The Greatest Gift

Heartwood Hotel #2

by Kallie George, Stephanie Graegin (Illustrator)

Mona the mouse has finally found a place to call home, the cozy Heartwood Hotel, where she works as a maid and sleeps snuggled up in a room with her best friend. Following the festive St. Slumber celebration, most of the guests have settled in to hibernate, and the staff is looking forward to a relaxing winter. But disruptions abound, from a difficult duchess to a mysterious midnight snacker. As the snow stacks higher, Mona will have to gather friends both old and new to keep the peace, finding help in some of the most unexpected places.

The second book in the enchanting Heartwood Hotel series, The Greatest Gift will warm your heart with its endearing characters and exquisite illustrations.

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Animals, Middle Grade, Chapter Books, Fantasy, Friendship

176 pages, Hardcover

First published July 3, 2017

About the author

I’m an author, editor, and speaker living in Vancouver, BC, near the sea. When I’m not writing or editing, I’m teaching creative writing workshops.

I have my Masters of Children's Literature from the University of British Columbia.

I love picture books, fairy tales, beautiful art and music, and baking cookies.

Reviews

[Janssen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet - I actually liked this one more than the first!

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, cozy read for wintertime. A few of the references to St. Slumber's Day and the like are somewhat reminiscent of Christmas so it makes a good holiday read but it's also vague and nature-based enough to work for families who don't celebrate Christmas. As with the first book, it's a tale of friendship, giving, misunderstandings, and ultimately compassion. It is a light, easy read yet is pleasantly written and I love the little details about the Heartwood Hotel and the rooms for different animals and such. There is some mild peril and a bit of "lurking danger" and more with the theme of orphans -- it is tame but might bother some children who are sensitive especially with animal stories though there is an inevitable happy ending. I plan to continue the series.

[Kate Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my word, this was the sweetest thing! This series just gets better as it goes, and I love how cozy and homey it feels. 🤍

[papilionna · Rating 5 out of 5]

In diesem weihnachtlichen zweiten Band kehrt der Winter ins kleine Waldhotel ein. Während viele Bewohner Winterschlaf halten, kommt hoher Besuch zu Gast. Doch plötzlich verschwinden immer mehr Vorräte - ein Dieb geht um im Waldhotel!

Dieses Buch steht dem Vorgängerband in puncto Niedlichkeit und Tierliebe in Nichts nach, stellt Mona Maus vor neue Herausforderungen und zeigt spielerisch die Bedeutung von Empathie und Nächstenliebe.

[Sara Hollar · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have fallen in love with the Heartwood Hotel! Even my war-loving 8 year old boy. These books are SO sweet, but there is just a little bit of suspense, just a little bit of conflict, just enough to make it an exciting read aloud. For a simple story, the language is so beautiful. Children are also taught important lessons about friendship, courage, and sacrifice. It feels like a near-perfect early childhood read aloud to me. I got three simultaneous, "one more chapter!" at the end of each chapter, and that is the best indicator of a good book!

[Aurore Lantez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce deuxième tome d’Hôtel Heartwood est, une fois encore, une vraie bulle de tendresse. C’est le genre de lecture qui fait du bien, comme une pause sucrée entre deux gros pavés. On y retrouve toute la bienveillance, l’ambiance cosy et les jolis messages d’entraide qui m’avaient déjà charmée dans le premier tome.
Un vrai petit bonbon hivernal, à savourer au chaud sous un plaid !

[maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

christmas morning readathon ☕️❄️🧦

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ étoiles (6/10 cœurs). Oh, c'était TELLEMENT doux ! C'est encore plus douillet que le premier tome, car les seuls antagonistes sont l'hiver et la faim. Mona va très bien et j'adore son amitié avec Tilly. Bien sûr, j’ai aussi aimé rencontrer tout le monde et découvrir quelques nouveaux personnages au cours de la route. L'intrigue était vraiment très intrigante et le point culminant était bon, mais la fin était parfaite ! Je ne peux pas donner de spoilers mais tout est si tendre et mignon. <3

————————

5+ stars (6/10 hearts). Aw, this was SO sweet! It's even more cozy and gentle than the first book, because the only antagonist is winter and hunger. Mona is doing so well and I love her friendship with Tilly. Of course I enjoyed meeting everyone else again too, and finding a few new characters along the way. The plot was very intriguing really, and the climax was good—but the ending was perfect! I can't give spoilers but it's all so cute and tender. <3

[Galleane · Rating 4 out of 5]

La vie à l'hôtel suit son cours. L'hiver étant là, l'organisation s'en retrouve modifiée et si comme toujours, on s'attend à ce que le calme règne, rien ne va se passer comme prévu. Les petits problèmes survenants rythment agréablement le récit et si le déroulé n'est pas des plus surprenants, de nouveau je me suis complètement contentée du contenu. L'histoire est pleine d'émotion, elle dévoile plusieurs situations tendres et touchantes, et elle fourmille d'embûches que vont devoir affronter et surmonter nos petits personnages. L'hiver est bel et bien là, froid et parfois impitoyable, mais si on sait où chercher, il est possible de trouver des endroits ou la chaleur réchauffe les corps et les cœurs. Bienvenue à l'hôtel Heartwood.

Mon avis complet : https://bloggalleane.blogspot.com/201...

[Lilli Immel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winterwunderland im kleinen Waldhotel!
Das perfekte Kinderbuch (ab 7 Jahre) für alle, die Waldtiere, den Winter und ein herzerwärmendes Abenteuer zu schätzen wissen. Kuschelt euch mit einem Tee ein und genießt diese Geschichte!

Mona Maus erlebt ihr 2. Abenteuer (man muss Band 1 nicht gelesen haben) und diesmal müssen die Tiere eine Lösung für die Futterknappheit aufgrund eines Schneesturms finden.

Ein bisschen erinnert mich das kleine Waldhotel an eine tierische Kinderversion von Kerstin Giers "Wolkenschloss".

[Kelsey Sontag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just so cute. My kids have said “5 acorn review!” ☺️

[Laura Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great second installment to the Heartwood series! My kindergartener is hooked.
A says: I liked the deer named Francis. This story was exciting! The most exciting part was finding out about Hood.

[chan · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 / 5 stars

[Megan Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read aloud to Mady: sweet story, easy to read & storyline engaging.

[Sylvia Kinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!! My kids enjoyed it!

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet, wholesome, feel-good book perfect for fall/winter reading. This would be great choice for a confident reader in the lower elementary grades, and also as family read alouds. I look forward to more in this series by Kallie George.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and a half stars: An adorable sequel with charming characters and important messages.

Mona the mouse is happy in her new home at the Heartwood Hotel. She has a family and lots of friends. She is excited to attend her first St. Slumber celebration, but she is dismayed when she learns that everyone exchanges gifts. Mona receives gifts, but has nothing to give in return. She is determined to make it right, but her plans are interrupted when a demanding visitor shows up at the hotel, and someone starts stealing food. Who is taking the food and why?
What I Liked:
*My kids and I were thrilled to be able to return to the Heartwood Hotel in this second book, The Greatest Gift. Once again, we loved the characters, the setting, and the positive messages. This a wonderful series to read and share with your kids. I can’t recommend it enough.
*This time around, Mona is learning about helping others. She is upset when she receives gifts and doesn’t have anything in return. So when the rug at the Heartwood is ruined, Mona wants to fix it by weaving another one. I loved her determination to finish the rug. Then something happens and Mona is forced to make a decision about her rug, I loved her altruism. She is an adorable character.
*In this book, Mona encounters a Duchess. The Duchess isn’t exactly nice. She is demanding and critical, and unkind to the staff at the Heartwood. Thankfully, she does a surprise turn around at the end, and I loved her transformation. Her character is an example to younger readers. I think it is important to discuss the Duchess with your kids as you read this.
*This is also a story about helping others. Mona encounters a rat. At first, she is quick to judge and she is afraid of the rat, until she gets to know him and learns what he does to help others. Another important lesson for young readers.
*The story ends on a positive note. I loved the way everything worked out for Hood and his orphans.
And The Not So Much:
*The book opens with an ominous warning from the ground hog. What was the ground hog afraid of? This wasn’t explained later.
*We were left wondering about Henry. Was he able to stay with Tilly?
*Unfortunately, I can’t speak on the illustrations as our copy was an advanced copy and the illustrations weren’t present, which was a disappointment to my kids.

The Greatest Gift is a heart warming story that teaches young readers the importance of kindness and helping others. I loved the sweet characters, the message and the wonderful story. My kids and I can’t get enough of this series. I highly recommend these books for reading aloud with young children. They are adorable.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series of four. In these chapters we find Mona fitting in well in the heartwood hotel and doing her work as expected. She is friends with Tilly and all are busily getting the hibernation rooms prepared for those guests who want a safe place to hibernate. During the winter, the hotel's food supply gets lost on its delivery route, and what they do have is diminishing mysteriously. Mona sets out to find the culprit, but Tilly suspects her because Mona has a secret. One adventure leads to another, and surprises, too.

This is an enjoyable series for middle grade and up - and younger if it's being read to them.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should say, I think my kids would probably give this at least four stars. They have really enjoyed the Heartwood Hotel series, and I think the premise of this one was a little easier to follow than the previous one. They love the characters, and the setting is cozy and makes a great bedtime story.

I would not say it’s top-notch literature, and the sentences are sometimes awkward to read out loud and the dialogue occasionally stilted. But overall, it’s a sweet series and we will probably read the next two.

[A Creative Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encore un carton plein pour ce 2ème tome de la saga Hôtel Heartwood 💙
C'était doux, hivernal à souhait, plein de good vibes et tellement cute !
I mean...que demande le peuple ?!
J'ai adoré retrouver l'hôtel, cette fois-ci pour une saison hivernale qui devait s'annoncer calme (mais on est à Heartwood, donc évidemment ce n'était pas le cas), suivre Mona, Tilly et les autres animaux dans leur recherche du voleur des provisions.
Un très chouette ouvrage pour bien commencer cette nouvelle année 💙

[Jordan Cuellar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute Heartwood Hotel novel! We continue to follow Mona and Tilly in their adventures at the Heartwood Hotel as winter approaches and everyone settles down for a rest. Unfortunately for Mona and Tilly, rest is not to be had as they discover a food thief, deal with the cranky Duchess Hazeline, and keep secrets/surprises from one another.
This book was really cozy and a perfect blustery weather read.

[Tanya (FaithAndFictionReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

We just can't get over these little woodland critters! My kids look forward to reading this book each day, myself, as well. We really enjoyed this book almost more than the first! There was more adventure in this book, which was really fun!

[Michael & Photini Holverson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another charming little chapter book for the young listener. Moral lessons covered are that of to tell or keep secrets, judging people, and making promises without knowing if they can be kept. I appreciated this read with my littles and the way the characters developed. An enjoyable read.

[Hope Alden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very cute next installation of the series. The story is actually very engaging and I love the cozy feel of the setting. I would definitely recommend this cute little series for a bedtime story.

[Suzanne Montigny · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an imagination Kallie George has! This was a pleasure to read. A true classic.

[Kaya Kobold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Herzerwärmend.
Selbst wenn die Welt zusammenbricht, Freunde und Bekannte werden nicht vor die Tür gesetzt.

[Shira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it just me, or does reading this make me sleepy? Maybe because it's winter themed, and quite peaceful at the beginning. I have no idea, but I'll sum this book up in one word. Cozy.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is just delightful for lower elementary--- sweet characters, lovely setting, and just enough action without too much peril. My kids (9/7/5) really enjoyed this one!

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love this series and couldn’t wait to read the next one! They’re so much fun to read aloud with my kids!

[Devon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this as a read-aloud for my kids. A nice, light story for fun before bed. They’re looking forward to the next one.