull, so the animals have to help push the sleigh.  A great companion, with more rolllicking fun from author Mary Casanova and illustrator Ard Hoyt.