Puppies for Christmas, Gift Buying Guide, The Johnson Files, Brandon Mull

Carrie Ward on why you shouldn't buy a puppy for Christmas, Gina James on the best gifts to give and receive, Shaun and Nicole Johnson on their Instagram comedy channel, and Brandon Mull on his books, reading, and the imagination. Why You Shouldn’t Buy Your Kids a Puppy for Christmas Each year, about 3.2 million animals are adopted from shelters. It’s a wonderful thing to adopt a pet and add them to your family. They teach you how to love and be loved. But, Christmas might not be the right time for buying a family dog or cat. Carrie Ward from the South Utah Valley Animal Shelter joins us today to talk about why you shouldn’t surprise your kids with a puppy for Christmas. Gift Buying Guide Regular presenter Gina James joins Lisa to talk about the best gifts to buy and the best memories they have of giving and receiving gifts. Johnson Files Shaun and Nicole Johnson plainly state their intention with their popular funny online videos found through Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: “We hope to bring more laughter into this sometimes hard world.” Described as “an Instagram Comedy Channel for the whole family,” The Johnson Files are just funny. You can follow Shaun and Nicole Johnson at @johnsonfiles, and to see them in a live show just visit their website. Brandon Mull What was your favorite book to read as a kid? Were you a fan of the classic Chronicles of Narnia? Or maybe you were part of the Harry Potter generation? Many of today’s young fantasy readers are familiar with the work of Brandon Mull, the author of the best-selling Fablehaven series. Brandon has 14 New York Times bestsellers under his belt, and his newest book is Dragonwatch: Wrath of the Dragon King. Brandon’s here to talk with us today about his experience as a fantasy author, and the world of kids’ literature. You can visit him at his website.