Great Joy
Great Joy, by Kate Di Camillo, is a children's Christmas picture book that captures the joy and meaning of the Christmas story. The luminous illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline wonderfully set the time and place of the story: the week before Christmas in a big city in the late 1940s. A little girl, Frances, is distracted from preparing for the Christmas pageant as she wonders and worries about the organ grinder and his monkey who have started performing on the street corner below her apartment house.
She worries about where the organ grinder and his monkey sleep at night but is rebuffed by her mother when she tries to talk about them.
On the snowy evening of the Christmas pageant, despite being hurried by her mother, Frances stops to put a nickel in the monkey's cup and invites the organ grinder to come to the Christmas play at her church. When it comes time to say her line, Frances hesitates, still thinking of the organ grinder and his sad eyes. What happens next changes everything, and Frances is able to shout, with great joy and conviction, "Behold! I bring you tidings of Great Joy!"
The tender story of a compassionate child who wants to share the joy of Christmas, coupled with lovely and expressive artwork makes this book my favorite Christmas picture book of the year. I recommend it as a family read-aloud for all ages. It would also make an excellent gift. . (Candlewick Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780763629205)
N Is for Navidad
This exuberant Christmas alphabet book provides a colorful and joyous look at a Latino family's celebration of the 22 days of the traditional celebration of the Christmas season. With each letter of the alphabet, authors Susan Middleton Elya and Merry Banks introduce a Spanish word and a different aspect of the family's celebration. The paintings by Joe Cepeda fill each double page spread with the joy, colors, excitement, and wonder the family feels as they share their celebration with relatives and neighbors.
Through simple rhymes and detailed illustrations, the foods, symbols, decorations, and reenactment of Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay in Bethlehem (Las Posadas) are all introduced. An Author's Note at the end of the book provides additional information and a glossary of the Spanish words introduced in this children's Christmas picture book. According to the Author's Note, the customs introduced in the book "are primarily Mexican."
I recommend this book as a family read-aloud for all ages. Younger children will enjoy the simple rhymes and colorful illustrations. Older children and adults will particularly enjoy the detailed illustrations, finding something new every time they look at the book as they learn more about the customs and traditions presented. . (Chronicle Books, 2007. ISBN: 9780811852050)
The Night Before Christmas: A Magical Cut-Paper Edition
This new edition of The Night Before Christmas features the silhouettes of artist Niroot Puttapipat, cut-paper touches throughout the book, and a grand finale pop-up at the end of the book. Done in black and white, with just touches of red, green, and metallic gold, this is one of the most striking versions of The Night Before Christmas that I have ever seen. The poem itself, which has been popular since it was first published anonymously in 1823, has been most often attributed to Clement C.
Moore, although Moore is not universally accepted as the author.
Regardless of who did or did not write the poem, Christmas picture book versions have been enjoyed by families for generations. In many families, it's an annual tradition to gather everyone around on Christmas Eve and share The Night Before Christmas just before bedtime. I not only recommend this edition as a book for your family to enjoy together, I also think it would make an excellent Christmas gift for a family. . (Candlewick Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780763634698)
Olivia is a very self-centered piggy little girl who would be hard to like except for one thing - she is a pig. Olivia Helps With Christmas is the fifth book about Olivia and her loving family that Ian Falconer has written and illustrated. While Olivia, her little brother, Ian, and the baby are waiting for Santa, Olivia decides to help with Christmas. The results are both disastrous and funny. Nothing stops Olivia.
She makes one mess after another as she cheerfully creates havoc while "helping" her bemused parents.
What makes Olivia Helps With Christmas, as well as the other Olivia books, exceptional is the artwork by Ian Falconer. He makes great use of white space, a limited color palette, and surprising touches of mixed media. Except for several spectacular color photographs, the illustrations in Olivia Helps With Christmas, created with charcoal and goache on paper, are done mainly in black, gray and white, with accents of red and green. The extra foldout pages showing the piglets rushing from the breakfast table to open their presents are a riot, as is Olivia's dream at the end of a busy Christmas. Children three to six years old particularly enjoy Olivia, although I also know of many older kids and adults who also get a kick out of Olivia. . (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2007. ISBN: 9781416907862)
Since Olive, the Other Reindeer was first published in 1997, more than one million copies of the children's Christmas picture books have been sold. Now, in honor of the tenth anniversary of the book's publication, there is a new, and very special edition. The 2007 edition of Olive, the Other Reindeer includes flaps to lift, scratch and sniff, and a grand finale pop-up.
What hasn't changed is the story of Olive, a little dog who thinks she is a reindeer, and wants to fly and be one of Santa's reindeers.
The story of how Olive's dreams come true is a delightful one, made more so by the artwork of J. Otto Seibold, who also co-authored the book along with Vivian Walsh. The retro look and the sophisticated color choices, particularly for a children's Christmas picture book, set this book apart from the traditional Christmas picture book. I recommend Olive, the Other Reindeer for children three to eight years old. . (Chronicle Books, deluxe edition, 2007. ISBN: 9780811857192)
Great Joy, by Kate Di Camillo, is a children's Christmas picture book that captures the joy and meaning of the Christmas story. The luminous illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline wonderfully set the time and place of the story: the week before Christmas in a big city in the late 1940s. A little girl, Frances, is distracted from preparing for the Christmas pageant as she wonders and worries about the organ grinder and his monkey who have started performing on the street corner below her apartment house.
She worries about where the organ grinder and his monkey sleep at night but is rebuffed by her mother when she tries to talk about them.
On the snowy evening of the Christmas pageant, despite being hurried by her mother, Frances stops to put a nickel in the monkey's cup and invites the organ grinder to come to the Christmas play at her church. When it comes time to say her line, Frances hesitates, still thinking of the organ grinder and his sad eyes. What happens next changes everything, and Frances is able to shout, with great joy and conviction, "Behold! I bring you tidings of Great Joy!"
The tender story of a compassionate child who wants to share the joy of Christmas, coupled with lovely and expressive artwork makes this book my favorite Christmas picture book of the year. I recommend it as a family read-aloud for all ages. It would also make an excellent gift. . (Candlewick Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780763629205)
N Is for Navidad
This exuberant Christmas alphabet book provides a colorful and joyous look at a Latino family's celebration of the 22 days of the traditional celebration of the Christmas season. With each letter of the alphabet, authors Susan Middleton Elya and Merry Banks introduce a Spanish word and a different aspect of the family's celebration. The paintings by Joe Cepeda fill each double page spread with the joy, colors, excitement, and wonder the family feels as they share their celebration with relatives and neighbors.
Through simple rhymes and detailed illustrations, the foods, symbols, decorations, and reenactment of Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay in Bethlehem (Las Posadas) are all introduced. An Author's Note at the end of the book provides additional information and a glossary of the Spanish words introduced in this children's Christmas picture book. According to the Author's Note, the customs introduced in the book "are primarily Mexican."
I recommend this book as a family read-aloud for all ages. Younger children will enjoy the simple rhymes and colorful illustrations. Older children and adults will particularly enjoy the detailed illustrations, finding something new every time they look at the book as they learn more about the customs and traditions presented. . (Chronicle Books, 2007. ISBN: 9780811852050)
The Night Before Christmas: A Magical Cut-Paper Edition
This new edition of The Night Before Christmas features the silhouettes of artist Niroot Puttapipat, cut-paper touches throughout the book, and a grand finale pop-up at the end of the book. Done in black and white, with just touches of red, green, and metallic gold, this is one of the most striking versions of The Night Before Christmas that I have ever seen. The poem itself, which has been popular since it was first published anonymously in 1823, has been most often attributed to Clement C.
Moore, although Moore is not universally accepted as the author.
Regardless of who did or did not write the poem, Christmas picture book versions have been enjoyed by families for generations. In many families, it's an annual tradition to gather everyone around on Christmas Eve and share The Night Before Christmas just before bedtime. I not only recommend this edition as a book for your family to enjoy together, I also think it would make an excellent Christmas gift for a family. . (Candlewick Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780763634698)
Olivia is a very self-centered piggy little girl who would be hard to like except for one thing - she is a pig. Olivia Helps With Christmas is the fifth book about Olivia and her loving family that Ian Falconer has written and illustrated. While Olivia, her little brother, Ian, and the baby are waiting for Santa, Olivia decides to help with Christmas. The results are both disastrous and funny. Nothing stops Olivia.
She makes one mess after another as she cheerfully creates havoc while "helping" her bemused parents.
What makes Olivia Helps With Christmas, as well as the other Olivia books, exceptional is the artwork by Ian Falconer. He makes great use of white space, a limited color palette, and surprising touches of mixed media. Except for several spectacular color photographs, the illustrations in Olivia Helps With Christmas, created with charcoal and goache on paper, are done mainly in black, gray and white, with accents of red and green. The extra foldout pages showing the piglets rushing from the breakfast table to open their presents are a riot, as is Olivia's dream at the end of a busy Christmas. Children three to six years old particularly enjoy Olivia, although I also know of many older kids and adults who also get a kick out of Olivia. . (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2007. ISBN: 9781416907862)
Since Olive, the Other Reindeer was first published in 1997, more than one million copies of the children's Christmas picture books have been sold. Now, in honor of the tenth anniversary of the book's publication, there is a new, and very special edition. The 2007 edition of Olive, the Other Reindeer includes flaps to lift, scratch and sniff, and a grand finale pop-up.
What hasn't changed is the story of Olive, a little dog who thinks she is a reindeer, and wants to fly and be one of Santa's reindeers.
The story of how Olive's dreams come true is a delightful one, made more so by the artwork of J. Otto Seibold, who also co-authored the book along with Vivian Walsh. The retro look and the sophisticated color choices, particularly for a children's Christmas picture book, set this book apart from the traditional Christmas picture book. I recommend Olive, the Other Reindeer for children three to eight years old. . (Chronicle Books, deluxe edition, 2007. ISBN: 9780811857192)