Comments on: 2017 Literary Advent Calendar picks

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 06:26:46 +0000

Mortimer’s Christmas Manger –another by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman.

Santa Mouse by Michael Brown

By: Phoebe K Farag

Phoebe K Farag — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 16:31:09 +0000

I have two new advent book suggestions reviewed on my blog post today: “Look: A Child’s Guide to Advent and Christmas” by Laura Alary and “That Baby in the Manger” by Anne Neuberger. Both are reviewed here: http://beingincommunity.com/my-favorite-things-2017-edition-gift-recommendations-with-seven-giveaways/

By: ARC

ARC — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 03:22:00 +0000

OH! And the best one of the bunch is a book my mom brought with her to Thanksgiving – it was mine as a child called “The Joys of Christmas”, about how different countries celebrate Christmas. I thought it was gone forever but she found it! And I couldn’t remember the title to find it on Amazon though I’ve looked every year since I had a kid 🙂 So that was hugely exciting. (for me, anyway…)

By: ARC

ARC — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 03:20:42 +0000

Also, I love these posts of yours and especially the comments because I’ve bought some of our books from them 😀

By: ARC

ARC — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 03:19:43 +0000

I was seriously dragging my feet about finishing the wrapping for these today and my mom offered to help, which made it much faster 🙂 I also found I had more than expected though I know which one I will cull before next year – I have already wrapped it so won’t worry about it now.

I generally buy 4 new books each year so the ones on the 1st, 18th, 24th and 25th are new. (My daughter’s birthday dates, plus Xmas Eve and Day). I tend to buy two winter or holiday ones and two regular good picture books for the other as I don’t really want a HUGE library of holiday books.

Our favorites: Olive the Other Reindeer, Lemonade in Winter, Jack Frost, All the World (not holiday but I love the illustrations SO much).

New this year: This is Not my Hat, Goodbye Autumn Hello Winter, Snow, and I can’t remember the 4th 😉

WRT family traditions, since the book on the 1st is a new one, we do “December pajamas” and I plan to give them out on 11/30. This and the Book Advent are a nice way to spread out the holiday gifts a little more too, so Christmas Day isn’t as overwhelming and things can be appreciated a bit more 😀

By: Kaethe

Kaethe — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 19:20:59 +0000

Two that we read every year (even though they are very different from each other!):

“Little Drummer Boy” by Ezra Jack Keats and “Junie B. Jones, Jingle Bells, Batman Smells…” by Barbara Park.

By: Christine

Christine — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:57:07 +0000

I loved “Christmas in the Manger” which is a board book about the Nativity story. We also have some anthologies that include carol lyrics that are really nice.

By: lauravanderkam

lauravanderkam — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:54:27 +0000

In reply to Robin.

@Robin – great list! I love The Snowy Day (not just at Christmas – could be any winter time!) and I may check out the Olivia one, because we have a little Olivia fan around here.

By: Robin

Robin — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:50:53 +0000

I loved this idea when you posted about it last year and this year I made the following list of winter- or Christmas-themed books for our Advent countdown. Some might be a little long for our kids but we’re going to give it a shot…

1. Christmas in the Big Woods (Little House Picture Book), inspired by the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
2. The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
3. Olivia Helps with Christmas, by Ian Falconer
4. Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen
5. Jolly Christmas Postman, by Allan Ahlberg
6. Winter Poems, selected by Barbara Rogasky (we’ll just read a few)
7. Snowmen at Night, by Caralyn Buehner
8. The Mitten, by Jan Brett
9. Madeline’s Christmas, by Ludwig Bemelmans
10. The Most Perfect Snowman, by Chris Britt
11. Polar Express, Chris Van Allsburg
12. Llama Llama Holiday Drama, Anna Dewdney
13. Bear Stays Up for Christmas, Karma Wilson
14. Gingerbread Baby, by Jan Brett
15. King Island Christmas, by Jean Rogers and Rie Munoz
16. A Night of Great Joy, by Mary Engelbreit
17. The Huron Carol, by Fr. Jean de Brebeuf, illustrated by Ian Wallace
18. The 12 Days of Christmas, by Greg Pizzoli (there are many versions of this, but I really like Pizzoli’s illustrations)
19. The Little Reindeer, by Nicola Killen
20. Walk This World at Christmas, by Debbie Powell
21. The Night Before Christmas, by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Mary Englebreit (obviously there are many versions of this, but I really like this illustrator)

By: Meghan

Meghan — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:24:15 +0000

What a great idea! I am about to cull our picture books, so even if I don’t manage to pull this off this year, I will try to put books aside for next year.
My kids love The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup. It’s pretty cute, and it doesn’t make me crazy like the weird military-themed ones people have given us over the years.
Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Tanya Simon and Richard Simon is excellent, too, especially if you’re exploring non-Christian faiths’ and cultures’ winter celebrations and traditions.