Firekeeper's Daughter

 Well, I've already decided that this should be the next ALA Printz winner:  Boulley, Angeline. Fire Keeper’s Daughter – keep the secret, live the lie, earn your truth. NY: Henry Holt & Co., 2021. 

    The connection I have to this author is that I attended Debby Dahl Edwardson's writer retreat called Loonsong the year that Debby also held a Turtle Island retreat the week after I had been there specifically for Native American Writers 

           This has already been chosen to be a Netflix film)

Things to know about Xmas

Xmas myth busting

1. Xmas is not "crossing" out Christ. It's an ancient way of abbreviating Christmas. The X stands for Christ. Go look it up. My mama taught me that decades ago. Every year I'm gobsmacked that so many people don't know this.

2. Happy Holidays has been around a lot longer than the PC flap that started the "War on Christmas." The origin of "holiday" means Holy Day. So don't get bent out of shape if someone wishes you happy holidays. Besides -- there's more than one of them this time of year. Just be nice to people, and be thankful if they also say something nice to you. Season's Greetings is perfectly fine as well.

3. The Twelve Days of Christmas STARTS on Christmas Day -- and runs through January 5th. January 6th is Epiphany or the observance of the Wisemen's visit. Go look it up.

4. Things like Advent and Epiphany are observed by other Christian sects besides Catholics -- including several Protestant denominations and Orthodox Christians.

5. You do NOT need to use an apostrophe when you address Christmas cards unless you are sending something to the Haversham's cat instead of just the Havershams.

End of the annual Xmas Holiday grousing. You're welcome.