With her debut novel Are You Sleeping described by CrimeByTheBook.com as a work that blends “the compulsively-readable style of authors like Ruth Ware and Clare Mackintosh with a plot that captures the engrossing, very particular style of true-crime podcasts,” Kathleen Barber appears at the Moline Public Library on December 28, an event that will find the author and Galesburg native speaking on her career, her book's success, and its forthcoming adaptation into a 10-episode TV series.

One of the area's most adored holiday traditions returns to Davenport's Adler Theatre on December 8 and 9 when the professional talents of Ballet Quad Cities perform Tchaikovsky's holiday dance classic The Nutcracker, an event boasting new choreography by Artistic Director Courtney Lyon, live musical accompaniment by Orchestra Iowa, and the return of Domingo Rubio, famed for playing the title character in the company's October presentations of Dracula.

One of the most popular and beloved animated movies of all time gets a holiday makeover at Moline's TaxSlayer Center from November 29 through December 2, with an Oscar-winning Disney masterpiece turned into an ice-skating spectacle in Disney on Ice: Frozen, a delightful touring adventure featuring Frozen's Anna, Elsa, Olaf, and more singing and skating alongside numerous additional Disney favorites.

Seasonal activities, song and dance performances, Christmas displays, and much more can be found at the Family Museum on December 2 when the venue hosts its annual celebration WinterFest, with this year's event-filled afternoon treating guests to displays, photos, and even visits from Santa, Mrs. Claus, and a real live reindeer.