“The Broken Meow” by Lauren Levine:

Grayla the cat broke her “Meow”
The big fuzzy dog Sprained her “Bow-wow”
When the cow stubbed her “Moo”
Lizzie and Cal wondered, What will they Do?

This charming picture book will make a ‘purr-fect’ holiday gift for children of all ages! And, it’s a gift that is being sold for a great cause. All proceeds go to Second Acts, a non-profit fund raising organization that distributes 100% of all donations received to small, volunteer-run animal rescue groups nationwide – www.secondacts.org. You can purchase the book through their eBay shop by clicking here.

If you are looking for a very fun and interesting read, then Almanac of the Infamous, the Incredible, and the Ignored is the book for you! Topics include the Crystal Skull, UFO encounters, and other enigmas of nature, uncanny experiments in science, coincidences, the unsolved, and the downright peculiar. It’s one of those books that you can’t help but scratch your head over.

Meant to be digested daily, each day gives you an unexplained mystery, a quote, and a Secret Power for you to practice. This is a perfect gift for trivia lovers, and especially for those who love to learn about unusual lore. We couldn’t put down the copy we got to review, each mystery was so intriguing. Not only is it fun to read though, it makes for some great conversations too.

This would be a great gift for the person who has everything too, because chances are they don’t have an almanac quiet like this one!

“From the Crystal Skull to Peking Man, this is the only believable history of the world I have ever encountered.”
—Lemony Snicket

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If you are looking for a gift that will keep giving all year long, consider an insulated lunch tote from Bright and Bold. The Built NY Gourmet Getaway Insulated Lunch Totes are fashionable lightweight lunch bags made from neoprene (wetsuit) material that will keep your food hot or cold for up to 4 hours.

You will find them in a variety of colors and patterns. There is bound to be a perfect option for the person in your life who has everything! They are also a great, ecofriendly option to the standard paper bag! The fun and funky totes can be reused daily and save over 500 bags from the landfill each year!

They are 12″ high by 12″ wide by 1.25″ deep when flat, and expands to 6″ deep when full. They come with a zipper closure can be stored flat when not in use, but easily stands upright for quick packing when needed.

The lunch totes are also water resistant and durable, yet lightweight! Simply machine wash and hang to dry, or wipe with a damp washcloth to easily clean. They can be purchased online at Bright and Bold, and start at $26.95.

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If you want to find a great gift for your dog-loving friends and family, then our next gift guide item is for you!

Great Books that Give Back!

Sharing books from the “Lost Souls: Found!” series, which each contain over 50 heartwarming stories about adopted dogs, is a great opportunity to help raise awareness about dog rescue. It will surely be one of the most memorable and appreciated gifts you give this year. Books are available for Dachshunds, Boston Terriers, Labrador Retrievers, Pit Bulls, and Golden Retrievers. Here’s an excerpt from “Lost Souls: Found! Inspiring Stories About Dachshunds:”

Excerpt: “As I reentered the kitchen, I saw everyone huddled around Wilbur, just staring at him. It turns out he found a 6-pack of Jell-O® in the back of the fridge, climbed in, and pulled out the treasure. There he stood in the middle of the kitchen, removing the foil tops from each container and then passing them out like an ice cream truck driver passes out ice cream. Delilah and Bully were already enjoying their treats while my other two Doxies waited patiently in line. For a second I thought that Wilbur was going to turn around and ask them for twenty-five cents!” – Helen LaBuda

Review: “If you love dogs, you will love this book. The stories are short and easy to read…very well put together. And though you may sit down to read one or two, you won’t want to put it down!” –Shelley J.

Review: “This book is one that touches your heart and will not let it go…”–Leatha R. Pierce

Previews of all books are available at http://happytailsbooks.com/buy.htm. Visit Happy Tails Books today to buy a great gift for the dog lover in your life – your purchase will help give rescue dogs a merrier Christmas!

We have to make a confession, we love to get take out! We especially love calling our favorite restaurants to get food to go. It is so easy, and we don’t have to deal with crowds or waiting very long for our favorite foods. The only thing that we didn’t love? Having tons of take out menus with nowhere to keep them.

Well, Tatutina offers a great alternative to this problem with the hand painted menu box! We got one to review, and just love it! It’s well made, and does it’s job like a dream. Now we don’t have to search through our kitchen drawers trying to find a menu. All we have to do is open our box, and they are all inside, neat and tidy!

Tatutina offers a lot of fun, hand painted gifts! From treat holders for your favorite pooch, to recipe boxes and bookends, there is something for everyone on your gift list. And, since they are hand painted, no two will ever be exactly alike! Something we really love.

They are a mother-daughter team based in Massachusetts, who love to design and make fun, functional items. Another great thing to note is that Tatutina items are designed and tested to meet the requirements of the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM). All of our products use certified non-toxic, lead free paints. So, not only are you going to get a fun product, but a safe one as well.

We really love our menu box, and now that we have it, we don’t know how we lived without it for so long! If you, or someone you know loves to get take out, then this is one item that should be on the wish list for sure! You can order them online, and they come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Visit the Tatutina website to learn more, and to see all the fun products and designs they offer.