The Story of Christmas
For each day of Advent, it includes a miniature illustrated board book. Each board book contains a retelling of a portion of the story of the Nativity, ending on Christmas Eve with the story of how Jesus was born in a manger.
The covers of The Story of Christmas depict the Nativity scene when closed. When you open them, you see all of the miniature books, a simple map showing Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem, plus three Bible verses about Jesus: one from Isaiah, one from Micah, and one from John.
Each board book has a gold-thread loop attached so it can be hung on your Christmas tree. The miniature books vary in size, from about 1½ " x 2" to 2" x 4," except for the final book, which has an illustration of baby Jesus in the manger on the cover and is about 3" by 5." Each story includes four pages of text and illustrations.
I recommend The Story of Christmas: Storybook Set & Advent Calendar for all ages. I think the books would be nice to share as a family. Each miniature book provides a small piece of the Christmas story through the retellings by Mary Packard.
Even small children who may not be able to thoroughly comprehend the stories will enjoy the artwork by Carolyn Croll and the novelty of miniature books. Compare prices. (Workman Publishing, 2008. ISBN: 9780761152507)
Christmas Cookies: Bite-Size Holiday Lessons
Christmas Cookies Bite-Size Holiday Lessons is the second in the delightful Cookies series by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, with illustrations by Jane Dyer. Within the context of making cookies, children are introduced to a lot of big words related to Christmas, many of which are also a key part of character education. What makes learning about and understanding the words in Christmas Cookies Bite-Size Holiday Lessons so much fun?
It's a combination of explaining the words in terms of making, baking, and sharing (or not sharing) cookies and illustrations that include both children and a variety of adorable animals dressed up like people.
Not everything goes smoothly in the cookie-making and sharing process, allowing the introduction of words like "frustrated" and "selfish," but the emphasis is on the positive, with such words as "tradition," "perseverance," "gracious," "charitable," "gratitude," "thoughtful," "sharing," and "responsible." The definitions are all simple, cookie-related, and easy to understand.
Jane Dyer's appealing watercolor illustrations help to reinforce the definitions. For example, the page featuring the word "frustrated" shows a child in an apron with a bird perched on her shoulder, plus two rabbits and a sheep, also in aprons, peering unhappily at a pan of burned cookies. Embedded at the top of the illustration are the words, "FRUSTRATED means, I can't believe we burned them again!"
I recommend Christmas Cookies Bite-Size Holiday Lessons for 3- to 6-year-olds and for older children who need to expand their vocabularies. The words and life lessons are enjoyably and effectively presented, and as an added bonus, there is a recipe for Christmas cookies at the end of the book.
Compare prices. (HarperCollins, 2008. ISBN: 9780060580247)
A Present for Santa Claus
A Present for Santa Claus is a children's Christmas pop-up book. The book, which was designed by Dana Kubick, combines traditional picture book pages with double-page pop-up scenes. Author David Wood begins his story on Christmas day in the home of a boy named Sam. A pop-up scene of Sam's living room contains a large decorated Christmas tree, wrapped presents, Sam's dog, and Sam, happily unwrapping a gift from Santa - just the gift he wanted.
That night, Sam dreams that Santa is sad because no one ever gives him a gift.
He decides to change that and begins saving money to buy Santa a gift. Sam writes a letter to Santa, asking him to stop by on Christmas Eve to pick up his gift.
When Santa receives Sam's letter, he's so pleased that he plans a special surprise for Sam. However, Sam has a problem. He doesn't know what to buy for Santa. Despite going shopping for a gift, he still has no gift for Santa on Christmas Eve. When Santa arrives, Sam explains the situation and Santa responds, "I don't need a present. Your kind thought was quite enough." Instead, Santa Claus gives Sam an unforgettable gift by taking Sam with him to deliver gifts around the world, ending with a visit to Santa's workshop.
Pop-up scenes include Sam in his bedroom writing to Santa, Sam looking into store windows for gift ideas, Santa and his sleigh outside Sam's house, and Santa's workshop. Unlike many of the pop-ups we see today, the pop-ups in A Present for Santa Claus are not abstract, nor are they complicated examples of paper engineering.
Instead, they are perfect for young children. The picture book illustrations children are used to seeing suddenly come to life in 3D when they turn the page. Its design, plus its message of thoughtfulness, make A Present for Santa Claus a book I recommend for 3- to 6-year-olds. Compare prices. (Candlewick Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780763638580)
I was delighted to discover a new edition of My Wonderful Christmas Tree. This children's Christmas picture book by Dahlov Ipcar, is an unusual Christmas book. It is not about Santa Claus nor is it about the birth of Jesus. It does not feature lots of bright colors and frenetic activity. Instead, it is a quiet counting book, in rhyme, that features animals that live in the fields and forests of New England.
As the introduction of animals continues, the mood remains peaceful, but the animals become more active. For example, Ipcar's painting of 8 squirrels shows 8 swiftly moving animals that she describes as "Leaping and rippling through the tree, / Dancing a dance so light and free." The final double-page spread shows a large tree filled with rows of forest animals, from the 2 bears at the top to the 12 chickadees at the bottom.
I recommend My Wonderful Christmas Tree for 3- to 6-year-olds. All ages, including adults, will enjoy the artwork. Compare prices. (Islandport Press, 2008, 1986. ISBN: 9781934031223)
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem by Maya Angelou was composed and read by the poet for the lighting of the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C. in 2005. Now, Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem is available in picture book format, with dramatic mixed media paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher.
/ Come the way of friendship." The book comes with a companion CD of Maya Angelou reading Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem.
Introduction
It's always fun to find good books to recommend. The following include a number of Christmas picture books for kids, as well as one Christmas pop-up book. They include stories that celebrate the Nativity, stories that feature Santa Claus and several that celebrate sharing with others.The Story of Christmas: Storybook Set & Advent Calendar
The Story of Christmas: Storybook Set & Advent Calendar is an unusual Advent calendar.For each day of Advent, it includes a miniature illustrated board book. Each board book contains a retelling of a portion of the story of the Nativity, ending on Christmas Eve with the story of how Jesus was born in a manger.
The covers of The Story of Christmas depict the Nativity scene when closed. When you open them, you see all of the miniature books, a simple map showing Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem, plus three Bible verses about Jesus: one from Isaiah, one from Micah, and one from John.
Each board book has a gold-thread loop attached so it can be hung on your Christmas tree. The miniature books vary in size, from about 1½ " x 2" to 2" x 4," except for the final book, which has an illustration of baby Jesus in the manger on the cover and is about 3" by 5." Each story includes four pages of text and illustrations.
I recommend The Story of Christmas: Storybook Set & Advent Calendar for all ages. I think the books would be nice to share as a family. Each miniature book provides a small piece of the Christmas story through the retellings by Mary Packard.
Even small children who may not be able to thoroughly comprehend the stories will enjoy the artwork by Carolyn Croll and the novelty of miniature books. Compare prices. (Workman Publishing, 2008. ISBN: 9780761152507)
Christmas Cookies: Bite-Size Holiday Lessons
Christmas Cookies Bite-Size Holiday Lessons is the second in the delightful Cookies series by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, with illustrations by Jane Dyer. Within the context of making cookies, children are introduced to a lot of big words related to Christmas, many of which are also a key part of character education. What makes learning about and understanding the words in Christmas Cookies Bite-Size Holiday Lessons so much fun?
It's a combination of explaining the words in terms of making, baking, and sharing (or not sharing) cookies and illustrations that include both children and a variety of adorable animals dressed up like people.
Not everything goes smoothly in the cookie-making and sharing process, allowing the introduction of words like "frustrated" and "selfish," but the emphasis is on the positive, with such words as "tradition," "perseverance," "gracious," "charitable," "gratitude," "thoughtful," "sharing," and "responsible." The definitions are all simple, cookie-related, and easy to understand.
Jane Dyer's appealing watercolor illustrations help to reinforce the definitions. For example, the page featuring the word "frustrated" shows a child in an apron with a bird perched on her shoulder, plus two rabbits and a sheep, also in aprons, peering unhappily at a pan of burned cookies. Embedded at the top of the illustration are the words, "FRUSTRATED means, I can't believe we burned them again!"
I recommend Christmas Cookies Bite-Size Holiday Lessons for 3- to 6-year-olds and for older children who need to expand their vocabularies. The words and life lessons are enjoyably and effectively presented, and as an added bonus, there is a recipe for Christmas cookies at the end of the book.
Compare prices. (HarperCollins, 2008. ISBN: 9780060580247)
A Present for Santa Claus
A Present for Santa Claus is a children's Christmas pop-up book. The book, which was designed by Dana Kubick, combines traditional picture book pages with double-page pop-up scenes. Author David Wood begins his story on Christmas day in the home of a boy named Sam. A pop-up scene of Sam's living room contains a large decorated Christmas tree, wrapped presents, Sam's dog, and Sam, happily unwrapping a gift from Santa - just the gift he wanted.
That night, Sam dreams that Santa is sad because no one ever gives him a gift.
He decides to change that and begins saving money to buy Santa a gift. Sam writes a letter to Santa, asking him to stop by on Christmas Eve to pick up his gift.
When Santa receives Sam's letter, he's so pleased that he plans a special surprise for Sam. However, Sam has a problem. He doesn't know what to buy for Santa. Despite going shopping for a gift, he still has no gift for Santa on Christmas Eve. When Santa arrives, Sam explains the situation and Santa responds, "I don't need a present. Your kind thought was quite enough." Instead, Santa Claus gives Sam an unforgettable gift by taking Sam with him to deliver gifts around the world, ending with a visit to Santa's workshop.
Pop-up scenes include Sam in his bedroom writing to Santa, Sam looking into store windows for gift ideas, Santa and his sleigh outside Sam's house, and Santa's workshop. Unlike many of the pop-ups we see today, the pop-ups in A Present for Santa Claus are not abstract, nor are they complicated examples of paper engineering.
Instead, they are perfect for young children. The picture book illustrations children are used to seeing suddenly come to life in 3D when they turn the page. Its design, plus its message of thoughtfulness, make A Present for Santa Claus a book I recommend for 3- to 6-year-olds. Compare prices. (Candlewick Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780763638580)
I was delighted to discover a new edition of My Wonderful Christmas Tree. This children's Christmas picture book by Dahlov Ipcar, is an unusual Christmas book. It is not about Santa Claus nor is it about the birth of Jesus. It does not feature lots of bright colors and frenetic activity. Instead, it is a quiet counting book, in rhyme, that features animals that live in the fields and forests of New England.
My Wonderful Christmas Tree: The Action and Setting
The rhyming story begins when the narrator looks out the window on Christmas night and sees a shining star at the top of a pine tree. The narrator goes on to describe the animals that gather in the tree: 2 black bears, 3 bobcats, 4 porcupines, 5 raccoons, 6 snowy owls, 7 ruffed grouse, 8 gray squirrels, 9 bluejays, 10 evening grosbeaks, 11 chipmunks, and 12 chickadees.My Wonderful Christmas Tree: Words and Pictures by Dahlov Ipcar
Using muted colors and illustrations that cover the pages, with the embedded text in white on the black background of night, Dahlov Ipcar captures the quiet peace of a winter evening in the forest. In each double-page spread, an animal is introduced and described, as in "I saw three bobcats. / Three bobcats with spotted coats, / Tufted ears and soft white throats."As the introduction of animals continues, the mood remains peaceful, but the animals become more active. For example, Ipcar's painting of 8 squirrels shows 8 swiftly moving animals that she describes as "Leaping and rippling through the tree, / Dancing a dance so light and free." The final double-page spread shows a large tree filled with rows of forest animals, from the 2 bears at the top to the 12 chickadees at the bottom.
I recommend My Wonderful Christmas Tree for 3- to 6-year-olds. All ages, including adults, will enjoy the artwork. Compare prices. (Islandport Press, 2008, 1986. ISBN: 9781934031223)
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem by Maya Angelou was composed and read by the poet for the lighting of the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C. in 2005. Now, Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem is available in picture book format, with dramatic mixed media paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher.
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem: The Poem
Angelou's poem focuses on Christmas as a time of joy and hope, a time in which "The world is encouraged to come away from rancor./ Come the way of friendship." The book comes with a companion CD of Maya Angelou reading Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem.
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem: The Illustrations
The illustrations complement the poem as they show a family coming together one evening with others in their community of many different faiths and races, coming together in search of, and in celebration of, peace. The artwork captures not only the atmosphere of a snowy winter's evening at Christmas, but the feelings of love and hope and peace that are reflected in faces of the men, women, and children who have gathered together. The paintings, which are done in oil, acrylic, and fabric on canvas are muted, yet striking.Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem: My Recommendation
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem is a book that I recommend be read, listened to, shared, and discussed as a family. Compare prices. (Schwartz & Wade Books, An Imprint of Random House Children's Books, 2008. ISBN: 9780375841507)
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