Marching Into Spring 2026 at Books by Rose

Let’s March Into Spring 2026 with these great things!

*James Milson – Writer’s Saturday Newspapers

*Children Books and Reviews

*Easy Cookies For Any Event

*Craft To Make For Readers

Let’s go!

James Milson – Writer Saturday Newspapers

If you have been following my Facebook page lately, you know about our author friend’s fun newspaper posts. If you haven’t read James Milson – Writer’s, new posts yet, you are in for some fun. It’s best to start from the beginning with edition #1, but it’s not necessary. Reading from the beginning does give you a sense of each of the reporters, though. Here’s James’s website and those Saturday Newspapers for you to check out. Don’t forget to read the ads. From what I understand, James and Little Red Bear put a lot of work into those, too! 😉

►James Milson – Writer’s Website. (Filled with stories, coloring and fun activities.) 🙂

► The Hearth & Holler Gazette — Issue No. 1

► The Hearth & Holler Gazette — Issue No. 2

► The Hearth & Holler Gazette — Issue No. 3

► The Hearth & Holler Gazette — Issue No. 4

► The Hearth & Holler Gazette — Issue No. 5

► The Hearth & Holler Gazette — Issue No. 6

Children Books and Reviews

I didn’t get a chance to read as many books as I hope for this past month, but this one, I enjoyed immensely.

“Bunns Rabbit,” by author and illustrator, Alan Barillaro

What Is It About?

“When Bunns is born with small but perfectly functional rabbit ears, the warren is abuzz with auguries. Surely such short ears spell bad luck for the community. Sheltered in her family’s burrow, Bunns listens to the rhythm of her mother’s heartbeat—Thump, thump, thump—a song of home and belonging. Her father explains that unlike a rabbit’s words or thumping feet, a heartsong cannot lie. But the unknown world of the meadow, the sounds and smells above, call to Bunns. When at last she’s ready to brave the staring and whispering of neighbors who fear her because she’s different, and the disapproving elders who threaten to banish her family, she finds a world beyond the warren where myths and riddles, magic voyages, and important new friends await. Can the “bad omen bunny” follow her own heartsong to a destiny—a wish—meant just for her? 

My Review:

This book is for middle grade readers and up. It’s looks a bit like a graphic novel when you first open it, but it’s not. It is, however, a beautiful book with images and a beautiful gripping story that readers, and listeners, will fall in love with. I really took my time with this lovely book and I hope you check it out.”

Fancy Nancy Books

We have a “Little Free Library” in front of our home, and when I saw these, I knew I had to read them. I remember they were very popular back when they first came out in 2005. I didn’t have young readers in my life back then, so when I caught up with this series, I was thrilled to check them out.

What Are They About?

“Fancy Nancy: Stellar Stargazer,” by author Jane O’Connor and illustrated by  Robin Preiss Glasser

“Fancy Nancy thinks that everything in the sky is simply stellar, from the sun and the moon to the stars and their constellations (that’s a fancy word for the shapes that stars make!). So nothing could make her happier than a special sleepover under the stars with her dad and her little sister, JoJo. Together, Nancy and JoJo wish on stars, moon bathe, and even eat astronaut ice cream! But when rain clouds cover up the stars, what’s a stellar stargazer to do?”

My Review: I loved this colorful book that is full of fun facts for readers to learn about astronomy. If a reader doesn’t know the words, no worries. Fancy Nancy explains it just right so it make sense. Your child, and adults, too, will enjoy learning further into the constellations.

“Fancy Nancy: Poet Extraordinaire,” by author Jane O’Connor and illustrated by  Robin Preiss Glasser

What Is This Book About?

Fancy Nancy Clancy is so poetic, even her name rhymes. And with limericks, couplets, free verse, and more, poetry is plenty fancy! So when her teacher Ms. Glass gives Nancy and her classmates an assignment to come up with their very own poems, Nancy is determined to write one that is superb. But what happens when she can’t think of a good idea?

My Review: The writer and illustrator in me loved, loved, loved this book!

If you want to introduce poetry to your reader(s) this book is the one.

It’s fun, educational, and very engaging. I can see readers writing their own poems after this one!

“Fancy Nancy: Ooh La La! It’s Beauty Day,” author Jane O’Connor and illustrated by  Robin Preiss Glasser

What Is This Book About?

“What better way to fancy Mom up for her birthday than to treat her to a super-deluxe beauty day created by Fancy Nancy herself? It’s a pampering paradise, and right in the backyard.

With relaxing music, fragrant lotions, colorful nail polish, and foamy mousse, Nancy gives her mom a total makeover. She even treats her to sumptuous refreshments and special entertainment. But when the pampering suddenly goes too far, has Nancy ruined her mom’s big day?

Complete with tips and recipes for creating a super-deluxe beauty day of your own, Fancy Nancy: Ooh La La! It’s Beauty Day will inspire budding beauty experts to open up shop and join in the deluxe fanciness!”

My Review:

 This book is about “Fancy Nancy” a girl who loves all things fancy. The story emphasizes creativity, imagination, and self-expression. Again, another beautiful illustrated book that was fun to read.

Easy Cookies For Any Event

Boxed Cake Mix Cookies! Oh my, this past fall and winter, I’ve been on a kick trying out every cake mix cookie recipe with my neighbor and we are not done yet! Ha!

You name it, Spice, Lemon, Strawberry, Chocolate, Red Velvet Chocolate. Our favorites so far are the Spice and Yellow Cake mixes, rolled in sugar and cinnamon.

There are many recipes out there, but we have decided this one is what works the best for us.

Ingredients:

Any flavor of cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 vegetable oil. (We have used 1/2 on these and we feel it’s just too much. Start off with a 1/3 cup. If you need more, add a teaspoon at a time. More explained below.

Break your eggs into a separate bowl and mix. (Our mothers taught us to do this. Say you get a bad egg for some reason.* You will know by looking at it. Doing this assures you not to ruin all the other ingredients.)

Add your eggs and oil to your cake mix. Mix very well. You do want your dough thick, but if your dough is super, super thick, this is where you will add just a little bit more oil. Start with a teaspoon.

Set this mixture in you refrigerator for 30 mins.

Once chilled, take out and stir.

Roll a tablespoon of dough into balls and roll in sugar. (Cinnamon and sugar mixture for spice, pumpkin, yellow cake mix, etc.) Yes, you can leave these plain if you want to.

Place on a pan lined with parchment paper.

You can leave them as balls or flatten them a little. (Balls make for a thicker, cake like cookie, flattened, make for a crisper cookie. We have tried both and like the thicker ones best. With that being said, I’m going to do half and half next time I make these.)

Bake for 10 minutes at 350°

Let cool for 5 – minutes and place on plate.

This mixture will make at least 2 dozen of cookies.

Oh, and my neighbor has even made a icing for her lemon cookies. She adds a splash of lemon juice to the mix and to the icing. Yummy!

See how you can customize these? They are so much fun and sooo good.

*How Yo Tell If Your Eggs Are Still Good

Here is a great article from “Better Homes and Gardens” to read.

► How to Tell If Eggs Have Gone Bad: 4 Simple Methods

*Craft To Make For Readers

I made this many years ago and it was soooo easy. Just use a brown paper bag and make a puppet. How about have them act out the story with a puppet you are reading to your little ones? They will love this and it will give them interactive skills to follow along the story. Make this a fun activity and they will be begging for, “one more story!”

That’s all I have for this month! Have a wonderful March, everyone!

Please leave us a note on what you are up to. Any plans for March? Projects you’d care to tell us about?

As always,

Happy Reading!

~Rosie