1 comments about The Man Who Walked the Earth.

1. Another simply told tale from Ian Wallace. His text is spare, straightforward, and compelling. The illustrations, like so many of his, are evocative of place and time, with enough detail to make us feel the homeliness of the house and its inhabitants. The warmth of lamplight spills into each scene, guarding us and the characters of brother and sister and mother against the harsh cold of the out of doors, really of the world. The arrival of the stranger out of the cold, his magic tricks, his presentation of gifts, and his departure happen so fluidly that we, too, are caught up in the surprise and delight of his visit. The best of his gifts brings this story to its close, and we want to read it again to recapture the magic.

4 comments about The Shine Man: A Christmas Story.

1. The Shine Man makes the perfect Christmas present for children of all ages! In a manner consistent with her previous works, Mary Quattlebaum's use of language and imagery brings her story to life. She captures the mood of a time before I was born, and makes me believe I was there, experiencing it first-hand. The story is simple, but impactful. I can still feel the warm glow of the Christmas spirit while I search for the "Shine Man" within myself.



2. This story of finding the divine in people during the Great Depression is a gentle way of helping children (and their adult loved ones)focus on what's most important about the holiday season. Illustrations are reminiscent of Dickens, but set in the 1930's in this country. I'll think of this story (especially the last two pages)when I behold the stars in a bright December sky.



3. This story feels timeless, a real feat for a children's book published this year. From the period details to the lyrical prose, I felt a sense of deja-vu throughout, as if I were reading a childhood favorite. And the last page is stunningly beautiful. I bought it for my daughter, and I'm about to go get another copy for my nephew.



4. "The Shine Man" is a wonderful book that will surely
   become a classic Christmas story. It reminded me of
   my own father's tales of life during the Depression.
   It teaches an important lesson in giving as well as
   a bit of history and will stimulate family discussion.
   Both the artwork and the story are excellent.

1 comments about What Is Christmas?.

1. I was looking for a Christmas book for my twenty month old and found this one. Since she has the Mommy and Daddy Harriet Ziefert books ("Mommies are for Counting Stars" and "Daddies are for Catching Fireflies")and loves them, I picked this one. Big mistake. What we wanted was a book with the Santas, snowmen and stockings our daughter is just learning to recognize, but what we got was a lot of information about families going to church to worship the holy child of God, saying grace, etc. That's fine if your child is ready for it and that's what you want, but it isn't at all apparent from the information provided on-line about this book. The book is actually heavily religious, which may be fine for an older child if it accords with your family's beliefs. It wasn't what we were looking for this year, and we gave it away to a family with an older child that was more comfortable with the content.

No comments about Drummer Boy.

4 comments about Fright Christmas RL Stine's Ghosts of Fear Street 15 (Ghosts of Fear Street).

1. I think this book is preety good. Every chapter ending and paragraph ending were cliffhangers. But some parts were BOR-ING. Overall, I give this book ****.



2. I recently was in the cast of A Christmas Carol and as opening night and the holidays rolled around I was looking for an appropriate gift for the kids in the show. I got this book for each and the reviews were terrific! Each one told me how much he/she loved it. It kept them all busy for several days during their off-stage time, both reading and discussing with eachother. It was a fun comparison to the Dickens which they now knew so well. I say get both and start your own Oprah style book discussions with the "juniors" in your house.



3. A newer creepier verison of A Chrismas Carol. Kenny as Scrooge. And a biker,a ghost(the one on the cover), and something else as the three ghosts. Ending leaves you kinda hanging. But It's an okay book. If you like R.l.Stine, then read this book.



4. Kenny Frobisher is the meanest bully in Shadyside Middle School. One day he was stranded at Dalby's Department Store. This is the funniest part, he keeps on shouting and shouting. When Kenny gets out,the store is locked. Now Kenny is alone, until three frightening ghosts[scariest ghosts in FEAR STREET] comes and will wish him a SCARY CHRISTMAS.

4 comments about Big Bob And The Winter Holiday Potato (level 3) (Hello Reader).

1. My 4 yr old son received this from his preschool teacher as a Christmas present. Both my husband and I had the same reaction to it when we read it to our son...disbelief! We are open to our sons learning about different cultures but this book is not one which will be kept in our home. Come on... Potato Claus!?! He doesn't care if the boys and girls are good or bad!?! I personally like letting my children know they'd better be good, for goodness sake! This book made me realize that I'd better make sure the books they are getting are appropriate and not leaning towards the left-wing liberal agenda.



2. I wanted this book because I read a review that said it had a "liberal, left wing agenda." Sadly, I didn't see that, but maybe you had to be there.
   
   A young girl creeped out by Santa Claus invents her own holiday gift-giver (Potato Claus) and writes a play about him that she and some friends put on for the class. There is a strange obsession with potatoes.
   
   This book is really short with big type and lots of color illustrations, so there isn't much room for the usual Pinkwater weirdness. It's still kind of nifty, though.



3. I just read this story to a friend's little girl. I really enjoyed how the story was inclusive for all.
   
   Potato Claus doesn't judge whether children are "good" or "bad" and gives presents to all. Potato Claus wishes people holiday wishes for all the wintertime holidays.



4. Note to authors: if you write satire, someone will think you mean it. I'm sure many people believe that Jonathan Swift actually wanted to eat babies, too. If you're sharp enough to get the joke, this book is quite funny.
   
   Here, Big Bob and Gloria write a play about Potato Claus. Potato Claus lets all children, bad or good, choose a potato-themed present from The Big Book of Gifts, telling them it will arrive via UPS in 7-10 working days. He breezes in, declaring, "Happy Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, and other local and regional holidays and celebrations!" The students demand to write a play about Potato Claus, citing their right to free expression.
   
   First it will make you laugh, and then it will make you think about the kind of children our politically correct society is producing. Here, the holidays have absolutely no meaning other than gift giving, and which one you celebrate is unimportant. The children are very savvy about how gifts are purchased and delivered. Santa Claus is regarded as judgmental for caring if the children have been good.
   
   This book makes a fantastic gift for any public school teacher on your list!

1 comments about Probity Jones And The Fear Not Angel (Paraclete Poetry).

1. A heartwarm story about Christmas. A nice story that shows the happy and unhappy parts about life with a little Christmas magic (an Angel). It looks at not just inner city life but family life and love.

3 comments about Silent Night: The Song and Its Story.

1. This is a beautiful picture book which tells the story of how one of the world's most loved Christmas carols came to be written. The story is sure to loved by children and adults and could easily become part of a family holiday reading tradition.



2. See how a univerally-known song, "Silent Night" can stop men from thinking about war. From a song that was scrawled on a crumpled piece of paper inside an old church organ to a melody that stopped gunfire during the Korean War, we see the power of music through this simple holiday carol. Beautifully illustrated, and a wonderful lesson to read aloud.



3. Beautifully illustrated and simply written, this version of the "Silent Night" story hit home with our family as we are descendants from the little-known, but incredibly beautiful Austrian Tyrol, the setting for the story. A copy is being sent to 80-year old Tyrolean grandparents (in NY) to enjoy!

1 comments about The Christmas Hat.

1. I'm the type of person who will not by a childrens book if I don't like it visually no matter how good the story is. I got both with this. Very sweet little story with a happy ending and the illustrations are like eye-candy to me!

No comments about Fun-to-Make Crafts for Christmas.