Newtown children’s book author and illustrator Paul Meisel has illustrated Chapter 2 of a serialized kids’ mystery e-book, to be released one chapter at a time, beginning January 4. Mr Meisel is among many Connecticut authors/illustrator to volunteer their time to write and illustrate The Great Connecticut Caper, the brainchild of the Connecticut Humanities’ Connecticut Center for the Book. The book follows the adventures of a couple of 11-year-old kids hot on the trail of finding the missing Gillette Castle in East Haddam. (Now that’s something to misplace — a whole building?!) The castle is among numerous Connecticut landmarks the kids explore, in seeking to solve the mystery. You’ll find the story published every two weeks on the Connecticut Humanities’ website, until June. Visit www.cthumanities.org/c4b/ctcaper to read the story.

We bid farewell this week to the creator of Clifford the Big Red Dog. Massachusetts resident Norman Bridwell passed away this week, at the age of 86, after penning more than 40 children’s stories starring Clifford. Since the original story appeared in 1963, the many adventures of Clifford the Bid Red Dog and his girl, Emily Elizabeth, have become classic bedtime stories. It looks like Rotten Ralph, the misbehaving bright red cat in stories by Jack Gantos and Nicole Rubel, will have to take up the slack of ruby-colored children’s book characters.

Add this local place to your Shop Small list, for truly special selections of holiday gifts: The Newtown Senior Center, at 14 Riverside Road. The Holiday Craft Store there includes items handmade by members including jewelry, knitted items, cards, afghans, and more. The Senior Center Holiday Craft Store is open Thursdays and Fridays, 10 am to 2 pm.

Without an opposable thumb, wrapping gifts is a challenge to me. Okay, even with thumbs, I would find wrapping gifts a challenge. So I Googled “Newtown Bee Little Lessons,” recalling the awesome Little Lesson video with Nora Murphy on How To Wrap Holiday Gifts. Nora (of e-magazine fame Nora Murphy Country House) was kind enough to share her expertise with The Bee a couple of years ago, and guess what? Her video is just as helpful now as it was then. I’ll be on a roll for great-looking presents after reviewing her tips, and you can be, too.

The FAITH Food Pantry’s Barbara Lynch reminded me this week that juice boxes and crackers that can be served up as snacks for kids are always a welcome donation at the pantry. Donations can be dropped off between 9 am and noon, each Tuesday, and between 6 pm and 7:30 pm, in the basement at St John’s  which is located in the basement at St John’s Episcopal Church, 5 Washington Avenue, in Sandy Hook.

 The police department continues to sponsor its 14th Annual Mitten Tree display in the police station lobby at 3 Main Street, until January 1. Police Patrol Officer Maryhelen McCarthy, who oversees The Mitten Tree Project, asks that residents make donations of new mittens, hats, and scarves to adorn the Christmas tree. Through the course of the holiday season, the tree will occasionally be “trimmed,” with the donated apparel being given to needy families. The police station is open around the clock, seven days a week.

If you’re in the other side of town, you still have an opportunity to donate nearby. At Mediassociates, 75 Glen Road, Suite 100, a box is set up in the lobby for donations for the January 2015 “Midnight Run.” Seasonal clothing, mostly for men, blankets, toiletries, packaged/ready to eat foods, pens, and markers can be donated through the end of the month. Then, Mediassociates will deliver the items to NYC homeless, as part of the annual late night relief operation.

Dave Ackert, one of the Newtown Foundation founders, thanks all who donated books, time, or money for the Savoy Elementary School book drive. In particular, Dave Stowe and Sue Roman receive thanks, for driving the books from Newtown to Washington, DC. Thirty-four boxes containing more than 2,000 books went to the school, located in one of DC’s poorest areas. The staff at the school faces continual challenges just to get the kids to attend school. “They will use the books that we collected and bought as incentives for the children to come to school this week,” Dave tells me. If you were one of the many Newtowners who supported this drive, give yourself a pat on the back. Well done!

Next Tuesday, December 23, at 7 pm, Mine Art! gallery, 117 Church Hill Road,  Sandy Hook (beneath the Subway shop) will host a meeting for anyone needing to talk about the December 16 event in Peshawar, Pakistan. Members of the Taliban massacred 145 students and teachers there, at the Army Public School and Degree College, and injured many more. “We will meet for only an hour,” said gallery owner Allison Hornak. “Perhaps, by the end, whatever group is gathered that night may find it real and appropriate to respond with an action of some kind. Or maybe all we will do is talk. The only goals this night will be exchange and sincerity,” said Allison, “and there will be tea.”

Can you find Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in this photo? I spotted him this week at Fraser Woods Montessori School on Wednesday, December 17. (It was a hair-raising experience!) The blinking red nose gave him away.

 After the Board of Education has a presentation at the start of its meetings or decides on a big decision, there tends to be a break, with dessert. This week, Hawley Elementary School’s third grade chorus sang two songs for the board under the guidance of music teacher Brian Kowalsky. When BOE Chair Keith Alexander suggested, “Maybe we should all have some cookies? What do you think?” The students responded with a wholehearted ‘Yes!” I have to say, the dessert options disappeared faster than they have ever done so before.

Santa Claus, Rudolph, and the string of reindeer will have come and gone by this time next week, leaving you feeling merry and ready for the New Year, I hope. The only thing that could be jollier than that, I think, is if you promise next week to… Read me again.