The first gift of Christmas...

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An excerpt:

     I knew that I could have any gift I could imagine. But the thing I wanted most for Christmas was not inside Santa's giant bag. What I wanted more than anything was one silver bell from Santa's sleigh. When I asked, Santa smiled. Then he gave me a hug and told an elf to cut a bell from a reindeer's harness. The elf tossed it up to Santa. He stood, holding the bell high above him, and called out, "The first gift of Christmas!"

~ from The Polar Express,

written by Chris Van Allsburg

The Polar Express is one of my favorite Christmas books. (I like the movie, too, but not as much as the book.) I love this scene and the meaning of the silver bell from Santa's sleigh. What would you ask Santa for?

Pine Tree Song

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Pine Tree Song

Little pines upon the hill,
Sleeping in the moonlight still,
Are you dreaming now of me
Who bloomed into a Christmas tree?
Baby moons of gold and red
Cuddle close beside my head;
In my tangled leaves a string
Of fairy stars are glimmering;
While my arms, for girls and boys,
Blossom with a hundred toys.
O little pines, it’s fun to live
To be a Christmas tree — and give.

~ Marjorie Barrows

I like how Barrows writes this rhyming poem from the perspective of a Christmas tree, and the image of fairy stars glimmering.  Which words or lines do you like best?

All Aboard for Christmas Tales!

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I love Christmas stories -- all kinds -- and have a large collection of them. I've shared most of my collection in previous posts. (See the links at the bottom of this post.) This year I went looking for Christmas books at our local library. Here are a few of the tales that I really enjoyed and wanted to share with you:

Picture books:

It's Christmas,

written and illustrated by Tina Burke, 2006

It's that time of year again. Burke describes (and illustrates) some of the joys of the holiday season in this sweet little book.

***

A Star So Bright:

A Christmas Tale,

written by M. Christina Butler

and illustrated by Caroline Pedler, 2007

On each page of this book, different animals see a bright star in the sky. The star (shown through a cut-out in the paper) grows larger with every page turn, and we, the readers, get closer to the manger highlighted by the star. Butler's rhyming text is enhanced by Pedlar's charming illustrations.

***

Christmas Wombat,

written by Jackie French

and illustrated by Bruce Whatley, 2011

A very silly carrot-loving wombat hitches a ride on Santa's sleigh and discovers that there are many, many carrots in the world. This story kept me laughing out loud with each turn of a page. When I finished reading it, I immediately handed it off to my boys (almost 17 and 10), who were equally amused! I just might need to buy this one to add to my collection. :)

***

Christmas is Coming,

written by Anne Bowen

and illustrated by Tomek Bogacki, 2007

Throughout the holiday season, Anna tells her baby brother about the various signs that Christmas is coming -- the first snow, the lights, the tree, and more.  On Christmas Day she is very excited by the gifts that Santa has brought, but looking at her baby brother she suddenly realizes that he is the very best Christmas present of all.

***

One Snowy Night, 

written by M. Christina Butler

and illustrated by Tina Macnaughton, 2004

Father Christmas gives Little Hedgehog a red wooly hat to keep him warm. The hat ends up warming the hearts of all of Little Hedgehog's friends -- and turns out to be the perfect gift. This cute "Touch-and-Feel Book" allows readers to feel the soft red hat.

***

Snowed Under

and Other Christmas Confusions,

written and illustrated by Serge Bloch, 2011

This book is filled with idioms, Christmas-related and otherwise, along with humorous illustrations that interpret those idioms literally. Bloch uses phrases like "deck the halls", "tied up in knots", and "red-handed" to tell his tale of a family getting ready for Christmas.

***

The Little Fir Tree,

written by Margaret Wise Brown

and illustrated by Jim Lamarche, 1954 (text),
2005 (illustrations)

Although this has the same title as Hans Christian Andersen's famous tale, Brown's The Little Fir Tree is a completely different story -- one that is heartwarming, not depressing like Andersen's. A little fir tree grows alone in a field, wishing he could be part of the forest... or at least part of something. One winter day a man finds the tree. He digs the tree up and brings him to share with a special boy and to be part of a great Celebration.

***

Lighthouse Christmas,

written by Toni Buzzeo

and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, 2011

Frances, Peter, and Papa recently moved to a lighthouse island off the coast of Maine and Frances is feeling lonely. Now a big storm is keeping even the supply boats away. Will it keep Santa away as well?

This engaging story is inspired by a true Christmas tradition, the Flying Santa Service.

***

December,

written by Eve Bunting

and illustrated by David Diaz, 1997

Simon and his mother are celebrating Christmas Eve in their cardboard house. They have a tiny tree and not much else, but when they meet an elderly woman with even less, they invite her in and offer to share what they have.

I love this book's vibrant illustrations and inspiring message.

***

Young adult fiction:

Let It Snow:

Three Holiday Romances,

written by John Green, Maureen Johnson,

and Lauren Myracle, 2008

This book is made up of three interconnected (and often hilarious) tales of teenage love and romance. A Christmas Eve snowstorm stops a train and transforms Gracetown into a winter wonderland. Strangers meet, old friends look at each other in a new way, and, in the midst of it all is a tiny teacup pig named Gabriel.

***

For more Christmas books, please check out my posts from previous years:

The Stories of Christmas

The Night Before

Merry Little Christmas Books

Have you read any of the books shown above? If so, what did you think of them? 

What are your favorite Christmas stories?

December

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December

First snow! The flakes
  So few, so light, 
Remake the world
  In solid white.

All bundled up,
  We feel as if
We were fat penguins,
  Warm and stiff.

Downtown, the stores
  Half split their sides,
And Mother brings home
  Things she hides.

Old carols peal.
  The dusk is dense.
There is a mood
  Of sweet suspense.

The shepherds wait,
  The kings, the tree--
All wait for something
  Yet to be,

Some miracle.
  And then it's here,
Wrapped up in hope--
  Another year!

~ John Updike

There are so many things I love about the month of December -- and Updike includes many of them in this poem. What are your favorite things about December?

A pretty little fir tree

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An excerpt:

     Out in the forest there stood a pretty little fir tree. It had a good place, for there was sun, plenty of air, and all around grew many larger trees. But the little tree thought of nothing but growing.

     "Oh, were I but a large tree like the others!" the little thing said. "For then I could stretch out my branches far around, and look out into the world. The birds would build nests in my branches, and when the wind blew I could nod as proudly as the others."

~ from The Little Fir Tree,

written by Hans Christian Andersen

This story of a fir that grows up to become a Christmas tree is a sad one, for the fir never learns to enjoy its life at the moment and is always wishing for greater things. It's easy to look at the past and wish things were like "the old days" or to look towards the future, hoping for something better than what we have now. I believe, however, that it's best to try appreciating the present and all the blessings surrounding us right now. What do you think?

Wassail

You may have heard the old Christmas carol, The Gloucestershire Wassail, with the chorus that goes like this:

Wassail! wassail! all over the town,

Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown;

Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree;

With the wassailing bowl we'll drink to thee.

This week's word is wassail [wo-seyl], a noun meaning "a salutation wishing health to a person" or the name of a drink at festivities, especially spiced ale. In addition, wassailing is another word for caroling house to house.

Our local high school choir performs a Madrigal Celebration every December. At one point during the show, all of the guests are given a cup of warm wassail (not ale, but rather a mixture of apple cider and orange juice) to toast to the king and queen while the choir students sing The Gloucestershire Wassail. It's always a fun part of the holiday season for me! :)

Here are some examples I came up with, using this week's word:

When I was younger, 

I loved wassailing with my friends 

at Christmastime! (True story.)

Please pass the wassail.

Wassail to you!

Have you ever tasted wassail or gone wassailing? How would you use the word in a sentence?

Snow

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Snow

Snow has magic
in its touch.
It makes the world
change very much;
it bends the hands
of spruces low
with fluffy mittens
full of snow;
it turns the road
and house and yard
into a great big
Christmas card.

~ Aileen Fisher

It has been unseasonably warm here lately and we don't have any snow at the moment. I hope we will get some soon because I love how it magically changes the world around us, as Fisher says in her poem. I'm ready for my house and yard to look like a Christmas card! How about you? Do you like the way snow looks?

In the bleak midwinter...

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An excerpt:

In the bleak midwinter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter,
Long ago.

~ from In The Bleak Midwinter,

written by Christina Rossetti

I love the images (cold and bleak, though they are) that Rossetti paints with her words.  This poem, written in the 1870's, was set to music about thirty years later; it became a beautiful and beloved Christmas carol.

A Passion for Penguins

Just a few of my stuffed penguins, Jan. 2013

At last, that special day we've all been waiting for is finally here, the day we celebrate those amazing (and dapper!) flightless birds that everyone loves -- hooray for Penguin Awareness Day!

(Okay, so maybe you didn't have this day marked on your calendar.  Maybe you didn't have a penguin party planned. Maybe you've never even heard of Penguin Awareness Day. That's all right.  I've got enough penguin passion for the both of us, and I'm perfectly happy to share....)

I mentioned my penguin obsession last year and posted a few penguin-related books for you then.  Today I'm back with even more picture books, fiction and nonfiction... and all about penguins. :)

First, some fiction:

Tony Baloney,

written by Pam Munoz Ryan

and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham, 2011

"Tony Baloney is a macaroni... penguin."  So begins this wacky little story about Tony, the middle child in his penguin family.  Tony's big sister bosses him around and his two baby sisters are bothersome.  Luckily, his stuffed toy Dandelion is a loyal friend he can count on.

This isn't really a penguin story -- Tony could be a tiger or a bunny or a little boy and the story would remain the same -- but the pictures of this penguin family are so cheerful and silly, they just make me grin from ear to ear.  I love the story, too.  I think it will resonate with children -- especially middle children -- everywhere.

***

If You Were a Penguin,

written by Florence Minor

and illustrated by Wendell Minor, 2009

What kinds of things would you do if you were a penguin? This book will tell you!  Minor offers several fun facts about penguins, using light verse.  A page at the end provides more in-depth information and also a guide to various kinds of penguins.

I love the artwork in this book and all the rhymes.  It's a great read-aloud book for little ones.

***

Penguin,

written and illustrated by Polly Dunbar, 2007

Ben opens a gift and finds a penguin inside.  He talks to it, but Penguin says nothing.  Ben tries everything -- dancing, singing, tickling, and more -- but Penguin remains silent. What will it take to get Penguin to talk?

This is a cute story with bright, expressive illustrations.  My own Ben liked this offbeat tale just as much as I did.

***

One Cool Friend,

written by Tony Buzzeo

and illustrated by David Small, 2012

Elliot doesn't seem too thrilled about heading to the aquarium with his father, but he politely goes along.  Once there, however, he is captivated by the Magellanic penguins -- Elliot even sneaks one home with him.  Elliot and the penguin have a grand time together.  (Elliot's father, on the other hand, doesn't even seem to notice the messes they make or the new family member.) A surprise ending will leave readers laughing... and wanting to read the story over again!

Ben and I both got a big kick out of this book.  We loved the entertaining story and the whimsical pictures.

***

365 Penguins,

written by Jean-Luc Fromental

and illustrated by Joelle Jolivet, 2006

I wrote about this fun "math with penguins" book in a previous post.

***

My Penguin Osbert,
written by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
and illustrated by H. B. Lewis, 2004

File this one under "be careful what you wish for".  Joe writes a letter to Santa Claus every year, telling him what he'd like for Christmas, but there have been a few misunderstandings. For example, when Joe asked for a racecar, Santa did give him one -- but it was only 3 inches long, not one Joe could actually drive.  This year, Joe has been very specific in his letter.  He wants a real penguin from Antarctica.  

Santa grants Joe's wish, and Joe loves his new penguin Osbert... but he might be just a bit harder to care for than Joe expected.  In the end, Joe decides that maybe his friend would be happier living in the zoo's Antarctic World exhibit.

Ben and I loved the tongue-in-cheek humor of this story, and the illustrations made us giggle.

***

My Penguin Osbert in Love,

written by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

and illustrated by H. B. "Buck" Lewis, 2009

In this sequel to the book above, Osbert and several of his friends from the zoo come to visit Joe at his house.  They show Joe an invitation they've received to a South Pole Extravaganza, hoping he can help them get there.  Luckily, Joe has a helicopter (from Santa, of course).  He flies the birds to the South Pole, which takes a little longer than he'd expected.  After they finally arrive, Osbert meets a female penguin and falls in love.  Joe needs to get back home, but what will he do about Osbert?

While I liked the first Osbert book better, this one is also a funny, charming story.

***

For those who enjoy nonfiction, I recommend the following books:

The Emperor Lays an Egg,

written by Brenda Z. Guiberson

and illustrated by Joan Paley, 2001

Following a family of emperor penguins through an entire year, this book offers quite a bit of information about these birds' life cycle in just a few pages.  

Guiberson writes in a way that will hold a young reader's interest, and her text is complemented by Paley's beautiful collage artwork.

***

Penguin Chick,

written by Betty Tatham

and illustrated by Helen K. Davie, 2002

This book also describes the amazing life cycle of the emperor penguin.  (At the end, it provides a few facts about other penguins, as well.)

Tatham shares many interesting emperor penguin facts, and Davie's realistic illustrations show off the beauty of these creatures.

***

Born to be Wild:

Little Penguins,

written by Anne Jonas,

with photographs by many, 2006

This book, geared more for middle grade readers, supplies many basic facts about penguins (mostly emperor penguins, once again).  It poses several questions for the reader to think about, with the answers given on the following page.

My favorite part of this book is all the photographs of the adorable chicks and their majestic parents.

***

Are you passionate about penguins, too?  I'd love to hear what you think of the books in this post, and I'm always looking for new penguin books to read.  What are some of your favorites?

Merry Christmas

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Merry Christmas

I saw on the snow
when I tried on my skis
the track of a mouse
beside some trees.

Before he tunneled
to reach his house
he wrote "Merry Christmas"
in white, in mouse.

~ Aileen Fisher

Wishing you all a Christmas filled with peace and joy!

'Twas the night before Christmas...

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An excerpt:

'Twas the night before Christmas, 
   when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, 
   not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung 
   by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas 
   soon would be there.

~ from The Night Before Christmas,

written by Clement C. Moore

This year is unusual for our family.  Most years we are out of town on Christmas, so Santa comes to our house early.   This year, however, we are home for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Like many other families, we will be setting out a few cookies (and eggnog!) for Santa tonight. How about you?  Are you expecting St. Nicholas at your house?