Category: childrens

What's Cooking, Jamela? by Niki Daly (Suggested reading level: Ages 4-8) Usually, when I think of Christmas stories, I think of re-tellings of the first Christmas.  Or I think of snow and pine trees, cold weather and hot chocolate. Basically, I tend to read Christmas stories that are similar to my Christmases. What's Cooking, Jamela? however, takes place in modern South Africa—no snow for sure, but lots of love. Jamela's mama and grandmother make plans for Christmas, including buying a chicken to fatten up for dinner.  Jamela feeds the chicken, who she names Christmas, water and corn everyday. It even eats food from her hand. As Christmas gets closer, Jamela and the other kids put on a nativity play at school, complete with traditional clothing and instruments. On the day before Christmas, before the chicken can be killed, Jamela tries to help it escape, but it ends up running through town, causing havoc. "Christmas in not a chicken," cried Jamela. "Christmas is my friend....

What Could Be Keeping Santa? by Marilyn Janovitz (Suggested reading level: Ages 4-8) I love this Christmas picture book and we read it every year. The deer are just so cute as they look around the house. Everything's ready for Christmas, but Santa's still in bed. It's almost time for them to go. Finally they knock on the big guy's door and find out that Santa's not late, they're a day early. "Nothing would ever keep Santa!" As I said, the illustrations are adorable, and you can get the feel of them based on the cover above. The rhyming text makes it a perfect story to read aloud to youngsters who are just like the deer, anxiously waiting for Christmas to come. Our copy was given to us as a gift and the above is my honest opinion. I am an Amazon associate....

The Nutcracker based on the classic story by E. T. A. Hoffman, illustrated by Julie Paschkis (Suggested reading level: Ages 4-8) Amber (9) and I read this together again this year. Remember this is based on the story, not the ballet. No sugar plum fairy shows up, there are no dancing snowflakes, but it does come with a CD of selections from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, which we just started listening to in the car today. The music is beautiful. The story is familiar to us all. Clara finds a nutcracker under the Christmas tree. She learns how the toy got it's ugly face and hears the story of it's feud with the Mouse King. She finds the courage to help the nutcracker and breaks the spell he's under. The book is illustrated throughout in the same style as the cover, bright and colorful with just the right amount of detail. The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition and this...

Christmas Catastrophe by Geronimo Stilton (Suggested Reading Level: Ages 9-12) Amber(9) and I read this together last Christmas and again this year. Geronimo Stilton, an adorable mouse who runs a newspaper, takes takes his friends and family on a skiing vacation. Unfortunately, a bad accident lands him in the hospital, but while there he meets some great people. I love the Geronimo Stilton books because of the way they look, really. The pictures are cute and detailed; the font varies in size, style and color throughout the story.  This particular one helps kids learn that hospitals aren't really places to be afraid of, that the nurses, doctors and other employees are all trying to help you the best they can. It also has a nice reminder about how important family and friends are. I especially like the end, where the whole gang puts on a show for the patients. Laughter is the best medicine, after all! It's a nice story for this time of year,...