Happy Saturday!
I braved the stores for one last time this morning and in about 15 minutes, I will be making a yule log and a pumpkin pie and all sorts of goodies!
As you know, all I really want to Christmas is books, books, books. And yes, I still yearn for real books, despite my kindle!
I also got to thinking about Christmas books which have been so important in my life and in my children's!
The following list is in no particular order. However, it may give you some ideas for picking up some last minute treats for young ones or for yourself! All books I have chosen can be found new or used via amazon.ca. You may be able to find some at the library this week as well!
Apple Tree Christmas
If you like Christmas stories from long ago, this is the book for you and your children. The illustrations are charming, the story is heartwarming and you will get a lump in your throat each time about the love of parents to support their children's dreams.
Red Ranger Came Calling
This is the perfect book for those of you who have sour-faced children, at least some of the time. Never fear - every child has their "moments" and my son certainly claimed his! This is a witty and charming book set in the 1930s I think and each time we would read it, my son would be amazed! The perfect book for children on the cusp of non-believing!
Lucy and Tom's Christmas
One of the most charming Christmas books ever, by british author and illustrator Shirley Hughes. You always feel like you are getting a glimpse into a family's life and this one is one of the most realistic books I have ever read about the anticipation of Christmas! Anything by Shirley Hughes is well worth a read!
Santa Calls
Utterly charming Christmas book with amazing illustrations by another favourite of mine, William Joyce, whom I feel is well-deserving of the moniker "genius"
The perfect book to read to siblings!
Jolly Christmas Postman
This is going to be re-issued next fall, though you can find used copies in the interim!
Bar-none, beloved by my children for its interactivity, storyline and all around feeling of good cheer!
A Christmas Carol
I don't think I have to explain this one, but both my children loved this read aloud and Mr. Dickens knew what he was about!
Finally, one of the best christmas stories ever:
A Child's Christmas in Wales
I love this story by Dylan Thomas and in fact, I read it aloud to my dad the last afternoon of his life as it such a soothing, lovely story. Perfect story to read aloud on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Night, it is like wrapping yourself in a cocoon of loveliness and notalgia and a wee bit of meloncholy all at once. I actually downloaded it onto my kindle!
These books are in my Christmas Canon, though of course, there are many more. So please tell: what books would form your essential christmas reading list???
I braved the stores for one last time this morning and in about 15 minutes, I will be making a yule log and a pumpkin pie and all sorts of goodies!
As you know, all I really want to Christmas is books, books, books. And yes, I still yearn for real books, despite my kindle!
I also got to thinking about Christmas books which have been so important in my life and in my children's!
The following list is in no particular order. However, it may give you some ideas for picking up some last minute treats for young ones or for yourself! All books I have chosen can be found new or used via amazon.ca. You may be able to find some at the library this week as well!
Apple Tree Christmas
If you like Christmas stories from long ago, this is the book for you and your children. The illustrations are charming, the story is heartwarming and you will get a lump in your throat each time about the love of parents to support their children's dreams.
Red Ranger Came Calling
This is the perfect book for those of you who have sour-faced children, at least some of the time. Never fear - every child has their "moments" and my son certainly claimed his! This is a witty and charming book set in the 1930s I think and each time we would read it, my son would be amazed! The perfect book for children on the cusp of non-believing!
Lucy and Tom's Christmas
Santa Calls
Utterly charming Christmas book with amazing illustrations by another favourite of mine, William Joyce, whom I feel is well-deserving of the moniker "genius"
The perfect book to read to siblings!
Jolly Christmas Postman
This is going to be re-issued next fall, though you can find used copies in the interim!
Bar-none, beloved by my children for its interactivity, storyline and all around feeling of good cheer!
A Christmas Carol
I don't think I have to explain this one, but both my children loved this read aloud and Mr. Dickens knew what he was about!
Finally, one of the best christmas stories ever:
A Child's Christmas in Wales
I love this story by Dylan Thomas and in fact, I read it aloud to my dad the last afternoon of his life as it such a soothing, lovely story. Perfect story to read aloud on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Night, it is like wrapping yourself in a cocoon of loveliness and notalgia and a wee bit of meloncholy all at once. I actually downloaded it onto my kindle!
These books are in my Christmas Canon, though of course, there are many more. So please tell: what books would form your essential christmas reading list???
Oh these are beautiful, aside from a Christmas Carol I don't know any of them. A Yule log and you are making it? Drop off a slice!
ReplyDeleteI just finished! I will take a picture and put it up in the am - today is my brother-in-law's birthday and they are coming tomorrow so I made him a yule log for a birthday cake!! It was not easy - was most nerve-racking rolling it up when it was cooked! But it looks fabulous!
DeleteOh, I love The Jolly Christmas Postman! One of my favourites is a book, the title of which I just can't remember any more! It's about a boy who saves a donkey from being sent to the slaughterhouse - and that donkey ends up being the one which takes Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Very sweet.
ReplyDeleteOh Patricia - I seem to have some vague memories of that book! I am going to have to wrack my poor addled brain on that one!!! My favourite part of the Jolly Christmas Postman is how cheeky it is - the line about whether the characters know they are in a book cracks me up every time!
DeleteI think that it may be "The Small One" by Charles Tazewell? Happy Christmas!
DeleteThanks Anon!
DeleteAnon - I think you are right! The original seems to be out of print; there are only Disney versions available now (I checked Amazon Canada). I used to read it aloud at a children's story time at the local library and I found it very moving indeed. I remember I bought a copy to send to the children of a friend in England, but never got one for us. Thank you so much for the reminder!
DeleteMulti-talented you are, making your own yule log, I've always wanted to try that.
ReplyDeleteI have a lump in my throat thinking of you reading A Child's Christmas in Wales out loud to your Dear Dad. Bless him and you.
Have a wonderful evening darling!
Thanks Dani - it is a lovely memory for me and something very precious!
DeleteThe Yule log turned out! Not perfectly, but good enough - pictures to come!
Just watched dean Marvin's 1968 Christmas special!
WMM, I see that 'White Christmas' with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney is on TV here tomorrow - we are definitely watching that, one of my very favourite movies of all time!
DeleteI want to read them all, but no time to locate them now! We have the Jolly Christmas Postman. I bought it used years back and it is missing some of the pieces. It's a cute book. Our Christmas books are all for very little kids, mostly Golden books and a few odds and ends like The Night Before Christmas. I should really upgrade the Christmas books! Thanks for posting these!
ReplyDeleteHi Cate,
ReplyDeleteWe are missing 2 puzzle pieces for humpy dumpy! Ah we'll, nothing worth enjoying can be kept for perfection, can it?
Nope, might as well use it, I agree! I don't think we ever had the puzzle pieces. The previous owner of our book definitely did not keep it for perfection :-)
DeleteOh wow, these look great! Will definitely shop around after Christmas to add to our Christmas book stash. My daughter LOVES Dr Seuss's The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, the Mary Engelbreit illustrated versions of both the Nutcracker and the Night Before Christmas, The Polar Express, and Fancy Nancy's Splendiferous Christmas (WMM, I believe you remind me just a little of Fancy Nancy with your lovely red curls and your love for glamour!).
ReplyDeleteHi Danielle! How could i have forgotten The Polar Express (slapping forehead dramatically!) and I love Mary Englebreit - I still miss that her magazine is out of print!
DeleteAnd the Grinch! Oh I love the Grinch! Now i have to go look up Fancy Nancy!
Thanks for the great picks!
My son needed a Yule log cake for French class and guess who had to make it. It turned out nice but rolling it up was a little scary. I just knew it would split and crack. Luckily the chocolate frosting hid all the mistakes. The best part about the cake other than eating it wad the quick cooking time. Wish I had all the gifts wrapped so I could bake!
ReplyDeleteOh SC! I was SOOOO with you about the roll-up. Mine worked okay, but it was very stressful!!! I didn't get through as much as I had hoped - although we have cookie dough and pie crust all ready for more cooking this a.m.! It is funny - I cook like a banshee before Christmas and then between the 15th and the 28th, you are lucky if you catch me near a stove - it is all lounging, visiting and lefotvers!
DeleteWe had to have Christmas crackers one year b/o Lucy and Tom-- love that book. The Holly and the Ivy by Rumer Godden--can't get through that one without the tears.
ReplyDeleteI am going to go find that book, Lane - sounds good!
DeleteWe always do the crackers - hence my block thumbnail photo - me in my cracker millinery!
I am assuming our children are probably of the same vintage or not to far off if they also loved Lucy and Tom!